Why Indians are paying thousands to hug, cuddle cows
For generations, Indians hugged, groomed and cared for cows without giving it a name. Now, tiny cows, curated sessions and wellness packages worth thousands of rupees, are powering a cow-cuddling boom in India. Cow farms to luxury retreats to spiritual centres like ISKCON, where it's free, cow cuddling is everywhere.
A basket in hand, filled with freshly-cut watermelon, muskmelon, cucumber and apples, my neighbour Hansraj Dhoundiyal was, as he is every morning, busy tending to the eight to 10 cows that gather on the ground floor of the building in Noida. That morning, while waiting for my Rapido ride, I noticed something I hadn't before. Dhoundiyal, whom I had seen feeding the cows, wrapped his arms around one of them, closed his eyes and gently stroked its back. Seeing me smile after he was done hugging the cow, 60-year-old Dhoundiyal revealed that this was something he had been doing since he was a child. "My mother taught it to me. It calms my mind and gives me peace," he said.
As my ride got a bit delayed, the conversation stretched on. A fulfilled Dhoundiyal told me that in countries abroad, people pay hundreds of dollars for hugging cows. "I am fortunate to do it for free. They come to me. That's how the Mata blesses." The conversation got me thinking. While the cow has long been revered in India as a mother figure, hugging or cuddling them wasn't an imported wellness fad. Indians hugged, cuddled and groomed cows instinctively for ages. They weren't distant farm animals but everyday companions for generations.
A few days after my conversation with Dhoundiyal, West Bengal voted for a new government. Days after taking office, West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari visited the gaushala at the ISKCON headquarters in Mayapur (Nadia district). Adhikari was seen seated on a mat, brushing a cow. Behind him was an interesting signboard. "Cow Cuddling," it read. Just as the conversation with Dhoundiyal had got me thinking about cow cuddling, that banner pushed me to explore the trend further.
A little digging revealed that, like in many Western countries, India has also seen a surge in professional cow cuddling. It's unlike what Dhoundiyal does. After I told him what I had read, he said, "Scorpios have replaced cows in the front yards. It's just natural that cow-cuddling services are appealing to people who no longer have access to cattle".
Unlike at ISKCON, cow cuddling and cow hugging have taken on a professional avatar elsewhere. There are trained facilitators, curated sessions and carefully packaged experiences, all with a price tag. Cow cuddling appeals to everyone — professionals, urbanites, children, the elderly and devotees alike. At gaushalas, spiritual centres and wellness retreats, Indians are booking therapy sessions that involve spending hours or even days petting, feeding and interacting with cows. Such animal-assisted therapy experiences were once associated with countries like the Netherlands, Switzerland, the US, the UK, and Australia. It appears to have found a niche in India.
In rural India, cow cuddling is free. One can walk into a gaushala. But what about elsewhere?
WHY COW CUDDLING IS PICKING UP IN INDIA?
Everyone seems to have their own reason for cuddling a cow. Some, like Noida's Hansraj Dhoundiyal, see it as a way to reconnect with an instinctive bond between humans and animals.
Rashik Gauranga Das, the Public Relations Officer of ISKCON Mayapur, views it not merely as cuddling, but as "gau sewa, an expression of devotion towards Gaumata". Some seek calm; others seek companionship in an urbanised world. Those conducting the therapies say cow-cuddling helps stimulate the release of "happy hormones", reduces stress and anxiety, improves emotional well-being and "might even support recovery from conditions such as depression and hypertension".
For many Indians, hugging a cow doesn't cost a rupee. Cow cuddling, over the last 5-6 years, has become a wellness trend in India.
But for those seeking a more curated experience, organised cow-cuddling sessions are available too, ranging from a few hundred rupees an hour to premium wellness packages with cow cuddling costing tens of thousands.
A major factor driving India's cow-cuddling boom is the growing popularity of miniature cow varieties.
HOW TINY COWS ARE DRIVING COW CUDDLING BOOM IN INDIA
Punganur cows, along with selectively bred Miniature, Micro Miniature and Nano variants developed by Telangana-based ‘Nadipathy’ practitioner P Krishnam Raju, are driving much of the trend.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was seen feeding one of these diminutive cattle at his residence on Makar Sankranti in January 2024. "They were supplied by me," Raju told India Today Digital, claiming the "Prime Minister does the therapy every morning".
Small enough to live comfortably in urban homes, many are treated like family members, much like household pets. They're lounging on sofas, sleeping on beds and chilling on balconies.
