HYDERABAD: Finance Minister T Harish Rao performed Maha Mrithyunjaya Yagnam on Monday at India's 2nd largest cow shelter - the Satyam Shivam Sundaram Gau Nivas at Gaganpahad in Hyderabad.
He also donated Rs 1.5 lakh towards the one-day maintenance expenditure of the gaushala. The Minister complimented 82-year-old jeweller-turned-animal lover Dharam Raj Ranka, who had established the cow shelter more than 20 years ago. "I learnt that 5,500 cows, who were rescued from the clutches of butchers, are being given royal treatment here. They don’t even sell the milk, which is laudable," said Harish Rao.
Speaking on the occasion, Ranka said the Maha Yagna was to protect people from COVID-19. "Maha Mrityunjaya Puja, devoted to Lord Shiva, is to avoid premature death. Though we wanted to perform it earlier, the situation did not allow us. It is not late (to perform the yagnam) as COVID-19 is here for a longer time as the vaccine will take more time than anticipated," said Ranka.
Over 5,000 animal lovers and cow bhakts graced the day-long Maha Mrityunjaya Yagnam at different timings in small batches all through the day.