The 8-day Bhagirathi Cow Conservation Festival has begun with the aim of preserving the ancient culture and developing cow tourism by protecting cows. To effectively complete the festival, the Shrimad Bhagwat Dhan Dhanyanchal Gyan Mahayagya has also been started. The festival will be held from Mangsir 11 to 18.

The Kalash Yatra, which started from the village of Laugai in Banganga Municipality-8 Madhuban with the main slogan of 'Culture Prosperity and Respect for Cows', ended in Madhuban on Thursday. The rally reached Madhuban with dancing and singing in various ethnic costumes along with musical instruments, religious songs and hymns. 

Although cows are the main basis of Vedic Sanatan culture and human livelihood, recently cows have been at risk from all sides, so the festival was organized to launch a campaign for their protection, said Gunanidhi Bhusal, the program's creator. Currently, cows are being abandoned, injured in accidents and killed, which is sending a negative message to the young generation, so efforts have been made to improve them. The organizers claim that a Mahayagya has also been started, saying that it is possible to spontaneously protect the cow, the symbol of Sanatan religion, culture and national animal, only through spiritual awakening.

The Mahayagya will create awareness about cow protection, as well as provide knowledge about its importance, benefits and attractiveness. There is also a program to spread awareness about cows by expert religious gurus on a daily basis. 

A cowshed has been built in the Shantakunj Madhuban Dham religious forest of Banganga Municipality. The forest has provided 53 bighas of land free of charge for the cowshed. Currently, 6 sheds have been built with sheds. A shed measuring 20 by 55 feet has been built to house 50 cows. The target of building 20 within 5 years is to build 20, said Chakra Bahadur Bhandari, president of the organizing organization Bhagirathi Cow Conservation Development Center. Currently, about 400 cows have been protected.

There is a plan to gradually upgrade the cowshed and raise 1,000 cows. Currently, there are stray, neglected, injured and accident-affected cows in the cowshed. The injured cows are being treated, rescued and protected. So far, 30 million rupees have been invested. The amount was raised from Banganga Municipality, Madhuban Dham, local support and donors. The place, which has been sporadically protecting cows for 4 years, has been systematically protecting cows since 2081. 

Rupandehi's Sainamaina Municipality, Kanchan Rural Municipality and Siddharthanagar Municipality have also taken and managed stray cows there. If an individual wants to manage his/her cow, there is a facility to do so only once by paying 2,500 per cow. 6 watchmen have been hired to work. 

A DPR has also been prepared for cow protection. Its cost is 160 million. Protecting cows at risk is the responsibility of all human beings. Moreover, since equality, love and compassion for all creatures are eternal cultures, the plan is to make it a center of attraction for cow ecotourism, said Govinda Kandel, secretary of the Bhagirathi Cow Conservation Development Center. He said that from here, it will be made the best destination in the country to study and observe how cow ecotourism can be developed and benefited from by protecting cows. 

It is said that not only raising cows, but also producing organic fertilizer, natural pesticides, biogas production and milk, curd and ghee production will be carried out to operate a model cowshed with Sanatan identity. Where it is said that the basis for the preservation of Sanatan culture, respect for animals and human livelihood will be prepared. The Bhagirathi Cow Conservation Development Center in Madhuban Dham has organized a festival along with a knowledge festival from Mangsir 11 to 18. The festival was inaugurated by Lumbini Provincial Assembly member Bishnu Panthi and Banganga Municipality Mayor Chakrapani Aryal.