Maharashtra: Family perfoms funeral rites for a bull

The bull’s carcass was carried to the burial ground on a hand-pulled cart in a procession as per rituals, amid the beats of traditional drum called dhol. The carcass was buried and funeral rites were performed.

Kolhapur/Yawatmal: In an unusual gesture, a family in Mukatban village of Maharashtra's Yawatmal on Saturday observed “Dashkriya” (10th-day death ritual) mourning the death of a bull, which it had considered as a family member over last 15 years.

The bull belonging to a villager named Kailas Raut died on October 21 and local people gave him a respectful farewell as per tradition.

The bull’s carcass was carried to the burial ground on a hand-pulled cart in a procession as per rituals, amid the beats of traditional drum called dhol. The carcass was buried and funeral rites were performed.

"The emotional relation between Raut and his bull was inseparable. He had a pair of bulls for 15 years. One of them died from a disease. The Raut family was saddened as if the death of the family member happened. The family performed all the rituals of the dead bull including Dashkriya before cremating it," a local said.

As per rituals, the family observed Dashkriya and organised a mass feast for the locals. And in the evening, a 'bhajan samaroh' (prayer meetnig) was organised at a local temple for the bull.

In another incident, a family in Uttareshwar Peth area in Kolhapur city observed the first death anniversary of a dog, which died a year ago.

On the occasion, all the residents in the area were invited for meals.