The cowdung festival...

@vandana7 (98526)
India
January 15, 2022 12:52am CST
Don't ask me why they use cow dung in this festival...but they do, and I am not a lawyer. It is a different thing that nobody has watched the cow pooping so it could be of buffalo or even bull or whatever...but dung is definitely used. We make those extremely artistic rangolis or muggus ...then in different parts put that cow dung with a flower on top. (attaching something where you can identify the art and cow dung) The idea is to welcome sun god from the southern hemisphere. I am not sure the sun god likes the idea of being welcomed like that...kinda I would not. My logic is ..if that cow dung is there on the rangolis .. or muggus ... people would be careful not to step on the hard work of the person doing it. But then, there will be some religious meaning assigned to such simple thing of course. Because logical explanations don't go down well with most people. Why else would so many avoid taking vaccinations facilitating the birth of omicron variant? I have nothing against democracy. I have something against people deciding on issues that they don't understand. So kinda, be safe ...I love all of you...ok.ok....I love making all of you miserable. Evil Grin
Original South Indian Food Recipes and Culture SANKRANTHI CELEBRATIONS…. January 24th, 2010 | Author: siri Hi? Wish you a very happy sankranthi? Many of us dont know the celebrations of sankranthi?..Mainly city brought up ones may h ave fewer knowledge of
13 people like this
14 responses
@LadyDuck (454979)
• Switzerland
15 Jan 22
I love what @Vikingswest1 wrote, because he is perfectly right. We have no evidence that this vaccine works and we do not know what side effects we are going to experience in the long run. What is sure for the moment is that we have many more cases now with the vaccine than one year ago. That said, I am not against vaccines, I am against rushed out medications (for political reasons) that arenot tested enough.
6 people like this
@vandana7 (98526)
• India
18 Jan 22
I too like what Vikingswest1 wrote. I earned some decent sum. LOL
1 person likes this
@rebelann (110772)
• El Paso, Texas
16 Jan 22
Exactly
3 people like this
@LadyDuck (454979)
• Switzerland
18 Jan 22
@askme123 (6150)
15 Jan 22
Say what? Cow dung??.This is celebrated in your country?
4 people like this
@vandana7 (98526)
• India
15 Jan 22
Yes. LOL. Actually, the original festival required people to clear the stock of food at home by preparing food with rice ..tamarind rice, rice pudding and whatever was bad across the winter storage would be ground and used outside the house in a specific place allocated for drawing like that... for sole reason that spoiled food is not consumed, and whatever is there gets eaten by ants since ants are recognized as scavengers. Spending time in the morning doing that art work is good for women folk... because back then only men went out to earn, so vitamin D deficiency was an issue. But over the years...we have started using other chemicals to make those designs. By linking it all with religion helped to ensure goodbye to gloominess of winter and put everybody on track for upcoming spring and summer activities. Religion for some reason ensures compliance. Logic does not. Cow dung was to ensure that hard work of the person drawing those designs does not go in vein...possibly also to attract the right type of insects... prevent them from entering the house if they can get food outside the house. And possibly to prevent people from stepping over ants...which cannot be a pleasant experience.
3 people like this
@askme123 (6150)
15 Jan 22
@vandana7 Why not just dispose of all the rotten food or burn them.Why use Cow dung?
4 people like this
@vandana7 (98526)
• India
15 Jan 22
@askme123 Food stuff attracts rats, ants, cockroaches. But when used out in open, the insects get to eat it, and they don't enter the house for more. May be that was the reason the food was never thrown out in open. Fresh harvest needs to be stored. So older stuff needs to be removed. Our storage system was not exactly as good as contemporary systems. So harvest time, we had this emptying session. Some of the pickles are also made in this season like lime pickle, ginger pickle, tomato pickle and chillie pickle. Fresh pickles for new year, the season ..such fruits and vegetables are cheap. Burning food was not done back then.