Their size and gentle temperament have made them social media stars in their own right. Own-fluencers post Reels of these tiny cows ranging from one to three feet in height, zooming around the house, making mischief, throwing tantrums, chasing family members and soaking up jaddu ki jhappi (the magical embrace).
On Instagram, where the Reels of smaller cow breeds are viral, the handle of Telangana-based Krishnam Raju's 'Nadipathy Cattle' said, "A cow for modern living! Who says you need acres of land to enjoy the love of a cow?"
According to Raju, the cow-cuddling at his farm is free of charge. "We don't charge anything for cow-cuddling. Anybody can come, spend time with the cows and experience it," Raju told India Today Digital, adding that "around 10-15 people visit daily for the activity".
The rise of 'Nadipathy', an alternative wellness system that includes cow-cuddling therapy among other holistic healing methods, has also led to young people being trained as practitioners.
Kalyan, one of Raju's students, who has now been a practitioner for eight years, told India Today Digital that he is now "equipped to conduct guided sessions and help others engage with the therapy professionally and effectively".
P Krishnam Raju, who said he's "a pioneer of cow-cuddling therapy", told India Today Digital that "apart from Modi, UP CM Yogi Adityanath and industrialist Anant Ambani have obtained cattle from his facility in Telangana, and practise cow cuddling".
While these claims could not be independently verified by India Today Digital, there is little doubt that organised and professional cow-cuddling in India is no longer confined to a handful of conventional enthusiasts.
COW CUDDLING GOES PREMIUM. INDIANS PAYING FOR ME-TIME WITH COWS
Wellness resorts have incorporated cow-cuddling into premium packages. Near Gurugram, on the southern slope of the Aravallis, Kamdhenu Arogya Wellness Sanctuary includes cow cuddling alongside yoga, meditation, detox therapies and Ayurvedic treatments. A three-night package costs Rs 24,000 for single occupancy.
"The longer wellness programmes include cow cuddling as one of their offerings," Kundan, the general manager of the Kamdhenu Arogya Wellness Sanctuary told India Today Digital.
Wellness packages featuring cow cuddling range from Rs 24,000 to Rs 75,000.
The wellness centre, around 20 kilometres from Gurugram, "attracts a diverse mix of visitors, including young professionals seeking a break from city life, families with children, and senior citizens looking for a calm and restorative experience," Kundan of the Kamdhenu Arogya Wellness Sanctuary said.
HYDERABAD A2 MILK FARM OFFERS COW CUDDLING. IT'S MORE THAN A HUG THERE
Not every player in India's cow-cuddling space is a wellness brand first. Some, like Hyderabad-based GoDESI A2 Milk, have a business around A2 milk and a farm-to-home delivery model. Cow cuddling emerged a bit later as an extension of their work with indigenous cattle and guided by an interest in closer human-animal-nature interactions, according to Akhil Bhuma, a business analyst and an executive at GoDESI A2 Milk.
According to the founder of GoDESI A2 Milk, Virender Madas, the idea gained traction after one of the founders noticed an improvement in his father's condition while he spent extended periods around cows. This prompted the company to explore structured interactions between people and cows alongside its core dairy business.
Founded in 2018 by Virender Madas and his wife, Sushma Rewatkar, GoDESI A2 Milk, whose USP is A2 milk, also offers cow-cuddling experiences on its farm in Hyderabad. It has a presence across five states — Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Gujarat.
Here, the cow cuddling sessions are far removed from simply walking up to a cow and giving it a hug. "Visitors are encouraged to switch off their phones. They can feed the cows with grass grown on the farm, groom the cows, participate in pujas, and can even choose to spend quiet time alone with them. We tell them, we won't disturb you. But we monitor through CCTV cameras for safety too. They often hug the cows and talk to them," Akhil Bhuma, a former techie in Bengaluru and Noida, now a manager at GoDESI A2 Milk farm, told India Today Digital.
Akhil Bhuma admitted that he got used to the peaceful environment in just a few years. He spends a considerable amount of time on the farm. "The founders joke and ask if I have shifted to the farm," he said.
According to Virender Madas, the farm in Hyderabad hosts a diverse crowd. Families arrive with young children eager to feed and interact with the cows. Many visitors in their 20s and 30s, particularly those working in the IT sector, come seeking a break. Senior citizens, too, form a regular part of the clientele, often spending long periods sitting quietly among the cattle.
The growing number of Indians opting for cow-cuddling therapies, Akhil Bhuma believes, mirrors a yearning for nature and tranquillity among the urban folk.
