Animals have always been held as sacred in India. What’s more, the cow holds a special place in the Indian Hindu way of life, and it is seen as the equivalent of the mother. It is worshiped and is also the subject of poojas and rituals. However, even by Indian tradition, the case of a three-eyed calf in a small village in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu is odd. The calf was born to a cow that belonged to villager Rajesh, and its three eyes have led villagers to worship it as the Hindu god Shiva.
Lord Shiva is one of the three main deities in the Hindu way of life, and according to the ancient scripture, the Shiv Puran, Shiva has a third eye on his forehead. This fiery eye is a representation of Shiva’s stability and an indication that he has conquered all earthly desires and needs. Thus, he is supposed to have burnt to ashes, the Hindu god of love, Kamadeva.
Rajesh is of the opinion that the calf is an incarnation of Shiva, who has arrived at his village to keep everything safe. “This is a miracle calf, so we are worshipping and praying to it like a god. We believe if we worship this calf it will give good luck for us and the people around us,” says Rajesh.
His fellow villager Sharmila says, “This calf is born with the third eye, so we believe Shiva, a god who has three eyes, has been born here. Not just us, but everyone from our village and nearby districts visited this place. It’s our god,” Sharmila says, speaking of the calf’s popularity.