Shambo update
In our last issue, Hindu Voice UK provided coverage of the issue surrounding the execution of Shambo, the Friesian temple bull whose slaughter was announced by Welsh authorities after having tested positive for exposure to bovine Tuberculosis. The Welsh authorities granted a temporary reprieve to Shambo, due to concerns raised by the community at Skanda Vale where Shambo has lived since birth, as well as several other Hindu and animal rights organisations who demanded that medical alternatives should be sought rather than outright slaughter, especially seeing that Shambo was born and raised by the temple community, who would themselves be willing to pay any costs involved. However last week it was announced…
July 9th, 2007 at 8:17 am
It is the right decision by the Welsh Govt. All lives are sacred in Hinduism and it is wrong to portray this/a Bull as sacred in the current circumstances. I hope that such a drama is avoided in future.
July 9th, 2007 at 7:27 pm
It would appear that the Hindus are looking for a an issue to make their presence felt. If the bull has the bovine tuberclosis which can enter the human food chain or can get transmitted to other animals than we should be graceful enough to say good bye to our dear Shamboo.
I can never understand the hypocisy of the Hindus when I see the non milking cows left on the streets of India to fend for themselves and many of them often get injured or maimed by colliding with the vehicles on the road on a daily basis. Devinder Thakur
July 12th, 2007 at 5:54 am
Let’s get on with this.Let us not wait for a child or another human being or another sacred animal catches this disease before something positive is done.Best Regards
July 12th, 2007 at 4:27 pm
Namaste All
Today, Thursday, 12th July, while I was listening to Radio Five Live, I heard the response Shri Ramesh Kalidai gave to a Spokes person from the Welsh Assembley.
Although Ramesh gave a good reply, as usual BBC did not give him enough time, the last word was uttered by the Welsh Assembly spokes person and it was time out before Ramesh could reply.
It seems some 20,000 cattles are butchered every year when the skin test prove positive.
However when postmortem is carried out, practically 90% are free of any bovine TB. So often a skin test come positive because of various external factors.
If all further tests prove positive, then by all means Shambhu should be allowed to die with dignity but it should not be done on one single test. A perfactly healthy animal could die for no good reason at all.
After all we all know how often our own NHS fails to diagonize our own illnesses.
Tests are so often inconclusive, even wrong and patients are being recalled for second or even third tests.
Of course human life is supreme. If there is any doubt that it may spread to human or even other animals, then appropriate action must be taken.
Let sanity prevail.
Jai Shri Krishna
Bhupendra
July 16th, 2007 at 4:03 pm
According to the BBC website Shambo will not be killed, the High court has overturned the govt order to have him killed…
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/6898460.stm
July 29th, 2007 at 12:37 pm
ok in newer news the court of appeal has gone against the high court and Shambo has already been slaughtered…the Welsh govt are a bunch of backward people!
July 30th, 2007 at 9:30 am
Namaste
The last rites were read for Shambo and when the end came, it was a timid affair. Shambo, the holy bull was led to his death like a lamb to a slaughter house.
The Skanda Vale Temple Authority could hardly muster some one hundred worshippors when they were promissed thousands.
As usual, we are big on promises, short on action, as words cost nothing, at least on most part.
It needed just thirty police officers, that included 3WPC to remove these few determined worshippors, a few from as far a field as Sweden and Switzerland. It would have been a different matter if a couple of thousands were blocking their way.
The Hindu community has built up such a reputation, as a peace loving, kind, caring, law abiding and passive, docile community that when it comes to entering, storming a holy Hindu place, a temple, police come unarmed, more often than not without back-up, knowing full well that a Temple is not a mosque, a Gurudwar, a synagogue or evev a church.
Hindus are not Muslims, Sikhs, Jews or Christians. Police has no qualms storming a temple. For once I just wonder whether our peace loving reputation is a help or a hinderance, whether it serves us in good stead.
Although the Temple Authority was not able to save the holy bull Shambo, this incident did put the Temple on the world map, as a place of excellence, a sort of Lord Krishna’s Vrindavan, with fast flowing streams, rolling hills and ever green surroundings that is so soothing to body and mind.
The Temple is already attraccting 50% more pilgrims than ever before and from as far a field as USA, Canada and India. The Temple Authority should take advantage of the sympathy, goodwill and favourable climate generated by Shambo so that his sacrifice was not in vain.
The Temple Authority should unite the local Hindu community, especially in Wales and throw their weight behind any political party, organization or even an individual who would come forward to promote and protect our culture, religion and our way of life.
Politics is routinely preached from the pulpit in churches, mosques and synagouges, so why not temples?
Hinduism is a noble, peace loving and culturally superior religion.
Our way of life is the way forward if we would like to live in a peaceful and progressive world. No other religion is capable of providing such a platform for world peace.
Jai Shri Ram, Jai Shri Krishna
Bhupendra
July 30th, 2007 at 9:51 am
Namaste All
When the end came, it was a timid affair as Shambo, the holy Bull was led to his death like a lamb to a slaughter house.
The Hindu community had promised the Skanda Vale Monastry thousands of worshippors to line up, to block the entrance but when they were most needed, there were just some one hundred worshippors blocking the way.
It needed just 30 police officers, that included 3 WPC to remove a few determined worshippors. The Hindu community has built up such a reputation, as a passive, docile, law abiding citizens that when it comes to entering, storming a Hindu Temple, a Hindu holy place, police has no qualms.
Police come unarmed, more often than not without back-up, knowing full well that Temple is a peaceful place, a copmlete different proposition than entering any other place of worship.
For once I wonder whether our peace loving, law abiding reputation serves us right, stands us in good stead, whether it is a help or a hinderence.
Although the Temple Authority was not able to save Shambo, this incident has put the Temple on the world map. It already attracks 50% more worshippors than ever before.
We should take advantage of this sympathic climate generated by the sacrifice of the life of the holy bull and unite the Hindu community so that such an incident does not take place without support from the local community and the politicians who share our values.
Skanda Vale Monastry is a wonderful place, a mini Vrindavan, with ever flowing streams, rivers, rolling hills and greeneries throughout the year.
Recently I visited such a holy place in Spain, on Mount Monsarrat, to bow in front of the statue of The Black Modana of Monsarat, a place similar to Skanda Vale but attracting some 3 million pilgrims with superb facilities.
How I wish we can develop this Temple on such a scale.
Jai Shri Krishna
Bhupendra