Holy cows' tryst with maddening Delhi traffic

Delhi roads are famous for their chaotic traffic, honking cars, polluting vehicles and snarling traffic. But the roads also have a green and innovative way to control speeding vehicles. On a hot sunny afternoon, as I rushed my car to reach my destination, the fast moving traffic under the flyover came to a sudden disruptive halt. I horned uninterupted, as honking is considered experienced driving in India. But the vehicle ahead of me refused to buzz. I gave in and joined the snarling traffic. A few meters and some ten minutes later I discovered the reason for the sudden halt. There were a bunch of cows gesticulating their afternoon meal under the shade of the flyover. Cows on Delhi roads are no surprise. As a Delhite, I grew up with their omnipresence amidst fast moving chaotic traffic. And yes, I love cows. In Hindu mythology, they are seen as mother, one of the holiest creations of the Divine. There are many historical reasons for the reverance. Predominatly a vegetarian society, the Hindus considered cow to be the purest of all animals. She is my favoraite Lord Krishna's favoraite. The handsome Krishna with his flute hypnotising the grazing cows to the melody of his Divine music or the lovable baby Krishna smeared with butter from cow's milk are some of the images that fill my heart and soul everytime I see the beautiful wide-eyed creature. It is sad the way they are left by their owners on the road and how the innocent creatures spend their day looking for a handful shade, eating plastic polythene bags from the garbage and sitting amidst moving traffic bringing vehicles to a sudden halt. Isnt it an irony, in a land where the cow is reverred to be holy, she is treated with such apathy. Blissfully unaware of their divine status, the holy cow sits on ring roads, highways creating danger for their own lives as also the drivers on the roads.