Milk-Drinking Statues

Milk-Drinking Statues

While reports of bleeding and crying statues are plentiful in the West, similar reports, shaped by local religious perspectives, occur in the East. Among these are reports from India of statues that drink milk. It is to be noted that within Hinduism the cow has a special place due to its connection in Hindu holy books with the deity Krishna. Respect for the cow is seen as a visible symbol of one’s respect for all life and as a step toward a vegetarian lifestyle. Thus, cow’s milk has a certain sacred quality and is often presented to deities in the temples as offerings.

Thus, in the fall of 1995 it was more surprising to Westerners than Indians that a statue of Genesha in a temple in New Delhi was drinking milk. (Genesha is the deity who, in the form of an elephant, is often found at the doorway of Hindu temples.) The story began on September 21, when a priest had a dream in which Genesha asked for a drink of milk. Upon waking, the priest offered a spoonful of milk and was startled when the statue actually drank it. An account of the occurrence quickly moved across the city, and not only did people begin showing up at the temple to see the drinking statue, but reports emerged of other statues that were drinking such offerings. Within twenty-four hours of the first news broadcasts, statues in other countries were reported as also drinking milk.

Scientists sent to investigate soon concluded that the milk was not being drunk, but was being absorbed by the porous stone out of which the statues had been carved. Their conclusions were soon confirmed as puddles of milk began to form around the drinking statues. Within a few days, efforts to feed the statues ceased, and the enthusiasm surrounding the events died out. However, many Hindus now consider the event to have been a miraculous occurrence, some suggesting that it signaled the birth of a great soul. Others saw it as a great worldwide event, the first ever for the now far-flung Hindu global community.

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