WANNA CUDDLE A COW FOR FREE? ISKCON'S HERE
In several parts of India, spending time with cows, feeding them and even hugging them remains a free and everyday activity, whether at neighbourhood gaushalas, temples, or for people like Noida's Hansraj Dhoundiyal, who simply walks out of his home and embraces the cows he has cared for over the years.
One such place is ISKCON's sprawling gaushala in West Bengal's Mayapur, the birthplace of Bhakti saint and Vaishnav stalwart, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Rashik Gauranga Das, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of ISKCON Mayapur, told India Today Digital that the 50-year-old gaushala houses over 500 cattle.
"The facility is non-profit and follows the principle of lifelong cow protection. Cows born here are never sent elsewhere. Open from 6 am to 6 pm daily, the gaushala attracts thousands of visitors who spend time feeding, petting and taking selfies with the cows," Das told India Today Digital.
"Visitors and devotees are free to talk, pet and feed the cows. Some cows have become so familiar that they respond when called by name. And, interacting with cows at ISKCON's gaushala is absolutely free of cost," added Das. "This is where Bengal CM visited last week and was seen interacting with the cows".
The spot where Suvendu Adhikari was seated on a mat with a cow is located inside the gaushala and is a designated area for such activities, according to Rashik Gauranga Das, the PRO of ISKCON Mayapur. "He also performed a hawan here. During his visit to Mayapur that day, Adhikari spent most of his time (nearly 45 minutes) inside the gaushala before later proceeding to the temple," Das told India Today Digital.
Das said that "thousands of people visit the gaushala every day, many of them taking selfies with the cows. Visitors can also feed the cattle special cakes and laddoos made from jaggery and fodder, which are prepared specifically for the cows".
While in Mayapur, cuddling with cows is linked to "devotion towards a mother god", in Andhra Pradesh's Kakinada district, Krishnam Raju's farm also offers it as a "professional therapeutic experience". And there too, like ISKCON, it's free of cost.
If India's organised cow-cuddling trend were to have a mascot, it would be the dwarf cow varieties like the nano, which has a maximum height of just a foot. Native to the Telangana-Andhra Pradesh region, these breeds have become one of the biggest attractions at farms like the one in ISKCON Mayapur. Their appeal is in their size. Unlike conventional cattle, miniature Punganur cows can be small enough to live comfortably in homes.
Krishnam Raju, who breeds the miniature cattle and has over 10,000 of the cattle, said, "The demand for dwarf cows has risen sharply in recent years as people are increasingly seeking cows for emotional companionship in their own homes".
Raju, an alternative medicine practitioner in his own right, said, "Humans can reach a deeply relaxed mental state within minutes of interacting with cows... cow cuddling helps reduce stress, anxiety and depression while promoting the release of 'happy hormones'."
So, the question is whether cow cuddling actually has modern scientific backing.
DOES MODERN-DAY SCIENCE SUPPORT THE BENEFITS OF COW CUDDLING?
Indians have practised gauseva, grooming, and close interaction with cattle for centuries. What do recent studies suggest about the mental and physical benefits of such interactions?
What do doctors, psychologists and researchers make of the claims that spending time with cows can reduce stress, improve emotional well-being, and even aid recovery from certain health conditions?
A 2023 study by researchers from the University of South-Eastern Norway, the Norwegian University of Life Sciences and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences found that just 15 minutes of stroking and interacting with an unfamiliar cow led to a "significant decline in state anxiety" among participants. While the researchers did not find clear evidence of increased oxytocin levels, they concluded that "friendly social interactions with cows are beneficial in lowering state anxiety" and support the use of farm-animal interactions for mental well-being.
A 2024 study, published in the Human-Animal Interactions journal, by US-based researchers Katherine Compitus (New York University) and Sonya Bierbower (United States Military Academy), found that people who interacted with therapy cattle described the experience as calming and emotionally rewarding. Many highlighted the animals' "gentle" nature. The 2024 paper concluded that bovine-assisted therapy "appears to be enriching" for both humans and cattle. The study also found that cows used as therapy animals showed a strong preference for interactions with women when compared to men.
We have seen that the cow-cuddling boom in India sits at the intersection of tradition, spirituality, wellness and a desire among urban Indians to reconnect with nature. While modern science may still be catching up with many of the claims made by its proponents, emerging research does suggest that spending time with animals, including cows, can lower anxiety and provide a sense of calm.
