PATHANAMTHITTA: Tucked away in the serene hillocks of Sabarimala, a ‘Goshala’, is not only a haven for cattle but also home to Ananth Samantho, a migrant labourer from West Bengal, who solely takes care of livestock, including over two dozen cows.
A visitor to the cow shed would be welcomed by the alluring smell of incense sticks penetrating the air, and the sound of mooing cows pierces through the otherwise quiet shelter near ‘Bhasmakulam’, a pond at Sannidhanam.
Samantho, a resident of South 24 Parganas, West Bengal, first set foot in Kerala over a decade ago. Like many others from his home state, he arrived as a labourer at a construction site in Palakkad.
However, his journey to Kerala was destined to transform his life, not like any of them, but in a spiritual way.
He reached Sabarimala following an offer from his employer who was at the forefront of building a cattle farm in the hill shrine.
The 45-year-old says it is not just a job for him, but also a service to the deity as it is his prime responsibility to provide milk essential for the rituals and offerings in the hill shrine. He also sleeps in a room adjacent to the cattle shed.
“My work is so fulfilling as I consider it as a service to Lord Ayyappa. Each moment I spent here is a spiritual experience,” says Samantho, who has completed nine years of service at the cattle shed.
His busy day starts at 1.30 am during the pilgrimage season. The worker has to ensure fresh milk is despatched to the shrine for morning and evening rituals without fail.
After the closure of the temple for the off-season, Samantho supplies milk to government offices at Sannidhanam and to the head priests of Ayyappa and Malikappuram temples.
As many as 30 heads of cattle, including bulls, are there on the farm. Five Vechur breeds are among the cows while the rest are Jersey and Holstein Friesians (HF). They are getting proper care and the shelter has facilities like fans and lights. A flock of 18 chickens and a goat, all donated by devotees, are also there on the farm.
He visits his family once a year. Back home, his wife and two sons are eagerly waiting for him.
“I need someone trustworthy to hand over the work in my absence. Only then can I go home,” he says.