THE BRAHMIN OX. 



549 





In the sculptures in the cavern temples of Ellora, in the carvings 

 of the Seven Pagodas at Mahamalaipur, on the Coromandel 

 coast, and in many other ancient relics, there are very faithful 

 and spirited representations of the zebu oxen ; which proves 

 that these animals possessed, at least two thousand years before 

 the Christian era, the same peculiarities which now distinguish 

 them. The religious writings of India state the cow to have 

 been the first dumb animal that was created. The Hindoos yet 

 regard it as sacred to Bramah, and refuse to shed its blood. 

 Bishop Heber tells us, that many of these cattle are turned 

 out when calves, on different solemn occasions by wealthy 

 Hindoos, as an acceptable offering to Siva. These are exempt 

 from labour, and " it would be a mortal sin to strike or injure 

 them. They feed where they please, and devout persons take 

 great pleasure in pampering them. They are great pests in the 

 villages near Calcutta, breaking into gardens, thrusting their 

 noses into the fruiterers' stalls and pastry-cooks' shops, and 

 helping themselves without ceremony. Like other petted animals, 

 they are sometimes mischievous, and are said to resent, with a 

 push of their horns, any delay in gratifying their wishes." * 



Others, less fortunate, are employed by the Hindoos, and 



* Narrative of a Journey through the Upjjer Provinces of India (1828). 