In fact, this has been the norm in India for ages. Cuddling, patting and grooming cows as part of gausewa has long been woven into everyday life for people like Hansraj Dhoundiyal, who never needed a research paper to tell him why hugging a cow made him feel better.
A basket in hand, filled with freshly-cut watermelon, muskmelon, cucumber and apples, my neighbour Hansraj Dhoundiyal was, as he is every morning, busy tending to the eight to 10 cows that gather on the ground floor of the building in Noida. That morning, while waiting for my Rapido ride, I noticed something I hadn't before. Dhoundiyal, whom I had seen feeding the cows, wrapped his arms around one of them, closed his eyes and gently stroked its back. Seeing me smile after he was done hugging the cow, 60-year-old Dhoundiyal revealed that this was something he had been doing since he was a child. "My mother taught it to me. It calms my mind and gives me peace," he said.
As my ride got a bit delayed, the conversation stretched on. A fulfilled Dhoundiyal told me that in countries abroad, people pay hundreds of dollars for hugging cows. "I am fortunate to do it for free. They come to me. That's how the Mata blesses." The conversation got me thinking. While the cow has long been revered in India as a mother figure, hugging or cuddling them wasn't an imported wellness fad. Indians hugged, cuddled and groomed cows instinctively for ages. They weren't distant farm animals but everyday companions for generations.
A few days after my conversation with Dhoundiyal, West Bengal voted for a new government. Days after taking office, West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari visited the gaushala at the ISKCON headquarters in Mayapur (Nadia district). Adhikari was seen seated on a mat, brushing a cow. Behind him was an interesting signboard. "Cow Cuddling," it read. Just as the conversation with Dhoundiyal had got me thinking about cow cuddling, that banner pushed me to explore the trend further.
A little digging revealed that, like in many Western countries, India has also seen a surge in professional cow cuddling. It's unlike what Dhoundiyal does. After I told him what I had read, he said, "Scorpios have replaced cows in the front yards. It's just natural that cow-cuddling services are appealing to people who no longer have access to cattle".
Unlike at ISKCON, cow cuddling and cow hugging have taken on a professional avatar elsewhere. There are trained facilitators, curated sessions and carefully packaged experiences, all with a price tag. Cow cuddling appeals to everyone — professionals, urbanites, children, the elderly and devotees alike. At gaushalas, spiritual centres and wellness retreats, Indians are booking therapy sessions that involve spending hours or even days petting, feeding and interacting with cows. Such animal-assisted therapy experiences were once associated with countries like the Netherlands, Switzerland, the US, the UK, and Australia. It appears to have found a niche in India.
In rural India, cow cuddling is free. One can walk into a gaushala. But what about elsewhere?
WHY COW CUDDLING IS PICKING UP IN INDIA?
Everyone seems to have their own reason for cuddling a cow. Some, like Noida's Hansraj Dhoundiyal, see it as a way to reconnect with an instinctive bond between humans and animals.
Rashik Gauranga Das, the Public Relations Officer of ISKCON Mayapur, views it not merely as cuddling, but as "gau sewa, an expression of devotion towards Gaumata". Some seek calm; others seek companionship in an urbanised world. Those conducting the therapies say cow-cuddling helps stimulate the release of "happy hormones", reduces stress and anxiety, improves emotional well-being and "might even support recovery from conditions such as depression and hypertension".
For many Indians, hugging a cow doesn't cost a rupee. Cow cuddling, over the last 5-6 years, has become a wellness trend in India.
But for those seeking a more curated experience, organised cow-cuddling sessions are available too, ranging from a few hundred rupees an hour to premium wellness packages with cow cuddling costing tens of thousands.
A major factor driving India's cow-cuddling boom is the growing popularity of miniature cow varieties.
HOW TINY COWS ARE DRIVING COW CUDDLING BOOM IN INDIA
Punganur cows, along with selectively bred Miniature, Micro Miniature and Nano variants developed by Telangana-based ‘Nadipathy’ practitioner P Krishnam Raju, are driving much of the trend.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was seen feeding one of these diminutive cattle at his residence on Makar Sankranti in January 2024. "They were supplied by me," Raju told India Today Digital, claiming the "Prime Minister does the therapy every morning".
Small enough to live comfortably in urban homes, many are treated like family members, much like household pets. They're lounging on sofas, sleeping on beds and chilling on balconies.
Their size and gentle temperament have made them social media stars in their own right. Own-fluencers post Reels of these tiny cows ranging from one to three feet in height, zooming around the house, making mischief, throwing tantrums, chasing family members and soaking up jaddu ki jhappi (the magical embrace).
