Rajasthan cow safari: Watch cows from your bullock cart

In perhaps the first project of its kind in the country, a 'gaushala' here is offering a 'cow safari' in which people on bullock carts can ride past the animals.

The maintenance and development of Hingaunia Gaushala, once run by the Rajasthan government, was handed over to Akshaypatra Foundation in 2016 after thousands of cows died there due to alleged mismanagement.

Work on the project spread over 12 acres is on and the safari will be launched on Janmashtami, the foundation said.

The safari will run on selected paths through a natural landscape with water bodies being created under the project.

Initially three bullock carts will be made available for the safari, programme coordinator Radha Priya Das told PTI.

The descriptions of different breeds of cows will be displayed on trees along the safari route.

Das said between 200 and 300 cows of 10 types will initially be put in the safari area, out of 22,000 animals at the gaushala.

Among them are Tharparkar and Gir breeds. Twenty more varieties will be brought from other states in the near future.

There will cottages for tourists who want to spend more time at the gaushala.

It is a first of its kind safari in the country and its objective is to spread knowledge of cows and their varieties among people, and allow cow lovers to spend time with cows, Das said.

We are expecting families, students and other tourists to come to the gaushala, he said.

The state-run gaushala was handed over to the foundation after a surge in the deaths of cow there, leading to protests and suspension of officials.