ATHANI: At first sight, there is nothing unusual about the cows and buffaloes owned by 75-year-old Rachappa Irrappa Tangadi of Kakmari village in Athani taluk. They give almost 200 litres of milk per day and are in perfect health.
However, is something that Tangadi’s family has mastered — as if to prevent anyone else from milking them.
All of them give milk only after Tangadi sucks them like as calves do.
The 40 cows and 10 buffaloes also need to be cleaned first and given a bath.
Tangadi too takes bath, performs ‘Linga Pooja’ and prays for half-anhour both in the morning and evening everyday.
He has been doing this for 70 years - from the age of five years. Now, the cattle would just not give milk until he sucks them first.
Other members of his joint family milk them only after Tangadi completes his routine.
The practice has been in place in the family for more than a century as his father Irappa and mother Dundawwa used to do the same earlier.
“My parents introduced me to the practice of sucking milk when I was just one year old and animals started giving milk after me sucking them when I grew five,” Tangadi said.
To keep the tradition intact, Tangadi is giving milk sucking training to his 11-year-old grandson Mahadev.
Mahadev also drinks two litres of milk per day and lifts 75 kg jawar bags.