Justice Mahesh Chandra Sharma of Rajasthan High Court has set social media on fire saying peacock is India's national bird because the bird does not have sex to reproduce. Justice Sharma said that the peahen gets pregnant drinking the tears of the peacock.

We know cow is a holy animal in India.

Slaughtering cows hurt religious sentiments of many Hindus. Cows have also become an excuse for extreme Hindutva organisations to thrash Muslims mercilessly, and to even kill them in the name of 'gau raksha'.

Tiger is the national animal of India.

But as cow is becoming the single most important source of controversies in the nation, of course other than assault on women, many people feel cow should be India's national animal. The Rajasthan High Court judge Justice Mahesh Chandra Sharma thinks so too.

This morning, the Rajasthan High Court recommended life imprisonment for cow slaughter. Justice Sharma also urged the Centre to declare cow India's national animal. Keeping in mind Articles 48 and 51A(g) of the Constitution and to provide legal entity for their proper protection and conservation of cow, it is expected from the government that cow is declared a national animal," Justice Mahesh Chandra Sharma said in his 145-page order after hearing the Hingonia Gaushala case.

It was Justice Sharma's last day at work today.

Interacting with the media post giving the verdict, Justice Sharma said, "Peacock is a bramhachari and it does not have sex with a female peacock. The peahen gets pregnant drinking the tears of the peacock. Even lord Krishna carried the feather of a peacock on his head."

HOW DO PEACOCKS MATE?

Peacocks mate how other birds mate. Female peacocks do not impregnate themselves by gulping down make peacock's tears. That happens only in mythology.

Male peacock usually spread its tail feathers, strut about shaking the feathers and attract the attention of the female peacock. The female peacocks, often picky, mates with the male peacock who has the largest and most colourful feathers. Male peacocks even dances before the female peacock to impress and to get an indication of consent unlike many human beings.

Once female peacock consents, the male peacocks jumps on the female peacock's back, align its sexual organ known as cloacas and have intercourse.

Here's a video to prove peacocks do not swallow tear drops to satisfy their bodily needs:

Unlike human beings, peacocks are polygamous and are open about it. Male peacocks often part ways with the female peacocks after mating, and in search of new mates. The female peacocks do not expect male peacocks to help it to raise the young ones either.

HOW DO MYTHOLOGICAL PEACOCKS MATE?

As per Hindu mythology, Lord Krishna is adorned with peacock feather as a sign of purity. Peacock feather is considered pure because the myth has it that peacocks and peahens do not mate to reproduce, but that the peahen gets impregnated by swallowing peacock's tears.

INTERNET TRUMPS JUSTICE SHARMA

Since internet is internet, it doesn't disappoint. There have been many discussions on Quora about the piousness of peacock even before Justice Sharma triggered a conversation about how peacocks mate, and people have been sensible enough to understand that impregnation through the intake of tear drops is nothing but a myth.

This is one of the answers on Quora.

There are versions supporting what Justice Sharma says too. Because, internet.

Also read:

Make cow national animal, give life imprisonment for slaughter: Rajasthan High Court tells Centre

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Kerala calf slaughter row: How ban on cattle sale turned into a full blown political controversy

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Watch Video: Judge who said peacocks don't have sex shares another gem: Science and law originated from religion