बकरी

Goats and goat milk captured much of my thinking space last week when I accompanied a gentleman to some of the remote and not so remote hamlets surrounding Dausa. Sanjeev Kumar, whose livelihood is research on the livestock, not for a once cited Gandhi during our 5 day stay in the area. But the first thing occurred in my mind was Mahatmaji’s advocacy of goat milk whenever he delivered a sermon or a brief on goats and their conditions. The livestock expert had begun his career in the development sector in the same area but left that place in zeal of bringing countrywide goats in the national mainstream. On my query, Sanjeevji promptly replied that goat milk processing is very much a neglected area in India whereas China and many European countries have successfully introduced goat milk products in their markets. Goat milk has less fats than cow or buffalo milk and provides nurturing values to the children, he supplemented. He informed me that goats play important role in livelihood structure of rural population and maximum rural households keep 2-3 goats in its livestock assets.

As we reached a village near Dausa, a villager frankly talked with us in his specious portico about his only cow and a buffalo who is now mother of three. He aptly dismissed my inquiry on goats saying Brahmins don’t keep it. Few minutes later a woman in the group discussion replied the same but another member, a widow and apparently leader of the group, quickly clarified the reason why their families dislike possessing goats. According to her, the shabby animal is demanding in terms of space to roam around and eat the leaves unaware that there are no free lunches in this world. It brings disgrace and humiliation to the family when goats were captured infiltrating into others’ farms. These women, all proclaimed Brahmins, had similar disliking for holy cows and preferred buffalos for two reasons. Cow is not a peaceful animal, according to them, the buffalo practices non-violence. Milking of these animals has brought in this realization among them. Market is another factor in their considerations. They can surely fetch good prize for buffalo milk’s products like ghee, butter etc, while cow milk does not provide this assurance.

A day before this episode, I was witness of a dying goat child due to tetanus. Earlier I was told that there has been no such term as goatlet and goat child is the correct term to use. A veterinary with us advised the tribal lady to sell the hapless goat child at the earliest as he saw no hopes of life sustaining in that tetanus affected body. I was consoled by my goat mentor that the meat would not affect the consumer if boiled properly even though he termed it unethical practice. Tribal in the hamlet were not lamenting the loss as it was meager given their track record of facing livelihood challenges. Moreover, there were many goats, cows and buffalos that I could see there.

Most of the SHG members, except that Brahmin group, have been possessing goats ranging from 1 to 10. This must have brought respite for my colleague who has already pledged to devote his life for upliftment of goats in India. The women revealed that goat milk comes handy to them whenever children feel hungry or they receive sudden visitors like us. A visit to SHG leader’s hamlet late in the evening provided her opportunity to demonstrate quick milking of goat to treat us with tea. Kamali has proudly told us that she has insured ten of her goats for Rs. 2000 annually. Her family loves the goats and has expertise in their care assuring the little animals of their longevity. Their counterparts in other families were not so lucky and died at early age for untold reasons. The master again enlightened me on the matter. The families were incapable of raising 8-10 goats at a time, however, government schemes delivered them the number free of cost. In few months, all such goats died due to neglect and apathy, except one or two goats that the each family was capable of raising.

Apart From Goats……

The Self Help Groups (SHGs) of women are formed among members of the localities. Since one caste lives in one locality, the (most) SHGs are homogenous entities. A common factor among all of them, irrespective of their caste, is women removing their veil in front of us, while hiding the face behind it whenever any male members of their households come close. The young lady employee of the local NGO, who escorted us to SHGs, often asked the male members of the household to stay away fearing that women would not utter much in their presence. The elderly male members of the household followed young lady’s dictate like the humble goat.