By Shambhu Nath Choudhary

Ranchi, Dec 4 (IANS): A doctor from Mumbai, Shalini Mishra, left all her comforts behind and dedicated her life to serving cows.

Shalini was earning in lakhs every month as a doctor, when in July 2019 she decided to move to Chakulia in East Singhbhum district of Jharkhand to run a 'Gaushala' (cowshed).

In the last three and half years, her cowshed has grown so significantly that today it comprises nearly 14,500 cattle, and nearly 300 locals are engaged in taking care of these bovines.

Every day, she personally visits each animal in the cowshed and once she gets assured that all cattle are well, a sense of satisfaction can be clearly seen on her face.

She neither takes any day off nor does she take any weekly off for herself. Even her family is contributing for the cause.

Her husband Ved Prakash is a scientist. Out of his salary of around Rs 8 lakh, he sends almost Rs 7.5 lakh every month for the expenses of the cowshed.

Her daughter Richa is doing research in neuroscience in Australia. She gets a scholarship of Rs 2 lakh. Saving some amount out of that, she also sends it to the Gaushala. Son Harsh is a second year MBBS student in Mumbai.

Shalini says, in 2014, Yogi Ashwini of Dhyan Foundation had come to attend a programme of the Indian Medical Association in Mumbai. His thoughts deeply influenced her.

She joined the Dhyan Foundation and then reached Chakulia, where a Gaushala was being started by the foundation on a 10-acre vacant land belonging to the Pinjrapole Society of Kolkata, in the area where the aerodrome was built during the Second World War.

Actually, a large network of cattle smugglers is active on the Indo-Bangladesh border. BSF (Border Security Force) frees a large number of bovine animals from the possession of these smugglers every month. The problem before the BSF was how to take care of the confiscated animals.

The Dhyan Foundation under Yogi Ashwini took the initiative for these animals. The foundation contacted the BSF and assured them that the organization would take proper care of all cattle.

At present, the foundation operates a total of 40 cowsheds across the country. In these, more than 80,000 bovine animals are taken care of.

As of today, Chakulia's 'Govansh Seva Kunj' Gaushala is the largest shelter for bovine animals in eastern India. BSF team often comes to this cowshed.

Three months ago, a team led by Commandant N.M. Rai of 112 Battalion of BSF stayed here for three days and returned impressed by the arrangement at the Gaushala. Not only this, all the members of his team also personally donated money for the cowshed.

There are also a large number of sick, helpless, old bulls in this cowshed.

A large number of abandoned and dying bovine animals are also brought here. There is also a team of veterinarians for their treatment. Shalini herself is engaged in treatment and dressing of such bovines.

The Gaushala is continuously expanding and several donors also cooperate in the cowshed's operation.

This year, on the festival of Gopashtami, the number of cattle when counted was found to be 14,200.

The bullocks kept safe in the Gaushala are being given free of cost to the local farmers for agricultural work. A few months before becoming the President of India, Draupadi Murmu had also visited this Gaushala and was very impressed with the arrangement here.