Can you think to serve a stray cow on the auspicious occasion of makar Sakrantri but rather return back with the animal at home?

You could imagine but our Real-Life Yodha Ashwin actually did this. On a cool January morning in 2013, this 23-year-old law graduate went to a dairy farm to serve the cow when he saw a butcher finalising a deal to take a cow for slaughter. Out of curiosity, he approached the dairy owner and inquired all about his sale of the unproductive animals to butchers.

Shocking as it is already, Ashwin couldn’t stop himself from reacting to this ruthlessness of humans towards the voiceless animals. He decided to take action then and there which others only keep thinking about for years. While coming back, he brought one bull home & started planning towards his actions to save other stray cows and bulls who he now, knew would end up in slaughterhouses.

This led to the birth of a trust named Dakshin Vrindavan in Bangalore. Years of efforts & his zeal to save the cows helped his trust protect over 200 cows and bulls in their vicinity.

Usually bulls and cows that do no find a good shelter end up being slaughtered. People at Dakshin Vrindavan take these shelterless cows under their care and help them survive in better environment around. Not just that, even dead cows and bulls are cremated as per rituals and are taken care in every aspect.

How it works at Dakshin Vrindavan?

As per a mechanism designed by Ashwin, every cow and bull whose owner is not interested in keeping them is brought to Dakshin Vrindavan. Even the injured cow or bull who are recovered from highway accidents are also taken under the care until they die. Save the cow is whole sole motto of this organisation.

Sadly, there are no laws in most southern states which prevent cows from being slaughtered and at times, Ashwin and his team have to purchase these cows and bulls from slaughterhouses only to save them.

Survival of the trust is not easy especially when the Gau Sadan (name of the cow shelter) is located on rented premises. It’s mostly the donation from people that helps Ashwin to continue this mission. Therefore, Dakshin Vrindavan has a cow adoption program in place where any person interested in serving the cow can contribute an amount of Rs 36,500/- annually. Dakshin Vrindavan thus takes care of that particular cow or bull on part of that person who has donated the amount. This contribution has to be for a period of one year at the least. They tie a brass bell around the neck of that cow or bull to indicate that the animal belongs to the person under this program.

Anyone who wishes to feed the cows can also contribute an amount of Rs 12,000/- annually so that the cow or bull is served on behalf of the person.

Ashwin also mentions that no cow is ever milked in the Gau Sadan as the newborn calf needs that share of milk. However, the cows and bulls are not bred in the Gau Sadan as the only objective is to save these animals from slaughter and Dakshin Vrindavan aims to save as many cows and bulls from slaughter as they can. A balance of cows and bulls rescued from slaughterhouses is maintained as both need equal good care.

Dakshin Vrindavan even has some blind and handicapped cows and bulls which have been rescued from slaughterhouses. These cows and bulls have been injured by illegal cow transporters who inflict injuries to these voiceless creatures as their aim is only to earn profit by killing them.

A true Yodha as Ashwin is, this young man has dedicated prime years of his life for a mission and such efforts need to be applauded.

If you would like to play a role in this initiative, visit: https://www.dakshinvrindavan.org/

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