MANIPAL: It is a common practice to arrange a baby shower or ‘seemantha’ for a pregnant woman in the family.
Members of Hosabelaku Seva Trust and Udupi Zilla Nagarika Samiti here did the same for Gouri, a pregnant cow on Wednesday.
Members of the samiti brought Gouri to the ashram after she was badly hurt in an accident near Rajathadri, around 20-days ago. Vinaychandra Acharya, coordinator of the ashram nursed the cow back to health. He also designed a special walker that helped her move about.
After a refreshing bath, bedecked in a green saree, Gouri was brought to the mandap. A blouse piece, rice, coconut and all other items normally offered to a soon-to-be mother as signs of prosperity and well-being was offered to Gouri as well.
She was also offered an array of sprouted grains, types of ‘hindi’ (dish offered to cattle) and her favorite food items. Five women also performed the traditional ‘aarti’ to Gouri.
The ashram inmates are so enamoured by the new visitor that they fondly named her Gouri. Knowing that their newest inmate was soon-to-be a mother, the members decided to hold a seemantha for Gouri.