Milkman and Priest
The Cow is a sacred animal in India. Period. Europeans knew, that cows are respected same way as the holy men in all the states of India. Some traditions of India have reached from the prehistoric times. The cow and the milk- the main staple of the infant is the milk. So, it is no wonder, that among the Todas a tribe in Southern India, the milk dealers are considered to be the real holy men.
The milk dealers are the brahmins and the chief of the milk dealers caste has the rank of the high priest. The official temple of the the dairy man is the dairy shop and it is is held as sacred by the people of all the town.
When the milk dealer has taken the office as the chief, he is really becoming the real chief of the cowherds, and milkers, and the milk dealers of the town, and thus he can never leave the temple. As a rule, the chief is unmarried. If he takes the office and is married at the moment, he must leave his family upon entering his office as the priest. He is doing this in order to devote himself and to obey entirely to the laws of his caste of the dairy man.
No one is ever allowed to touch the high priest. Touching him, may desecrate him and compel him to leave him the shrine and give up his high office, which represents the highest degree of purity and is kept at the highest level of purity. The priest is not speaking to anyone. He may be spoken to only on two days a week- on Monday and Thursday. On other days of the week no one can approach him closely or say a word to him. Though, one may call out to him from a certain distance.
How do the milk temples look?
The milk temples are looking specifically and are generally built in a cone shape. The high priest himself sleeps only in the cow house which is a drafty place, and which has a little fireplace inside. He is wearing the garment from the coarse cotton, which he must wear one and the same for all his life.
When the high priest eating, he is not allowed to touch his mouth with his hand in no way, so he throws the food into the air and catches it into his mouth. The lips of the high priest should in no way touch the drinking vessel, so likewise he pours the liquid into his mouth.
THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE WAS FOUND IN THE MAGAZINE- The Creamery and MILK PLANT MONTHLY, Year 1929, Month of January