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Paper short abstract

Image of the Cow manifested in the antiquity is retained in the belief narratives as sacred origins and world views of the universe. The Cow remained an essential representation along Dog and Cat, and Bull and Horse in the Generic/Ancestral Symbolism of Udmurt (Russia) and Hindu (India).

Paper long abstract

The symbolism involved in emerging of an image of a ‘Cow-Woman’ which originated in the antiquity and later period has changing perceptive as it retains its original basis in the belief of the involvement of the cow in the sacred origins of the universe. As per the sacred origin of the universe, the mythical deities were originated in the ancient totemistic era, they can be traced back to the agrarian custom, festivals, rituals, and rites etc. The image of the cow is associated to the generic/ancestral symbolism of the Udmurt (Russia) and Hindu (India). This image of the ‘Cow-Woman’ is based on the feminine principle(s) drawn over the period. In terms of the cosmology and origin of the universe, the cow is believed to be the part of the habitation spheres - the elements and celestial bodies, along with the supernatural properties. In traditional households and in families among the Udmurts, cats and dogs hold an important place. The cows, bulls and horses are seen as vital manifestations in traditional households, custom, festivals, popular cultures, rites and rituals, sacred texts, oral traditions of the Hindu. These domestic animals have a rich mythological background, which is vividly expressed in folklore and ethnography. The research findings are based on the comparative study of folkloric, socio-cultural and ethnographic role and function of the ‘Cow-Woman’ in Udmurt and Hindu belief narrative traditions comprising of myths of the spiritual universe of custom, rites and rituals, traditions therein.

Key Words: Animals, Creation Myth, Gender, Orality, Symbolism