After reading “India’s Sacred Cow” by Marvin Harris (Henslin, James M. (2010). Life In Society: Readings to Accompany A-Down-To Earth-Approach, 4th Ed. ), I was quite intrigued to learn more about the beliefs of the Hindu religious practices in India and the sacredness of the cow. As the article states, “The sacredness of the cow is not just an ignorant belief that stands in the way of progress. Like all concepts of the sacred and the profane, this one affects the physical world; it defines the relationships that are important for the maintenance of Indian society.
(p. 201). Some of the issues brought forth in the article are that of the interconnectedness of religion and culture, the functional/dysfunctional aspects of ‘cow worship’ in India, and the degrees and possibly reasons for poverty (by Western standards) depending on one’s viewpoint. My interpretations of this article are varied as I first pondered the information brought forth with my ethnocentrism.
I was ‘judging’ this other culture’s practices by my own standards and their unfamiliar practices.The cultural/religious practices of the Indian people might seem irrational to some, be are actually quite rational based on the sacredness of the cow of their culture, and how functional this value and belief system is for the Indian culture. For India, this creature represents everything from abundance, charity, wealth, gentleness, motherhood, and ultimately - life itself. The cow in essence provides the Indian culture with many essential products (milk, dung, economic uses, etc. ) even though seen as irrational by others.Based on my interpretation of Harris’s account of the Indian culture, he viewed the sacredness of the cow as that of a functionalist point of view.
He discusses in great detail the importance of cow worship, and how it produces life for the society as a whole. By definition, functionalism is the belief that in order for a society to function ‘properly,’ every part within the environment needs to work together as being dependent on one another. “Cow worship is an integral part of Hinduism. Religion is somehow good for the soul, even if it sometimes fails the body. ” (p. 96) Religious practices, values and beliefs are often seen as practical purposes that provide many key purposes such as social solidarity, guidelines for everyday life, social control, etc.
as listed in our text and lecture materials. The Hindu’s of India hold the zebu cow sacred as it is a means for resources for their livelihood; the beliefs unite the Hindu culture with shared values and perspectives. Regardless of my personal feelings on these beliefs, the cow seems vital and quite functional for the culture in India. The zebu cows perform two essential tasks, plowing fields and the production of milk.In addition, the zebus are: * Greatest natural resource (for Indian culture) * Produce dung – used as fertilizers, fuel and housing needs (floor coverings, heating and cooling). One may still ask, so why is the zebu cow so sacred? The cow is sacred because it is highly functional for the Indian culture.
If eating the cow were permitted, would their diets really improve, would the agriculture of this culture still have the resources it does now, would the energy contribution (from the dung) change? There are many variables to this issue especially with the images of poverty stricken individuals next to a seemingly ‘practical’ solution.As stated in our text, all religions use symbols to provide identity and social solidarity for their members. ” (Henslin p. 376) “The place of the cow in modern India is every place – on posters, in the movies, in brass figures, in stone and wood carvings, on the streets, in the fields. The cow is a symbol of health and abundance.
” (Henslin p. 196) Hindus in India honor and venerate the zebu cow as Christians venerate Mary as the mother of God. The cow is seen as the mother of life to the Indian culture, and sees the cow as an essential means to life.The Hindus in India have attached significant meaning to the zebu cow and their values and beliefs communicate a commonality among its members, one in particular being the unity of all living things, zebu cows in particular. Cow worship, functional or dysfunctional? Because of the highly critical nature of India’s Sacred Cow, the Conflict Perspective would highlight the many ‘irrationalities’ that are hindering the society of the Hindu culture based on their beliefs of the sacredness of the cow.
Why are they worshiping cows when there are thousands of individuals who are poor and living in poverty, dying of starvation?Would it be more practical to see the cows as an important food source and abandon ‘superstitious’ beliefs, while continuing to live in poverty or continue on with their religious practices? Cow protection and worship has been under scrutiny and controversy for quite some time, and will continue as long as these animals are worshipped. If I had to sum up my feelings on this article regarding the sacredness of the Hindu tradition, I would have to simply say that India’s Sacred Cow is highly functional for the Indian culture and there is wisdom amidst the dung.
