The Cows and Bulls have a special place in Hindu society. They are religiously revered. While the cow is believed to have all types of Gods in its body, the Bull is a representative of Nandi, The carrier of God Shiva. Nandi is not just the carrier but it has some special powers given by Shiva. He is also the doorman of Shiva. It is said that the prayers or calls to Shiva if said to Nandi goes directly to the heart of Shiva. I have seen many devotees coming out of Shiva-temple go to Nandi statue and whisper their desires (मनोकामना) in his ears.
Though most of the male calves (Indian breed) are converted to bullocks to do heavy works in fields, oil-extraction machine (Kolhu) and bullock-cart but some are donated to the society by well-to-do farmers during religious occasions. These donated calves grow to mighty bulls that roam freely in the villages and contribute to the breeding of cows of villages.
Surprisingly among tens of thousands of male calves, a few take birth having a few inches of extra skin hanging from some part of the body. This extra skin is called - "Jata". A calf having Jata is never made an ox (Never castrated). It is the holiest Bull and called a 'Jatadhari Bull' {जटावाले ऋषभ (सांड़)}. It is revered as if Nandi himself. Mostly such calves are taken by Sadhus who decorate them with red clothes, bells and Ghunghroos (Anklet bells). The Sadhus take them door to door and inmates having Darshan (View) of the Jatadhari Bull give them some money or cereals.
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| A Jatadhari Bull outside the temple of Baba Basukinath at Basukinathdham, Jarmundi, Dumka, Jharkhand. The Bull's Jata (Extra hanging skin) is near his eye. |
In the holy cities of important Shiva temples, the bulls roam freely near or inside the temple. The temples of Basukinathdham, Baidyanathdham and Lingaraja are examples. The bulls living near the temples are very gentle in comparison to the bulls roaming in villages. I saw a Jatadhari-bull outside the Basukinathdham temple having its hanging skin near one of its eyes.
This Jata (Extra skin) is a sign of holiness. Even in normal talks if someone expects undue special treatment, he is asked a humorous question - "Why do you have a Jata?" Though Jata generally means the lock of hair on the heads of Sadhus, in the context of a bull it is the extra hanging skin.
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