Holy cow! Three-eyed Jersey calf worshipped as "incarnation of God"

Wednesday 19 January 2022

People are queuing up to hear the 'herd of the lord' in an Indian village, after the birth of Jersey calf with a third eye.

The female calf was born in the village of Nawagaon Lodhi, where the farmer who owned it was reported to have told people that "the Almighty has taken birth in our house."

According to several Indian publications, including the Tribune and the National Herald, the calf was born on 13 January this year to a cow of HF Jersey breed, which had previously given birth to calves without abnormalities.

"The calf has an additional eye in the middle of her forehead and also four holes in the nostril. Its tail looks like a 'jata' (heap of matted hair) and its tongue is also longer than normal calves,” the farmer, Hemant Chandel was quoted as saying, with the piece adding that the health condition of the calf is good.

"However, due to its long tongue, the calf is facing difficulties in drinking milk from the cow. We are helping in feeding her," he added.

WATCH: A news report about the calf and its following. (NDTV/YouTube)

Indeed, in some ways, the condition of the calf was better than good according to Mr Chandel - it was God.

"The latest calf born with the rare anatomy has surprised everyone. We believe that the Almighty has taken birth in our house," he was said to have remarked.

According to the reports, news of the holy cow soon spread, with villagers from nearby villages and towns coming down to pay their respects, worshipping it as an avatar of Lord Shiva.

However, medical professionals in the area are warning people not to attribute superstition to the creature, saying it was down to congenital anomalies.

"People should not link such incidents with faith or superstition. In many incidents, it has been seen that people, particularly from rural areas, worship such animals with deformities due to the lack of awareness," said Dr Dinesah Mishra, who heads the Raipur-based Andhashraddha Nirmulan Samiti.

"People need to be explained scientifically about such deformities in animals so that they should properly take care of their livestock."

It's not the first time India and Jersey have been connected by our bovine friends - or foes in some cases, such as last year, when a controversial chapter claiming Jersey cows are lazy, emotionless and have bad hygiene was re-moo-ved from an Indian exam syllabus.

Among the exam material’s claims were that Jersey cows were “very lazy and highly prone to diseases… by not being hygienic enough” and displayed “no emotions."

This was in direct contrast to their “hardy” and “clever” Indian counterparts, who reportedly know how to be hygienic by not sitting in dirty places, and are more emotional because they stand whenever a stranger approaches.