Uttar Pradesh village mourns Babuji the bull, holds shraddh feast for 3,000

MUZAFFARNAGAR: As priests chanted prayers for the departed soul, an occasional muffled sob could be heard from the gathering. Nearly 3,000 residents of Kurdi village in UP’s Saharanpur had assembled on Saturday to attend Babuji’s terahvi.
Unlike what the name suggests, Babuji wasn’t a village senior — though he was accorded the same respect that is reserved for the elderly. The term of endearment was used by Kurdi residents for a 20-year-old bull that spent his life among them before passing away on August 15, sending the entire hamlet into mourning.

In the days that followed, several solemn religious ceremonies were conducted by priests and
participated by villagers, including cremation, rasam pagdi and terahvi (death feast), for the animal.
“Babuji died of natural causes. He was like a family member to us. So it was important to adhere to all the rituals that are followed in case of the death of a loved one,” said resident Manish Tyagi.
The village had pooled in money to cover costs of the rituals, including the grand feast for 3,000 attendees on Saturday. Earlier in the day, some enterprising youngsters had photoshopped a picture of Babuji to crop out the residents standing alongside. The photo, bedecked with flowers and crisp currency notes, took centre stage at the havan.
Naresh Pandit, a priest who performed the puja, said it was meant to bring peace and a sense of closure for the residents who missed greeting Babuji on the streets.
“He was a gentle giant who never hurt anybody. The children loved to play with him,” said Bhola Tyagi, another resident.
Residents said the bull was considered a “gift from the divine”. “Some people found him roaming in Bhumia Kheda, a holy site in the village, when he was very young. Many called him Nandi (sacred bull of God Shiva). He was a gift from God and his presence brought much cheer to our lives. We hope he is at peace now,” said a resident.
Just last week, a condolence meet was held for a crocodile in Gujarat’s Vadodara. It was organised by wildlife activists on the ghats of Vishwamitri river in the city and attended by dozens of residents.