“There are also health risks involved in smearing or consuming these products – other diseases can spread from the animals to humans,” Dr. JA Jayalal, national president of the Indian Medical Association, told Reuters. In Hinduism, the cow is a scared symbol of life and earth. Some residents of Gujarat in the western part of the country have been visiting cow shelters to rub the excrement on their bodies, then hug or honor the cows while the mixture dries. When it does, it’s washed off with milk or buttermilk.