ROHTAK: On 14 May 2016, hundreds of cows and bulls, decked up in traditional attire, walked the ramp in a bovine beauty pageant which was organised in Haryana's Rohtak town for the purpose of raising awareness about animal health and promoting domestic cattle breeds.
Farmers from various districts of Haryana brought their cows and bulls to participate in the event and felt proud when they were walking on the ramp along with their animals at the sprawling grounds of the International Institute of Veterinary Education and Research. The state government was trying to promote local breeds of cows and therefore only indigenous breeds were allowed to participate in the event.
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The animals were judged by a panel of experts. The judgement was on the basis of animal's size and their overall beauty like length of their horns and for cows- their milk yielding capacity was counted as well. Out of more than 630 animals, 18 were selected as winners in different categories- from the healthiest to best-looking cows and bulls, The Times of India reported.
The Agriculture Minister of Haryana, OP Dhankar was invited as the chief guest at the event, gave the prize money of 250,000 rupees (£2,500; $3,600) to the owner of the winning cow.
Cow at the event Image: News18
While most cows and bulls were swift and walked gracefully on the ramp, other had to be pulled and prodded by their owners to walk for judges and finish the ramp distance with the huge crowd cheering their every move.
Cows hold a unique and a sacred position in Hindu society. Apart of being considered as a sacred animal in Hindu mythology and revered by millions of Hindus, cows are also loved as the source of the milk products used in almost every Indian dish, from curries to desserts.
In 2014, India surpassed the European Union as the world's largest milk producer. A number of Indian states have recently introduced laws completely banning the possession or consumption of beef.
Compiled By Pashchiema Bhatia. Twitter: @pashchiema