Faces of India – 163 Cow dung cleaner in Cowshed
Can you guess what she is doing? I took the picture in Mayapur ISKON’s goshala, which houses more than 200 cows, bulls and calves.
She is collecting cow dung; she walks across pushing her spade collecting the dung. This job is done manually. Cow dung is used as purifying, antiseptic agent; stops gas disorders; pesticide and fertilizer. Dried dung is used like charcoal; it is also a form of energy producing methane gas.
I saw her at her job content and happy, that left me wondering if I could do the same. The little precious lessons I learn while meeting such different types of people as I travel!
Faces of India,
Faces of India is a series through which I intend to portray the various characters of my country whom I met during my travels. I bring back souvenirs, frozen moments from my travels, why not some memories of people I have met and interacted during the travels. Faces of India is a weekly series in my blog since MARCH 2011. See more here…
Cow dung cleaner in Cowshed
I love this series Indrani, very inspiring.
Inspiring!
Very good initiative..keep up the great work..:)
She is doing her duty happy and content so we see the cleanliness there. What a lady. Thanks for sharing. My respect to her and your benevolent effort to bring these people in front. Kudos!!
Happy and content with her job? I am left speechless.. she resembles my maid so much 🙂 Such women are the ones who are the actual woman heroes !
Your post has proved a saying that have always believed in and tell my friends when they complain about their jobs being boring, crappy, shitty… I simply ask them to think for a moment about the person who has a job to clean cow dung or sewers.. We surely cant have it worse than them.. Loved it…
I wish in India people handling cow dung wear gloves and foot wear. That is more hygeneic. No dispute on utility of cow dung.
A serene happiness is reflecting on her face
Your pics always true colours of India . Keep it up
Beautiful photo 🙂 Yes, travelling and photography gives us precious lessons and experiences of life.
This reminds me my grandmother who used to collect bull dung when they were in milk business. There’s nothing to feel shame about it, it’s another job. Cow dung is a best fertilizer for plants and I see it as a natural source. Nice portrait!
There's just so much we don't know about people everywhere. Thank you for this little glimpse at this lovely lady and her work.
How wonderful that she can do this job yet still look so pretty.
Beautiful, happy, content and together. She is the one.
I only wish she wears a shoe while doing this work.
I'm not sure I could 'enjoy' that job, either. But I must say that this woman has a look of peaceful serenity about her.
Hehe I did guess that right 😀 at my farm there are little cottages made of dung, the walls covered ie. It took me quite some time to accept that fact lol
Nice click. Glow of toil on her face.
Her smile is beautiful. I love the fabrics. The colours and patterns are very pretty.
What a wonderful smile! 🙂 Doing whatever work is perhaps important! Glad to see her stop and pose and smile! 😀
She has a beautiful smile Indrani, a wonderful photo and a very informative post. My father-in-law tells me stories of his childhood, which I always find a joy to hear. He told me that to keep his family home warm in the harsh winters of North Dakota, they used to stack cow manure completely around the outside walls several feet high. When it grew warm again that same manure was spread his mother's garden. I would like to tell him about your post as I know he will find this very interesting.
bless her.
And I learn lessons from your posts as well, Indrani!! I do admire and appreciate all the people you have portrayed in this blog! Thank you!