Venkateswara Gosamrakshana Trust
The nurturing abode for our revered gomatas
An embodiment of purity and divinity, cows are considered spiritually significant in Hinduism. So the timeless ethos of cow protection and nurturing is deeply embedded in our culture. Tirupati, the divine abode of Lord Venkateswara, is home to Sri Venkateswara Gosamrakshana Trust established by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam. It was established as a dairy farm in 1956, formed into a trust in 2002, and renamed to S.V. Gosamrakshana Shala in 2004.
Located at Chandragiri Road, Tirupati, TTD Goshala is maintained by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams using the funds received through the Sri Venkateshvara Gosamrakshana Shala Trust. TTD Donations from devotees also plays an integral role to keep the Goshala thriving.
Apart from TTD Goshala, there are many other Goshalas run by charitable organisations, religious institutions, and private groups around the sacred hills
Venkateswara Gosamrakshana Trust
Godanam
Godanam is considered sacred because as per Indian scriptures, 3 crore deities mentioned in our spiritual scriptures reside in different parts of a cow. So worshiping a cow is akin to worshiping all revered deities in an ultimate form. Devotees express their love for Lord Venkateswara by donating cows.
This Goshala aims to protect and take care of the cows donated by devotees, with dedicated focus on secure shelter, nutritional food, and on-time medical care
S.V Dairy Farm
The milk of native cows have been proven to have significant anti-inflammatory qualities. The cows are given wholesome nourishment and their milk is procured and processed through S.V Dairy Farm established by TTD. The cows get to serve the almighty everyday as their milk and related produce are used for the daily rituals, abhishekams, and prasadams at Sri Venkateswara temple and other Devasthanam temples. The produce also enriches the Annadanam Scheme of TTD.
Additionally, the S.V Dairy Farm supplies milk and curd to service institutions that serve the needy and physically challenged. This includes an orphanage S.V Balamandir, S.V Deaf & Dumb School, S.V Training Centre for The Physically challenged, S.V Leprosy Hospital etc
The Native Cow Research Centre
At the moment, Venkateswara Gosamrakshana Trust has 2600+ cows, including rare breeds like Ongole, Punganur, Kapila Govu, and Kangeyam.
TTD has established a Centre of Excellence for generic improvement within the indigenous breeds, to improve the genetic potential of native breeds while still adhering to the Vedic practices of cow protection and welfare. The key focus is on promoting the native cows and using advanced techniques of artificial insemination and embryo transfer to keep the native breeds thriving.
This Goshala takes cow protection and care to a whole new level by encompassing the cattle all around the sacred hills. Yes, this research center plays a significant role, not only to take proper care of the native breeds donated, but also to provide helpful insights to the local cattle owners in the vicinity. The Goshala regularly conducts awareness programs to spread word about cow protection and sustainable practices.
Sustainability At Its Peak
The Venkateswara Gosamrakshana Trust follows sustainable organic practices for fodder cultivation and waste management. While the farm provides the necessary foods to the cows, the biogas produced by processing cow dung powers parts of the farm. The by-products are used as organic compost to enrich the temple gardens. Cow dung and cow urine have high levels of medicinal qualities, and are utilised to manufacture medicines.
To encourage cow-based natural farming, TTD has been providing cows free of charge to local farmers.
Celebrating The Sacred Cow
TTD celebrates janmastami at Sri Venkateshvara Gosamrakshana Shala, where cows, elephants, and horses are felicitated with special prayers. A special Gau Puja is organised during spiritually significant days to honour the sacred cows. It is a beautiful ritual that is believed to bless devotees with properity, wholesome health, and tranquility.
Donating To A Noble Cause
To help devotees who aspire to do their bit for the divine cows , a donation drive is on-going, with the TTD matching the donations received equally. The minimum amount for donating is fixed at Rs 1000. All donations are deposited in a nationalised bank and the interest funds the activities at the Gosamrakshana Trust.
To conclude, Venkateswara Gosamrakshana Trust safeguards the revered gomatas and gives them the honour they deserve. The wonderful part is that this trust also offers financial aid to private ghoshalas that resue and nurture unproductive cattle. This is a beautiful way to encourage people to protect cows in anyway they can.