The Cow of the Barricades – Raja Rao

The Cow of the Barricades – Raja Rao

The celebrated novelist, Raja Rao was an Indian writer in English, whose novels and short stories are deeply rooted in Metaphysical Philosophy. His involvement in the national freedom movement is reflected in his works. The novel “Kanthapura” (1938) and a short story “The Cow of the Barricades” (1947) are an account of the impact of Gandhian teachings on nonviolent resistance against the British rule in India. 

The short story “The Cow of the Barricades” gives us a picture of India’s struggle for independence under the inspiring leadership of Mahatma Gandhi. The Master in this short story is none other than Mahatma Gandhi. The presence of the cow, Gauri, in this story and its death at the end of the story symbolizes the enduring source of energy that lies in purity, peace, goodness and unselfishness.

All people paid high respect to Gauri, the cow, who used to visit the Master on every Tuesday evening before the sunset and nibble at the hair of the Master. The Master touched and caressed her and said: How are you, Gauri? She simply bent her legs and drew her tongue and shaking her head and ambled round him and disappeared among the bushes. And till next Tuesday she was not be seen anywhere.

Gauri’s arrival to the Master's Hermitage gave a kind of awareness among the people who were very eager to know about her. Being an animal, a cow was unable to say who she was. She would often come to the Master who had prepared fodder for her including grass, rice-water and husk. Her eating style, the movement of her jaws was like as if she was uttering some words in favour of the people. People thought her to be a strange creature and the Master might have known her whereabouts. After being well received she had to leave the Hermitage without any further halt. The master thought her to be his baton-armed mother-in-law.

Everybody liked, loved and respected her to be a sacred creature. People thought her as Goddess Lakshmi, to support both the rich and the poor. All types of people come to her carrying various wishes to be graced and fulfilled by Gauri. The students for a better pass, girls for handsome husbands, widows for purity, childless for children etc. Therefore, every Tuesday there was a well-prepared procession of men and women at the Master’s hermitage. But, Gauri would pass by them all like a holy wife among men. Sometimes, Gauri would not accept food offered by others. People would give the food untouched to the fish in the river. Astonishingly, crocodiles were not seen anywhere at this time so that the fish in the river were able to fearlessly gorge on the food.

Thus, Gauri was compassionate and true to many people so they all worshipped her to be the Goddess Lakshmi. Meanwhile, there was a fierce fighting between the red men (British soldiers) and the people of India. The fighting was for Indian independence for which the red administration was in robust condition. The Master persuaded the workmen of the industrial townships and villagers to boycott the foreign goods and clothes. He even instigated the workmen to refuse the services of the red men government. As a result, a large number of workmen came forward to join the struggle for independence. They refused to work under the foreign rule. They refused to pay taxes to the Government. Everywhere it was preached that the children must wander in the streets holding either blue cards or red cards to indicate the mood of the red soldiers.  People hoarded their valuable and left the village to stay in the farmlands. Women were refused to go out of their homes to the open streets of the village. They were forbidden to continue worshipping in the temples.

The workmen built barricades at different places and they remained behind the barricades. They that the red soldiers might not cross over the barricades and workmen would easily win them. The Master often came and requested people not to go astray, not to follow violence, but the workmen were so upset that they thought if they did not adopt the tit for tat way, they would not the stonehearted red men.

A large number of soldiers were called for from different parts of the country and stationed at the strategic points of the village. The red man’s Government thought to rule over India whatever be the cost.

While the whole town was tense and full of barricades, Gauri walked along, surrounded by people among whom some started worshipping her, and begged her peace and salvation. Gauri was put on the barricades and the whole people became jubilant. The red soldiers got surprised looking at Gauri and thought to be the token of victory of Master. The chief of the red men fired a shot and Gauri died on the spot. But surprisingly nobody could see a drop of blood falling down from Gauri’s head.

The Seth Jamnalal Dwarak Chand built a statue of Gauri at the spot and people started worshipping her. Children played on her body and the Master thought Gauri was waiting in the Middle of Heavens to be born again.

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