Role of Cow in the Battlefield
Apart from responding to our daily needs, cows have fought for us in battlefields!
Recorded Battles :
- When Hyder Ali was ruling the Mysore State, the Nizam of Hyderabad attacked Chitradurga Fort. Hyder Ali had a fleet of Amrit Mahal oxen in his army! He tied burning torches to the horns of 237 of these oxen and let them attack Nizam’s army, resulting in the defeat of 3,000 strong attacking army.
- Captain Javinson had Amrit Mahal oxen in his brigade in Afghanistan. As recorded by him, when his troop travelled in narrow valleys of Teri hills in 1842, the oxen were cheerful even after pulling the carts for 16 continuous hours.
- Commanding Officer Lord Wellesley credits the Amrit Mahal oxen for his victory over Napoleon in Pensular War.
- Amrit Mahal oxen were part of the troop deployed in Mesopotamia in First Word War (1914 – 1918). They surprised the people by walking faster than camels, crossing narrow valleys and bridges with tact, adapting to adverse weather conditions and fighting with even reduced feed.
