Holy Cow : You looking at me?

Few people revere the cow like the adherents of Hinduism. Since the faith first evolved near Asia's Indus River more than 3,000 years ago, respect for animal life has been a central theme in Hindu life. While many scholars say early Hindus ate beef, most ultimately came to see the cow as a sacred animal to be esteemed, not eaten.
Mahatma Gandhi, India's legendary nonviolent leader, once wrote.
"If someone were to ask me what the most important outward manifestation of Hinduism was, I would suggest that it was the idea of cow protection,"

Although Hindus follow no single set of rules, reverence for cows can be found throughout the religion's major texts. Some trace the cow's sacred status back to Lord Krishna, one of the faith's most important figures. He is said to have appeared 5,000 years ago as a cowherd, and is often described as bala-gopala, "the child who protects the cows."
Another of Krishna's holy names, Govinda, means "one who brings satisfaction to the cows." Other scriptures identify the cow as the "mother" of all civilization, its milk nurturing the population.

Traditionally, Indians had cows in every household. They were part of the family, with names and personalities. Just like one would not hurt/eat their pets, the Indians did not hurt the cows and respected them.

I got several pictures of the same cow, all with an enquiering expression, which i might post later.
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