Sacred Cow
The final installment of my Agra trip can be found here. Scroll down past the monkeys and read/see the new stuff.
I don't mean to be a total ass, but I really wish someone could explain the cow (livestock for that matter) thing to me. I've checked wikipedia for info on the Sacred Cow, but it still doesn't explain what I've seen. I think I even offended my co-workers last week when I asked about the bulls.
My problem is in Gurgaon there are random "wild" cows everywhere. Often they'll just sit in the road chewing their cud like nothing's going on. Ok so the cow is sacred, but can't you at least give it a nice pen in a field somewhere? Wouldn't that be nicer then mingling with cars and trucks on the hot asphalt? On my trip this weekend, most of the cows I saw were tied up, herded and even branded. Can't a cow be managed and sacred at the same time? Is this just a Gurgaon thing? I did see a kid throwing rocks at one the other day in front of his shop in an effort to move the cow - it worked. That doesn't seem very sacred. In addition to cows, there are pigs and donkeys running about too. I wouldn't be surprised to see goats either. Seeing other livestock leads me to believe the "free range" cow thing might be an issue with just Grugaon or maybe it's Delhi since we're so close. I really don't mean to be rude, I'd just like to understand.
Some other observations:
There are sinks in the cafeteria, where we drop off our food trays, that everyone uses to rinse their hands and mouths. I haven't asked, but my guess is it's to wash off the hot spices from yourself, so you don't spread them to places you don't want them like your eyes.
At lunch people from the office will go for walks in the parking garage - under the building.
Maybe it's their general disregard for noise, but no one over here uses "vibrate only" on their cell phones. Loud disco beats that play a few measures is the norm.
Most of the doors on our floor are glass. They all have metal handles, but they're hardly used. There's a girl whose sole job is to go around cleaning these doors. They also have guys to clean the desks and window sills - repeatedly throughout the week.
If ever there was a country and population that would benefit from RFID chip implants, India is it. Nearly everywhere you go, there's a guard with a notebook you have to sign. The guard usually has a stack of notebooks that he sorts through to find the right one for your situation. Even if you don't have to sign, but there's a guard, he'll pull out a notebook and make note of your passage. At first it seems kind of creepy that your every move is tracked, but it's just a notebook and there's so many of them. No one's taking the time to go through these unless they have to. After nearly a week and a half of this, it's become quite bothersome. Can't I just waive my arm under a reader and you scan my chip? I don't care if it's the sign of the devil, just let me get to my office or go home.
The Diamox reactions have subsided. The emergency US Dr. never got back to me. I'll just wait till my Dr. back home gets in and give her a call then. If I'm lucky, she say stay the course and I'll get to experience the fun I had this morning all over again tomorrow. Maybe I'll throw back some shots with some aspirin to strengthen the effects? No thanks. I'll pass on that.
- b
I don't mean to be a total ass, but I really wish someone could explain the cow (livestock for that matter) thing to me. I've checked wikipedia for info on the Sacred Cow, but it still doesn't explain what I've seen. I think I even offended my co-workers last week when I asked about the bulls.
My problem is in Gurgaon there are random "wild" cows everywhere. Often they'll just sit in the road chewing their cud like nothing's going on. Ok so the cow is sacred, but can't you at least give it a nice pen in a field somewhere? Wouldn't that be nicer then mingling with cars and trucks on the hot asphalt? On my trip this weekend, most of the cows I saw were tied up, herded and even branded. Can't a cow be managed and sacred at the same time? Is this just a Gurgaon thing? I did see a kid throwing rocks at one the other day in front of his shop in an effort to move the cow - it worked. That doesn't seem very sacred. In addition to cows, there are pigs and donkeys running about too. I wouldn't be surprised to see goats either. Seeing other livestock leads me to believe the "free range" cow thing might be an issue with just Grugaon or maybe it's Delhi since we're so close. I really don't mean to be rude, I'd just like to understand.
Some other observations:
There are sinks in the cafeteria, where we drop off our food trays, that everyone uses to rinse their hands and mouths. I haven't asked, but my guess is it's to wash off the hot spices from yourself, so you don't spread them to places you don't want them like your eyes.
At lunch people from the office will go for walks in the parking garage - under the building.
Maybe it's their general disregard for noise, but no one over here uses "vibrate only" on their cell phones. Loud disco beats that play a few measures is the norm.
Most of the doors on our floor are glass. They all have metal handles, but they're hardly used. There's a girl whose sole job is to go around cleaning these doors. They also have guys to clean the desks and window sills - repeatedly throughout the week.
If ever there was a country and population that would benefit from RFID chip implants, India is it. Nearly everywhere you go, there's a guard with a notebook you have to sign. The guard usually has a stack of notebooks that he sorts through to find the right one for your situation. Even if you don't have to sign, but there's a guard, he'll pull out a notebook and make note of your passage. At first it seems kind of creepy that your every move is tracked, but it's just a notebook and there's so many of them. No one's taking the time to go through these unless they have to. After nearly a week and a half of this, it's become quite bothersome. Can't I just waive my arm under a reader and you scan my chip? I don't care if it's the sign of the devil, just let me get to my office or go home.
The Diamox reactions have subsided. The emergency US Dr. never got back to me. I'll just wait till my Dr. back home gets in and give her a call then. If I'm lucky, she say stay the course and I'll get to experience the fun I had this morning all over again tomorrow. Maybe I'll throw back some shots with some aspirin to strengthen the effects? No thanks. I'll pass on that.
- b
posted by JenBob at
4:18 AM
2 Comments:
Do they eat any meat. At the india food place I some times go chicken and lamb are served. I bet that goat is food, but cows are just for Milk and by products of that. Worship the BUdda dude. Enjoy your weekend and just deal with the altitude. it is only for a couple of days. It isnt like you going to the top.
Yes. Some people eat meat. Public restaurants offer Veg and Non-Veg selections. Usually when it's Non-Veg it's chicken, fish, mutton(sheep) or goat. At the nicer places, the meat is prepared and served as we're used to. At my guest house or the cafeteria here at work, it's not so nice. They cook it like a stew, and you end up with a lot of bones and not much meat. It's not very appealing or satisfying.
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