On Instagram, where the Reels of smaller cow breeds are viral, the handle of Telangana-based Krishnam Raju's 'Nadipathy Cattle' said, "A cow for modern living! Who says you need acres of land to enjoy the love of a cow?"
According to Raju, the cow-cuddling at his farm is free of charge. "We don't charge anything for cow-cuddling. Anybody can come, spend time with the cows and experience it," Raju told India Today Digital, adding that "around 10-15 people visit daily for the activity".
The rise of 'Nadipathy', an alternative wellness system that includes cow-cuddling therapy among other holistic healing methods, has also led to young people being trained as practitioners.
Kalyan, one of Raju's students, who has now been a practitioner for eight years, told India Today Digital that he is now "equipped to conduct guided sessions and help others engage with the therapy professionally and effectively".
P Krishnam Raju, who said he's "a pioneer of cow-cuddling therapy", told India Today Digital that "apart from Modi, UP CM Yogi Adityanath and industrialist Anant Ambani have obtained cattle from his facility in Telangana, and practise cow cuddling".
While these claims could not be independently verified by India Today Digital, there is little doubt that organised and professional cow-cuddling in India is no longer confined to a handful of conventional enthusiasts.
COW CUDDLING GOES PREMIUM. INDIANS PAYING FOR ME-TIME WITH COWS
Wellness resorts have incorporated cow-cuddling into premium packages. Near Gurugram, on the southern slope of the Aravallis, Kamdhenu Arogya Wellness Sanctuary includes cow cuddling alongside yoga, meditation, detox therapies and Ayurvedic treatments. A three-night package costs Rs 24,000 for single occupancy.
"The longer wellness programmes include cow cuddling as one of their offerings," Kundan, the general manager of the Kamdhenu Arogya Wellness Sanctuary told India Today Digital.
Wellness packages featuring cow cuddling range from Rs 24,000 to Rs 75,000.
The wellness centre, around 20 kilometres from Gurugram, "attracts a diverse mix of visitors, including young professionals seeking a break from city life, families with children, and senior citizens looking for a calm and restorative experience," Kundan of the Kamdhenu Arogya Wellness Sanctuary said.
HYDERABAD A2 MILK FARM OFFERS COW CUDDLING. IT'S MORE THAN A HUG THERE
Not every player in India's cow-cuddling space is a wellness brand first. Some, like Hyderabad-based GoDESI A2 Milk, have a business around A2 milk and a farm-to-home delivery model. Cow cuddling emerged a bit later as an extension of their work with indigenous cattle and guided by an interest in closer human-animal-nature interactions, according to Akhil Bhuma, a business analyst and an executive at GoDESI A2 Milk.
According to the founder of GoDESI A2 Milk, Virender Madas, the idea gained traction after one of the founders noticed an improvement in his father's condition while he spent extended periods around cows. This prompted the company to explore structured interactions between people and cows alongside its core dairy business.
Founded in 2018 by Virender Madas and his wife, Sushma Rewatkar, GoDESI A2 Milk, whose USP is A2 milk, also offers cow-cuddling experiences on its farm in Hyderabad. It has a presence across five states — Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Gujarat.
Here, the cow cuddling sessions are far removed from simply walking up to a cow and giving it a hug. "Visitors are encouraged to switch off their phones. They can feed the cows with grass grown on the farm, groom the cows, participate in pujas, and can even choose to spend quiet time alone with them. We tell them, we won't disturb you. But we monitor through CCTV cameras for safety too. They often hug the cows and talk to them," Akhil Bhuma, a former techie in Bengaluru and Noida, now a manager at GoDESI A2 Milk farm, told India Today Digital.
Akhil Bhuma admitted that he got used to the peaceful environment in just a few years. He spends a considerable amount of time on the farm. "The founders joke and ask if I have shifted to the farm," he said.
According to Virender Madas, the farm in Hyderabad hosts a diverse crowd. Families arrive with young children eager to feed and interact with the cows. Many visitors in their 20s and 30s, particularly those working in the IT sector, come seeking a break. Senior citizens, too, form a regular part of the clientele, often spending long periods sitting quietly among the cattle.
The growing number of Indians opting for cow-cuddling therapies, Akhil Bhuma believes, mirrors a yearning for nature and tranquillity among the urban folk.
