A bull's story: stray while alive, worshipped when dead

JAGATSINGHPUR: While alive, a bull coudn't find a home, but in death there might be a statue erected in its memory in a village in Orissa.

The bull died of old age on Sep 25 at Chandpur village in Jagatsinghpur district.

The villagers have decided to erect a statue of the bull, which they say is a symbol of Lord Shiva.

To mourn the demise of the stray bull, at least 10 men shaved their heads On the 11th day of its death, one of the villagers Gopal Beura said.

"The bull, according to Hindu religion, is considered as the steed of Lord Shiva and that is why we worshiped the bull," a village woman said.

The residents carried the dead bull in a procession and cremated it on the outskirts of the village.

Many Hindus of the village performed rituals usually performed when one loses a member of the family. The women of the village went without non-vegetarian food for 11 days after its death.

The villagers also preformed puja (prayers) and yagna (fire rituals), and prayed for the departed soul.

A community feast was also held.