Opinion Singles rejoice: In Amrit Kaal, Valentine’s Day is also Cow Hug Day
Centre's Animal Welfare Board's unique way to honour Vedic traditions. At a time when AI threatens to take away jobs, bovine deification may also serve an economic function
Aakash Joshi writes: Animal lovers will point to the pseudoscientific benefits of cow hugging, and how the practice is promoted in parts of Europe. This is not done, though, to protect “Viking culture” or out of filial love for a bovine.
(Representational image) 
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First, a cautionary note. The pranksters among readers of this article, those who fancy themselves as jesters, might be tempted on February 14 to embrace their significant other and cry passionately, “Happy Cow Hug Day!”. Unless your partner is worried, like the Centre’s Animal Welfare Board, about the “Vedic traditions” being “on the verge of extinction due to the progress of western culture”, such a move is best avoided.
But, for all the singles just looking for a bit of comfort – or those who just miss their mommies – the government of India cares for you: “In view of the immense benefit of the cow, hugging with cow will bring emotional richness hence will increase our individual & collective happiness,” says the notice. It adds that “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.”
Before the commencement of New India and Amrit Kaal, February 14 drew the ire of Hindutva outfits because Valentine’s Day was against “Indian culture”. Year after year, “activists” and “sewaks” would harass couples and vandalise businesses in a bid to attack young love. After all, hormones can compete with the best of traditions. Remember, this was a time before preventing “love jihad” became a priority for the largest state in India and the fight against the “progress of western culture” did not have the kind of support it does.
Animal lovers will point to the pseudoscientific benefits of cow hugging, and how the practice is promoted in parts of Europe. This is not done, though, to protect “Viking culture” or out of filial love for a bovine.
More importantly, governments are not in the business of sacred animal protection. However, credit must be given where it’s due. Cow Hug Day is not a standalone initiative, but part of a larger economic and social vision that assumes “cow is the backbone of Indian culture”. As early as 2018, the government of Rajasthan started “cow safaris” where people would pay to see the same animal that is on the roads and along railway tracks on the drive over. And in Uttar Pradesh, where anger over stray cattle has become palpable, post de facto bans on slaughter, a pilot cow sanctuary is being launched at the cost of Rs 64 crore.
Like all economic policy, perhaps the Cow Hug Day is about something more. In an age when automation and AI threatens to take away the few jobs available, the desire for bovine deification may be a way to offset upcoming threats. Since there’s little sign of India leading the march on new tech, perhaps we can all find gigs as cow hug facilitators or domesticated animal safari guides.
aakash.joshi@indianexpress.com
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