WANNA CUDDLE A COW FOR FREE? ISKCON'S HERE
In several parts of India, spending time with cows, feeding them and even hugging them remains a free and everyday activity, whether at neighbourhood gaushalas, temples, or for people like Noida's Hansraj Dhoundiyal, who simply walks out of his home and embraces the cows he has cared for over the years.
One such place is ISKCON's sprawling gaushala in West Bengal's Mayapur, the birthplace of Bhakti saint and Vaishnav stalwart, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Rashik Gauranga Das, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of ISKCON Mayapur, told India Today Digital that the 50-year-old gaushala houses over 500 cattle.
"The facility is non-profit and follows the principle of lifelong cow protection. Cows born here are never sent elsewhere. Open from 6 am to 6 pm daily, the gaushala attracts thousands of visitors who spend time feeding, petting and taking selfies with the cows," Das told India Today Digital.
"Visitors and devotees are free to talk, pet and feed the cows. Some cows have become so familiar that they respond when called by name. And, interacting with cows at ISKCON's gaushala is absolutely free of cost," added Das. "This is where Bengal CM visited last week and was seen interacting with the cows".
The spot where Suvendu Adhikari was seated on a mat with a cow is located inside the gaushala and is a designated area for such activities, according to Rashik Gauranga Das, the PRO of ISKCON Mayapur. "He also performed a hawan here. During his visit to Mayapur that day, Adhikari spent most of his time (nearly 45 minutes) inside the gaushala before later proceeding to the temple," Das told India Today Digital.
Das said that "thousands of people visit the gaushala every day, many of them taking selfies with the cows. Visitors can also feed the cattle special cakes and laddoos made from jaggery and fodder, which are prepared specifically for the cows".
While in Mayapur, cuddling with cows is linked to "devotion towards a mother god", in Andhra Pradesh's Kakinada district, Krishnam Raju's farm also offers it as a "professional therapeutic experience". And there too, like ISKCON, it's free of cost.
If India's organised cow-cuddling trend were to have a mascot, it would be the dwarf cow varieties like the nano, which has a maximum height of just a foot. Native to the Telangana-Andhra Pradesh region, these breeds have become one of the biggest attractions at farms like the one in ISKCON Mayapur. Their appeal is in their size. Unlike conventional cattle, miniature Punganur cows can be small enough to live comfortably in homes.
Krishnam Raju, who breeds the miniature cattle and has over 10,000 of the cattle, said, "The demand for dwarf cows has risen sharply in recent years as people are increasingly seeking cows for emotional companionship in their own homes".
Raju, an alternative medicine practitioner in his own right, said, "Humans can reach a deeply relaxed mental state within minutes of interacting with cows... cow cuddling helps reduce stress, anxiety and depression while promoting the release of 'happy hormones'."
So, the question is whether cow cuddling actually has modern scientific backing.
DOES MODERN-DAY SCIENCE SUPPORT THE BENEFITS OF COW CUDDLING?
Indians have practised gauseva, grooming, and close interaction with cattle for centuries. What do recent studies suggest about the mental and physical benefits of such interactions?
What do doctors, psychologists and researchers make of the claims that spending time with cows can reduce stress, improve emotional well-being, and even aid recovery from certain health conditions?
A 2023 study by researchers from the University of South-Eastern Norway, the Norwegian University of Life Sciences and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences found that just 15 minutes of stroking and interacting with an unfamiliar cow led to a "significant decline in state anxiety" among participants. While the researchers did not find clear evidence of increased oxytocin levels, they concluded that "friendly social interactions with cows are beneficial in lowering state anxiety" and support the use of farm-animal interactions for mental well-being.
A 2024 study, published in the Human-Animal Interactions journal, by US-based researchers Katherine Compitus (New York University) and Sonya Bierbower (United States Military Academy), found that people who interacted with therapy cattle described the experience as calming and emotionally rewarding. Many highlighted the animals' "gentle" nature. The 2024 paper concluded that bovine-assisted therapy "appears to be enriching" for both humans and cattle. The study also found that cows used as therapy animals showed a strong preference for interactions with women when compared to men.
We have seen that the cow-cuddling boom in India sits at the intersection of tradition, spirituality, wellness and a desire among urban Indians to reconnect with nature. While modern science may still be catching up with many of the claims made by its proponents, emerging research does suggest that spending time with animals, including cows, can lower anxiety and provide a sense of calm.
In fact, this has been the norm in India for ages. Cuddling, patting and grooming cows as part of gausewa has long been woven into everyday life for people like Hansraj Dhoundiyal, who never needed a research paper to tell him why hugging a cow made him feel better.
