Rajasthani mother breastfeeds an orphaned calf

KILCHU VILLAGE - A village woman in Rajasthan has turned a major charm for people in her neighbourhood due to her extraordinary expression of motherhood.

A resident of Kilchu village, Chouthi Bai has started breastfeeding a calf, whose mother died three days after giving birth. Since then Bai has donned the garb of a mother for the little one, feeding her and bringing her up like her own child.

“After her mother died, I only held her in my arms and breastfed her. I nurtured her by feeding her my milk. She was so young when the cow died. For me there is no difference in a calf and an infant,” said Chouthi Bai, holding and caressing the calf as she spoke to the reporter.

The calf is now over one-and-a-half month old.

Chouthi Bai has adopted the calf and gradually established an affectionate and motherly bond with it. Today, she feeds the calf three to four times a day besides offering it the staple food like grass.

“I feed her three-four times in a day, the same amount an infant requires in a day. Sometimes we have to feed her chapattis, we give her water to drink and slowly she will grow on this diet. So, even in my absence she is fed. She will grow up eating grass. The gods will be pleased if I raise her,” Bai added.

Chouthi Bai has turned a big attraction for all residents in her village.

“This has happened for the first time in our village. Whenever she goes to the fields then they take the calf along. They feed her three-four times in a day. Like our mother brought us up by feeding her milk, similarly she is nourishing the calf with her milk,” said Ramlal, a villager.

Her own children support their mother in her unique gesture and feel proud of her nobility. By Jethmal Sharma (ANI)