Worship of Cows on Makar Sankranti
Reason for Worship In Hinduism, cows are considered sacred and symbolize fertility, nurturing, and the motherly care that sustains all life. On Makar Sankranti, which is a festival marking the transition of the sun into the zodiac sign of Capricorn (Makara), it is a tradition to honor and worship cows. This practice stems from the agrarian nature of Indian society, where cows are pivotal to the agricultural way of life, providing milk, dung for fuel and fertilizer, and labor for tilling fields. Worshiping cows on this day is believed to bring prosperity, happiness, and good health to the family and society at large.
Ways to Worship Cows
  • Gho Pooja: A special ritualistic worship known as 'Gho Pooja' is performed to honor the cows. This involves bathing and decorating the cows with garlands and kumkum.
  • Feeding Cows: Offering prasad such as fresh grass, fodder, and other favorite foods of cows is a common practice to show reverence.
  • Aarti: Performing Aarti for the cows with a lamp and chanting mantras to invoke blessings.
  • Touching the Cow's Feet: It is a gesture of respect to touch the feet of the cow, symbolizing humility and gratitude.
  • Applying Tilak: A tilak, often made of turmeric or sandalwood paste, is applied on the forehead of the cow as a mark of respect.
  • Pradakshina: Circling around the cow, usually in a clockwise direction, is an act of worship and is believed to remove sins and bring good fortune.






Home      Cow-worship-traditi      Farmers-and-harvest