Johan Bentinck

In: UA Magazine 2 - Livestock in and around cities

In the streets of urban India, many cows can be seen scavenging around. At first glance it may appear as though the cattle are an undisputed part of city life, but the case of Delhi shows that the issue is surrounded by controversy. The persistence of dairy farming in the city is related to how villages and their people become urbanised. Since 1951, about 140 villages have become completely incorporated into the city of Delhi (Census of India, 1991). Caste-specific economic traditions and constraints cause certain households to continue dairy farming despite the spatial constraints.