Sacred Cows Trivia Quiz

Answer: Kamadhenu

Kamadhenu is worshipped as a cow that could give its owner whatever they needed. There are no actual temples to Kamadhenu, as living cows are worshipped as avatars of the goddess. Nadini is viewed either as the daughter of Kamadhenu, or another avatar of the goddess. Kamadeva is the Hindu god of lust. Ganesha is the Lord of Obstacles, and has the head of an elephant. Kamakura refers to a period of 13th century Japanese history.

Answer: Meat

Most Buddhists are strict vegetarians, as eating meat violates the principle of Ahimsa, trying to avoid harm to living beings. Cow milk is sacred to both Hinduism and Buddhism, as it provides nourishment. Cow urine is used for medicinal purposes, especially for skin diseases. Cow dung is used for fuel and fertilizer. Buddhists refer to sacred cows as either Gaumata or Aditi.

Answer: Nepal

Gai Puja is part of the Tihar festival, which is held annually in mid-November. The festival takes five days, and the third day is dedicated to cows. Gai Puja means "Cow Worship" in Sanskrit. Tihar is known as a festival of lights, and is celebrated with flowers, candles and fireworks.

Answer: Zoroastrianism

The Vohu Manah as a concept refers to a good moral state of mind. In the Gathas, the Vohu Manah as Wahman is identified as the spirit which looks out after the welfare of animals, especially cattle. Zoroastrianism was founded in Iran in roughly 1000 BCE.

It is also known as Mazdaism, after the highest deity Ahura Mazda. Zoroastrianism focuses on a battle between good and evil, and the necessity to actively promote good.

Answer: Pharaoh

In Genesis 41, the Pharaoh dreams about cows along the Nile. Joseph interprets the dream to mean that seven years of plenty will be followed by seven years of famine. Earlier, Jacob did give his brother Esau a gift of cows, along with lots of other livestock (Genesis 32).

Answer: Durham Cathedral

The original "white church" was built on the site where a milkmaid claimed to have seen her cow. The church is closely linked with Saint Cuthbert (634-687 AD). The current cathedral was built during the early part of the 12th century. It is a World Heritage Site as one of the world's premier examples of Norman architecture.

There is a sculpture of a cow on the outside of the church. Canterbury Cathderal is the site of the murder of Thomas à Becket in 1170. St Paul's was built in the early 18th century, and is one of the most prominent features on the London skyline. Winchester Cathedral is a popular tourist attraction, and houses the graves of many of England's early kings.

It inspired a hit song by the New Vaudeville Band in 1966.

Answer: True

"The Cow" is the second Sura (chapter) and at 286 verses is by far the longest in the Koran. It is one of the older sections of the Koran, as it was among the first revelations of the Prophet Mohammed. "The Cow" contains a lot of religious history including the Archangels Gabriel and Michael, Adam, Abraham, Jacob, Moses and the Exodus.

It also lays out many of the religious duties of Muslims, such as fasting, prayer and pilgrimage to Mecca.

Answer: Red

According to Numbers 19, the ceremony requires a "red heifer without spot, wherein there is no blemish and upon which never came yoke." The ashes are then mixed with cedat, hyssop and dyed wool to create a mixture to ritually purify someone who has come in contact with a corpse.

Answer: Beltane

Beltane is a spring festival, celebrated on April 30 and May 1 in the Northern Hemisphere. Dairy farmers hang boughs above the doors, and walk the cows through Beltane bonfires,in hopes of increasing milk production. Samhain is celebrated October 31. Mabon celebrates the fall equinox, September 21. Imbolc is a festival celebrating Brigit, the Celtic fire goddess, and is February 1.

Answer: Wife

In the film, the wife is named Mahana. In many written versions, she is called Sarita. In all versions, the wife is quite plain when the dowry is given. But the knowledge that her husband loves her so much he would pay eight cows for her raises her self esteem so much that she becomes very beautiful.