1 person likes this
@jstory07 (133754)
• Roseburg, Oregon
15 Jan 22
I like finding out about different celebrations around the world. Thanks for sharing this.
3 people like this
@vandana7 (98526)
• India
16 Jan 22
Did you not find it amusing?
1 person likes this
@jstory07 (133754)
• Roseburg, Oregon
16 Jan 22
@vandana7 Yes it was amusing.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (93554)
• Marion, Ohio
15 Jan 22
I would not want to go to that one
3 people like this
@vandana7 (98526)
• India
16 Jan 22
Neither would I. India is such a diverse nation. I studied in the Northern and Western parts of this country where this tradition does not exist. The first time I had tough time controlling my laughter.
2 people like this
@wolfgirl569 (93554)
• Marion, Ohio
16 Jan 22
@vandana7 We have many different ones here. But I dont know of any based around any kind of poop
1 person likes this
@Rashnag (30600)
• Surat, India
15 Jan 22
Glad to know about this. Hope you are doing good. Take care
4 people like this
@vandana7 (98526)
• India
8 Feb 22
You did not know we use cowdung on our rangolis (designs on floor)?
1 person likes this
@Rashnag (30600)
• Surat, India
9 Feb 22
@vandana7 No dear I didn't knew used as rangolis. People use to make cowdung wall or flooring that I knew
@saytama (564)
• Friedrichshafen, Germany
15 Jan 22
It is very interesting and how did such a tradition originate? Once it took the beginning , because all the traditions appeared as a consequence of something
4 people like this
@vandana7 (98526)
• India
16 Jan 22
I don't know. We have two sets of harvest. I guess it had something to do with storage system back then. Idea was to clear the old stock of rice, as it would soon get worms and insects. Clean the floor such that none of the old grain remains.. store new rice in there. Whatever is collected from floor and whatever food is spoiled grind it... make a powder and use it for art. Ants and insects eat that as well. Ants do serve as scavengers. Rats, lizards, roaches...are consumed by them. By putting such designs with that foodstuff powder, it is possible to keep the ants outside the home, instead of them coming inside the house in search of food. Cow dung may have been used to prevent others stepping on the art. Then again it may have been done to prevent people being bitten by ants. I really don't know what thinking went behind it. But even daily remaining food would be dried ground and used like that...effectively exposing womenfolk to sunlight and vitamin D. Back then, the only chore women did outside was fetching water and vegetables. Deep thinking went behind it, I am sure. Just that we don't know it.
1 person likes this
@suni51 (3429)
• India
16 Jan 22
Cowdung is fine but I have never touched it. Vaccination is yes, I have taken 2 and am ready to go for the third in the first week of February. I guess the mortality rate is lower (comparatively) in India just because we have traditions like cow dung that keep us strong in fighting against viruses (haha but I would prefer still vaccine than touching cow dung). I was one of the first among the vaccine taker and will takin my 3rd within 11 months. I am scared the people in advanced countries are falling victim even after vaccination so I believe the virus is more severe on certain genetic makeups.
1 person likes this
@vandana7 (98526)
• India
16 Jan 22
I think many factors work there. 1 - they have to shop in a different way. We tend to buy at mom and pop shops...next door, so the crowd is sorta divided. They have downtown shopping .. that may be the cause. Then we have cheaper home delivery. 2. People taking vaccines tend to be careless thinking it will not affect them, or their hospitalization bills will not be much. In the developed world, there is confidence that government will foot the bill. Same is not true in India, where health insurance penetration is rather limited and government responsibility too. 3. In this subcontinent ..we have more of O blood group, for some reason this blood group has lower susceptibility. I am not sure of course. But I read somewhere that people with O blood group are less preferred by the virus. Happy New Year Bro. Hugs.
@xander6464 (40696)
• Wapello, Iowa
15 Jan 22
I am not sure the sun god likes the idea of being welcomed like that...kinda I would not. ========So what is your preferred way of being welcomed?
