MILPITAS — Soft grassy pastures speckled with yellow wildflowers. Gentle rolling hills as far as the eye can see. A wide bright blue sky dotted with puffy clouds.
It’s a heavenly scenery fit for a king — or some cows.
Welcome to Sri Krishna Balaram Goshala, a cow sanctuary hidden off the long and winding Old Calaveras Road. Here, 16 of the Bay Area’s luckiest — and holiest — cows live in harmony with nature, while receiving daily love and care from locals.
With two foot-long horns protruding from either side of their heads, a large hump resting on their shoulders and folds of loose skin drooping from their neck, these aren’t your typical black-and-white milk carton dairy cows.
They’re Gir Cows, a type of cattle native to India and a sacred species to those who follow Hinduism.
People from all over the Bay Area flock to the Milpitas goshala — which translates to “shelter for cows” in Hindi — to pay their respects by feeding, massaging and even bathing the animals, while also taking the opportunity to unwind and connect with nature.
The goshala, which opened in 2016 on the site of a former quarry, was built to protect cows and ensure their well-being through proper nutrition, medical care and other sustainable practices. Volunteers and staff also share Vedic culture, or religious practices tied to Hinduism, which emphasize the spiritual and ecological significance of cows.
The initiative is supported by the Indian Heritage Foundation, a Milpitas-based nonprofit that promotes the spiritual knowledge of Lord Krishna, a major deity in Hinduism, and the Values Plus-Foundation, a Fremont-based education program.
The area contains all the essentials for cow-care taking: a garden to grow crops for the cows, storage spaces for feed, covered sheds where the cows can sleep in at night, and even a small office for staff and volunteers from the foundation.
Every day, visitors come onsite to care for the cows, including feeding or massaging the animals and farming various organic crops for them to eat.
Standing around five feet tall, the cows look intimidating. But their eyes soften when they see humans — especially if they approach with an outstretched hand and offer to gently stroke the side of their bellies.
On a recent Friday morning, visitor Srihari Sampathkumar and his 2-year-old son Atman Srihari do just that. Holding a small brush that fits the size of their hands, the two work together to brush a herd of cows sunbathing.
It’s the third or fourth time Sampathkumar has come to the goshala. The Palo Alto resident said he likes how the cows are taken care of in an ethical way. Being in the open fields also gives him a break from the hustle and bustle of city life.
“There are good vibrations here,” Sampathkumar said, holding his son in his arms. “You come here and feel a sense of peace.”
Atman might register those feeling too when he’s older, but right now the toddler’s attention is completely focused on getting acquainted with the ladies. “I want to see the cows,” he says in a chirped voice. “What are the cows’s names?”
Overlooking their visit, is Ramanama Dasa, who manages the goshala. Dressed in a cotton white garment, Dasa is in charge of various tasks: overseeing the livelihood of the cows, watching over the property, welcoming and directing visitors. If some aren’t religious, he’ll explain the significance of protecting Gir Cows.
Cows are known as a divine “mother figure” in Vedic tradition, according to Dasa. Their contributions to society are numerous: they provide milk that nourishes both the body and mind, and their dung is used as an organic fertilizer and food. The cows in their natural habitat also radiate a sense of peace and calmness, qualities that are often difficult to find in the tech-heavy Silicon Valley, he said.
“If we are making artificial things, that never gives us real happiness,” Dasa said, standing in the field as the cows graze nearby. “We have to be in the natural environment … with the cows or animals that will give us natural peacefulness and calmness for the mind and body.”
Big changes are coming some to the goshala. Construction is underway to build a brand new office space, a care taker residence, parking lot designated orchards and an irrigation tank, among other things. All the work is funded by contributions and donations from community members who want to keep the cows happy and the space sacred, Dasa said.
Caretaker Srinivasa Chandru said the heritage foundation is planning on building a new 80-acre temple a few hills up from the goshala, where hundreds of its members can host festivities and worship together while surrounded by cows.
The ambitious project is almost a decade away from completion, according to Chandru, but the hills of Old Calaveras is the perfect place for it. Seated high above the city, the area looks like a little piece of heaven, he said.
“Sometimes the clouds will come down, and we can feel we are flying on top of the hill,” Chandru said, looking out into the horizon. “It feels heavenly.”
