Valentine's Day thing of past? Govt says celebrate 'Cow Hug Day' on Feb 14
The Animal Welfare Board of India has issued a notice appealing to people to celebrate "Cow Hug Day" on February 14 to spread "positive energy" and encourage "collective happiness", officials said on Wednesday.
The Animal Welfare Board of India has issued a notice appealing cow lovers to celebrate February 14 – a day celebrated across the world as Valentine's Day – as 'Cow Hug Day'. The government advisory body said that hugging a cow will bring “emotional richness” and will increase “individual and collective happiness”.
Criticising the “dazzle of western civilisation”, the board said that vedic traditions are “almost on the verge of extinction due to the progress of west culture over time."
“In view of the immense benefit of the cow, hugging with cow will bring emotional richness hence will increase our individual & collective happiness. Therefore, all the cow lovers may also celebrate the February 14 as Cow Hug day keeping in mind the importance of mother cow and make life happy and full of positive energy,” the advisory said.
The welfare board called cow the "backbone of Indian culture and rural economy", adding that the animal represent “cattle wealth and biodiversity.”
“It is known as “Kamdhenu” and “Gaumata” because of its nourishing nature like mother, the giver of all providing riches to humanity,” it said.
The board said that the advisory was issued on the direction of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying under ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.