2 people like this
@vandana7 (98526)
• India
16 Jan 22
I spent the night trying to come up with something that a blond would understand and could do. I was hoping Pony would give us some romantic numbers for starters...
2 people like this
@vandana7 (98526)
• India
16 Jan 22
@xander6464 Pony is authentic blond. He just doesn't understand...P A T H E T I C blond.
2 people like this
@xander6464 (40696)
• Wapello, Iowa
16 Jan 22
@vandana7 That is a great idea. Have you hinted? We blonds are really good at taking hints.
2 people like this
@Fleura (28940)
• United Kingdom
15 Jan 22
I had never heard of this. But if life gives you lemons, make lemonade, and if life gives you cow dung, make rangolis right? LOL I read the article and then looked for a video and of course there is just about everything on YouTube. Loved the decorated bulls and they are so well-behaved!
Watch: VILLAGE GANGIREDDU DANCING on Our Door Steps.#sankranti2019 #sankranti #sankrantivideos #GANGIREDDUluFoodWala is #1 YouTube Channel and your final sto...
3 people like this
@vandana7 (98526)
• India
15 Jan 22
Well, we Indians are truly organic. LOL If Prashu comes here, she might just get mad at me. Kinda, it is poking fun at these things, after all, and people are touchy. But then, it is funny for me too.
3 people like this
@TheHorse (203718)
• Walnut Creek, California
15 Jan 22
I hadn't realized that cow dung was a part of the celebration. But if cows are sacred in India shouldn't their poop be as well?
2 people like this
@vandana7 (98526)
• India
16 Jan 22
Now you know why I am so pee, poop and fart obsessed. It is traditional thing. LOL
2 people like this
@TheHorse (203718)
• Walnut Creek, California
16 Jan 22
@vandana7 I feel enlightened. I don't exactly know why I am so pee, poop and fart-obsessed. Maybe because they're universal, like eating and breathing.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (203718)
• Walnut Creek, California
15 Jan 22
A bull IS a cow, you dumbsh*t! It's just a boy cow who hasn't been....I can't talk about it. Let me read on.
2 people like this
@vandana7 (98526)
• India
16 Jan 22
Is that so? As far as I know...cow gives milk, bull gives piss.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (203718)
• Walnut Creek, California
16 Jan 22
@vandana7 Bull give sperm to happy female cows. Steer gives yummy meat.
2 people like this
@LindaOHio (153180)
• United States
15 Jan 22
What is a rangolis and muggus? To each his own as far as this celebration goes.
1 person likes this
@vandana7 (98526)
• India
16 Jan 22
They are beautiful designs made from white powder at the entrance. I agree to each his own...so long as I am allowed to laugh.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (153180)
• United States
16 Jan 22
@vandana7 Thanks for the explanation.
1 person likes this
• Nairobi, Kenya
16 Jan 22
Sounds like a pagan tradition
1 person likes this
@vandana7 (98526)
• India
16 Jan 22
Oh Oh... somebody is gonna feel bad with that. LOL
1 person likes this
@vandana7 (98526)
• India
16 Jan 22
@mildredtabitha Oh no...I am not hurt at all, some people cannot see humor in something like cow's poop.
1 person likes this
• Nairobi, Kenya
16 Jan 22
@vandana7 I didn't mean to hurt anyone
1 person likes this
@CarolDM (203478)
• Nashville, Tennessee
17 Jan 22
Have a question for you. Why are cows considered sacred in your country? Just wondering.
1 person likes this
@vandana7 (98526)
• India
18 Jan 22
Logical answer is .. in ancient days they must have had a mad cow disease bout. They may have noticed that cow's meat has something to do with it. So they may have linked it with religion making it sacred to prevent it being slaughtered and eaten. Illogical answer is... well, every religion has some fools. We suffer ours.
1 person likes this
@CarolDM (203478)
• Nashville, Tennessee
18 Jan 22
@vandana7 Thanks for the answer.
1 person likes this