Last week, after 7 months of being isolated and recovering from lumpy skin disease, Balarama the baby bull calf moved in with the other bulls in our goshala. Here is a short video of his first day meeting the other bulls. He has since settled in and made many friends among them.

Baby Balarama first showed up at our temple last year on Balarama Jayanti, in a heartbreaking condition. His body was covered in open sores infested with maggots, one of his legs was rotting with flesh hanging off, and one eye was severely swollen shut. We lured him inside with food and immediately began treatment.

He was in an extremely serious condition and required intensive care, round-the-clock attention, and treatment for over 7 months to recover. His arrival on Balarama Jayanti felt like a divine intervention, so we named him Balarama.

He seems especially fond of Raju and often follows him around.

Everything about him and his recovery has been a miracle. Bhagavan has been very kind to him. This is how he looked when he first arrived, just days away from death:

For the first couple months he was blind and there was no hope that he would be able to see again, but miraculously he regained his eyesight and can now see.

We took care of him like a small child around the clock and slowly he began to recover. As the months went on he regained his eyesight, was able to walk and run, and all his wounds and scars healed up.

We thank everyone who prayed for his recovery. Only by Bhagavan’s grace was he able to survive and make it through all this hardship.

Now, Balarama begins the next phase of his life, living with the big bulls in the goshala. It is a bit cramped for them, with 10 bulls in a small compound, but at least their safety and comfort throughout life is guaranteed. Outside on the streets most of the bulls and oxen in our city last only 1 or 2 years before they “disappear” due to cattle thieves.

Our long-term aim will be to relocate all our bulls to a larger piece of farmland where they can live more freely, with ample space to graze, roam, and play without constraint. We dream of a place where each of them can experience the peaceful, open life they deserve. How and when that will happen is still uncertain, but with Bhagavan’s mercy and the continued support of kind-hearted well-wishers, we pray that one day this vision will become a reality.

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