Vemulawada: The authorities of Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy Devasthanam of Vemulawada have asked devotees to not offer Jersey cows and ailing oxen to the Lord because they would not able to adapt to the new environment and the hot weather.
According to temple authorities, around `1 crore is spent every year in looking after the oxen that are offered to the Lord. The temple authorities have two goshalas for the purpose — one on Jatra grounds on Jagtial road in Vemulawada, and the other in Thimmapur. Around 2,000 oxen are offered by devotees to Lord Sri Raja Rajashwara Swamy every year as part of the Kode Mokku ritual.
After enrolment in the register, some of the oxen are distributed among farmers by the Goshala Federation to aid them in farming activities, while others are donated to other goshalas.
As many as 150 oxen are kept in the two goshalas for the sake of devotees who perform rituals at the temple.
The temple earns around Rs 8 crore every year from the Kode Mokku ritual.
The oxen which are kept at the temple goshalas are well-nourished and looked after by the staff who are deployed for the purpose. Additionally, the temple authorities arrange for regular health check-ups for the oxen by qualified veterinary doctors.
Lately, however, owing to lack of awareness, devotees have been offering ill and diseased oxen and even Jersey cows which cannot withstand hot weather.
Moreover, the cattle are being transported in vehicles with their limbs tied and are being brought from distant locations, at least four to five hours away from the temple.
As a result, many of them have failed to adjust to the change in environment and the hot weather in the region.
And despite treatment, some of them succumb to their illnesses.
Keeping this in view, the temple authorities have displayed notice boards at several locations surrounding the temple, instructing the devotees to not offer ill oxen and Jersey cows, with or without their young ones, to the temple as they may not be able to survive the change in conditions.
They further declared that they will not accept such oxen anymore.
