Kapali Temple Cows Caretaker Babu

Performing as a Kainkaryam, Babu has been taking care of the large number of cows at the Kapaleeswarar temple over the last 15years

Last month, this section had featured a story on Engineers and Bankers performing weekly service at the Kapaleeswarar temple grinding the Sandalwood that is presented to the deities (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/08/kapali-temple-sandalwood-grinding.html). This one is about a 55 year old unschooled Mylaporean who, for the last decade and a half, has been serving at the feet of the divine couple every day of the year.

B Babu has been taking care of the 30 cows at the Kapaleeswarar temple as a Kainkaryam. A resident of Mylapore from birth, Babu’s appa, Balu Pillai, reared cows at home and distributed milk for his livelihood. Babu had no school education and was initiated into the rearing and management of cows at a very young age. 

Health issues led to his appa losing both his legs and then subsequently his life. At the turn of the century, Babu’s cousin brother Ramesh performing service at the Kapali temple taking care of the cows. About 15years ago, he roped in the devotionally committed Babu to take up this service.

A day that begins at 4am

Every morning, Babu is at the temple at 4am to bathe the 30 cows. By 5.30am, he takes the milk and presents it at the Sannidhi. After a two hour break, he is back at 8am to feed the cows and clean the entire cow shed. Regulars at the temple would have seen him carry huge sacks on his back from the godown (on the north-west corner) where the Maattu Theevanam is stored.

After providing a second bath in the day to these cows, he heads back home at noon for lunch. 

Babu is back at the temple at 2pm for another round of devotional service. Almost all the cows can feel his presence the moment he enters the temple and have a loving engagement with him. After presenting milk, he is into another round of cleaning that also includes clearing the cow dung. 

During the hot season (Feb- Sept), he gives a third bath in the day to the cows before he heads back to his home near the Solaiappan street for a well-earned sleep.

His life over the last 15years has been all about his close engagement with the 30 cows with whom he works tirelessly from 4am every morning. He rarely takes a break from the work schedule and is there through the year. 

In recent months, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the temple has been presenting a monthly Sambhavanai for his service. 

Every Day Service without a Salary

As one watches his engagement with the cows, there is a sense of a complete devotional commitment  in his Kainkaryam and the sincerity of his work comes through. To him, it does not matter if he is not a HR & CE appointed staffer and does not get paid a salary for his daily work. He has been blessed to serve at the feet of Kapaleeswarar and Karpagambal and the feeling of presenting the milk to the deity is simply unmatched.