By Gaurang prasad das
Tirupati, Dec. 1: Scientists taking part in a national seminar on the ‘glory of gomatha’ (cow) have claimed that the animal’s urine could be used to treat cancer patients. Seers attending the seminar urged the Centre to declare the cow as the national animal instead of the tiger. Dr R. S. Chauhan, joint director of the Indian Veterinary Research institute, claimed that cow urine improved immunity and prevented cancer cells from spreading.
An Ayurveda doctor, Sathyasankar Varmudy of Kasargod in Kerala, had treated 1,000 cancer patients using it, claimed Dr Chauhan. He said this while dwelling on the medicinal properties of cow urine and Panchagavya (mix of cow urine, dung, milk, curd and ghee). ‘This will become a wonder drug 20 years from now,’ predicted Dr Chauhan. The life-span of many cancer patients had increased after being treated with cow urine and Panchagavya mix, he said and added that the mix could also be used as a pest resistant and bio fertiliser. Other scientists including Dr M. Maheswari of the Tamil Nadu Agriculture University, Dr D Jayakrishna of Hyderabad, Dr Varmudy and Dr M. Rajaiah of S. V. Ayurveda Hospital in Tirupati dwelt at length on benefits of Panchagavya.
They expressed concern at the depleting number of indigenous varieties of cows and stresssed the need to protect them from extinction. Meanwhile, seers from various mutts asked the government to name the cow as the national animal. Sri Prasanna Venkatachariar Chaturvedi Swamji of the Ramanuja Mission of Chennai questioned the rationale behind selecting tiger as the national animal. ‘We have peacock as national bird and not the vulture,’ he said. ‘And we have lotus as national flower and not the cactus. So it is better to have the cow as national animal.
Article appeared on 2nd Dec 2007 in a Hyderabad(India) daily – Deccan chronicle.