If you would eat beef, you would eat your own mother...

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If you would eat beef, you would eat your own mother...because cows are our mother, they give us their milk.

I have heard this sentiment expressed a number of times in Sri Lanka, and both Hindus and Buddhists refrain from eating beef.

Have you ever heard the expression, "I must have touched on someone's sacred cow"? Well here, cows truly are sacred and are given a place in life and both religious and daily art to confirm this. Cows are allowed to wander as they like, including in the roads, and are definitely not seen as burgers on hooves. They return home in the evenings to be milked by their owners, whose mark they bear.

Having seen this belief in action, Phil was surprised to open the hotel curtains one morning and see a cow tethered to a tree in the next yard. He said, "That wretched cow can't reach any grass! It's stuck on that circle of dirt around that tree." When we returned home that night we opened the curtains again to check on the cow, and were relieved to see she had been given a pile of food, though she was still tethered. That felt better but was still puzzling and a little concerning to us.

The next morning when we did our increasingly obsessive cowcheck we were surprised to see that over night she had given birth to a calf! So she was being carefully cared for after all.

How else do the religions find expression here? We took a tour with a driver on Sunday morning and got to see many different places of worship coexisting on this peninsula.

In Australia we have many "Bigs": the Big Banana (Coffs Harbour), the Big Mango (Bowen), the Big Prawn (Ballina), the Big Bull (Rockhampton), the Big Sheep (Goulburn) and so on, all glorifying agricultural products. But in Jaffna I was intrigued to see the Big Hanuman, the Monkey God. What do our objects of aggrandizement say about ourselves?

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Photos

Cows enjoying their sacred status
Food must be searched for during the dry. These cows may be dreaming of the coming monsoon season.

Cow Statues on Roof
This building fronted the Nallur Temple, but I don't know what its role is.

Guardian Cow on household gate
Cow statues are frequently placed at the entrances to homes.

Cow in road outside our hotel
Cars just wait till cows move on, though I was once in a bus that honked loudly and long to hurry a home-heading herd across the road in evening time.

New Catholic church
Religion is in the forefront here. The Portuguese brought Catholicism, the Dutch brought the Dutch Reformed Church, the Methodists and others have had their impact on Sri Lankan society.

Wooden boat building
For you boat enthusiasts (Ron, etc), Phil took this to show you how things are done over here.

Wooden boat building 2
As long as it floats, it works, right?
This boat was being built right opposite the new blue church.

Way of the Cross on Punkudutivu Island
This outdoor Way of the Cross formed a large walkable circuit under the trees in front of the church.

Punkudutivu Island Catholic Church
Culture and religions merge. Here the Sunday congregation removed their shoes before entering the church and sat on the floor to worhip, as in the other temples.

Dagoba gravesites
Many Buddhist monks (40?) died accidentally all at once long ago by eating a root which wasn't a vegetable but a poison. These dagobas are said to represent them.

Rural Hindu temple
Very colourful, as usual.

Dancing Ganesh
This temple featured a dancing Ganesh.
And from a Christian Hymn:
"Dance, then, whoever you may be. I am the Lord of the Dance," said He.

Ganesh rides a rat
This jovial and much-loved god gets around however.

Ganesh temple decor
I just love the colour and celebration of the temples, and I am very fond of Ganesh myself.

Swimming pool by sea
This is a famous pool next to the sea and another Hindu centre.

Ganesh again
OK, forgive me, one more Ganesh in his cute rotunda.

Colourful temple decor
Why not use every sense to celebrate?

Temple being built in North
Temples are being rebuilt throughout the Northern Province as it recovers from all the destruction of the prolonged civil war.

Monkey God Hanuman statue
Looming above the roadside--can you gauge his size against the electrical poles?

So How Now, Brown Cow?
Sorry, but isn't she cute?

Phil asleep at hotel
After a hard day of touring churches, temples and dagobas...

Comments

[Michelle]

Sleeping beauty!
I know how Phil feels...but all the traipsing around looks fun! M xx

[Denise Wilson]

The calf is not the only thing born today!
Hi there, Speaking of births, Lorraine's a grandmother again! Michael and Sam had their little girl on Michael's birthday the 3rd. Her name is Isolena Elizabeth after both her great grandmother's! Hang on if I'm her great aunt you guys must be great greats! Doesn't get any better than that! What a colorful country Sri Lanka is! Great photos! Thanks for sharing. Love, Denise