Cow belt

The Cow Belt is a cultural region of India that extends over the Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.[1] The sobriquet comes from the high reverence given to cows, which are considered sacred in Hindu religion.

Cultural and political dominance

Most of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar consists of the vast Ganges plain, an area of flatness, which often floods dramatically during the monsoon. Often referred to as the Cow Belt, these states have been most dominant states in Indian politics and culture since independence, producing over half of India's ministers. This is partly because these are also the most populous states of the country and partly because the region plays a central role in the religious landscape of the Hindus.[2]

The Ganges River which forms the backbone of the state, is the sacred river of Hinduism and two of Hinduism's most holy towns are in the state, namely Varanasi and Allahabad (Prayag) which is also one of the venues of the Kumbha Mela. In these states’ infrastructure, education and living standards are very poor.[3]


See also

References
  1. Dalzell, Tom; Victor, Terry, eds. (5 February 2013). The New Partridge Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English (Dictionary of Slang and Unconvetional English) (2nd ed.). Routledge. p. 559. ISBN 978-0415619493. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  2. India by Sarina Singh
  3. "Caste and politics mix in India's Hindu "cow belt"". Reuters. 24 January 2008.
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