The word Gaushala comes from Sanskrit: ‘Gau’ means cow, and ‘Shala’ means shelter, literally, a sanctuary for cows, calves, and oxen. Traditionally, gaushalas in India provided refuge for wandering or abandoned cows and were supported by community donations. The first cow protection societies were formed in the late 1800s, giving rise to hundreds of gaushalas across the country.

Cows have long been woven into Indian village life. They tilled fields, carried loads, provided warmth when sheltered beneath homes, and their dung was used for flooring, fuel, and even building materials. In this way, they were revered and considered central to daily life.

Over time, however, the meaning of ‘gaushala’ has shifted. Today, some places use the name while still working the animals for dairy or labor. At Sadhana Forest, we reclaim the word in its truest sense: a sanctuary where cows are respected as beings in their own right, not valued for what they produce. Here, both male and female cows have a safe, lifelong home, whether or not they ever worked before.

This work is urgent. Modern India is now the world’s largest producer of milk, a leading exporter of beef and leather, and 71% of the population identifies as non-vegetarian. Many village cows still roam freely, but in today’s environment that often means eating from piles of trash; the average street cow carries up to 70 kilos of plastic in its stomach. Injuries from traffic and human cruelty add to their suffering.
Vishnu, for example, was abandoned as a calf simply because he was male, and his ears were burned with cigarettes. Chandra, once a village cow, was struck by a motorcycle and left permanently disabled.

The Gaushala is our response: a safe refuge where these animals can live free from exploitation, fear, and harm.