The Myth of the Holy Cow

5. The Myth of the Holy Cow

By D.N. Jha | Navayana

₹499

In this landmark and controversial work, historian D.N. Jha challenges one of modern India's most deeply held beliefs — that the cow has always been sacred and beef-eating always taboo. Drawing on Vedic, Buddhist, and Jaina texts, Jha demonstrates that beef was, in fact, a regular part of the diet in ancient India, including among Brahmins, and that the "holiness" of the cow is a much later development, not an original feature of Hindu tradition. First published in 2001, the book provoked such fierce backlash from Hindu nationalist groups that it was banned by a civil court and its author received death threats — making it as significant a case study in intellectual freedom as it is a work of history. This Navayana edition also includes an excerpt from Dr. B.R. Ambedkar's own 1948 writing linking beef-eating and untouchability.

Why You'll Love This Edition

• Rigorously sourced from Vedic, Buddhist, and Jaina scriptures

• Includes a bonus excerpt from B.R. Ambedkar on untouchability and beef-eating

• One of the most-debated and most-banned history books in modern India

• Compact, sharply argued, and essential for anyone studying Indian religious history

• A bold addition to Namami Prakashan's history and social-science collection

Product Specifications