God created this universe with different life forms and with the intention that they become complementary to each other and live in perfect harmony with nature. Our ancient sages and saints defined the inter-relationship between these life forms and also devised various structures - social, economic and religious wherein all the life forms were fitted conveniently. Detailed code of conduct, ethics, laws, rules etc. were laid down for two major life forms i.e. human beings and animals. The system of agriculture and vocations dependent on agriculture were devised,,for living with minimum himsa and minimum exploitation of natural resources.

The animals provided milk for human beings and draught services in the fields and in the transportation sector; and in return the human beings took care of such animals throughout their life. The inter-dependence was so intimate that animals, particularly cattle, were almost like family members of human beings. Cattle rearing developed as an independent vocation and cattle breeders used to have hundreds of animals in their herds. These animals were taken care of throughout their life span by the cattle breeders or by the farmers and other villagers who owned them.

In the last 150 to 200 years, particularly with the advent of industrial revolution in the West and floating of the concept of 'development', each activity, each idea and each relationship was commercialised. Milk and milch animals which were never a commodity and hence never sold and purchased, became dairy animals and a saleable commodity. With commercialisation, the concept of economic viability crept in and the animals started being branded as 'useful' animals and 'useless' animals. The so-called useless animals, either as a result of their age or becoming sick, were discarded by their owners and driven away. Sometimes due to draught and famine the; owners were unable to maintain their animals and hence drove them away.

The Indian society, where the principle of 'ahimsa' and compassion is supreme and where the Mahajans were in control of all the spheres, took this problem to their heart and they devised a system for maintaining such animals by establishing what are known today as panjrapoles. Initially these institutions were called Panglapole i.e. a shelter for pangla or disabled cattle. Due care was taken of such disabled cattle till their natural death. In course of time, even other animals started coming to such shelters where they were kept in cages i.e. panjra and hence the name panglapole got converted into panjrapole.

[This was a very unfortunate development and has found its parallel in the human society in the form of Vriddhashram or house for the aged. Any way, that is an altogether different subject and a sorry reflection of the degradation of our society.]

With growing commercialisation and mechanisation in all fields more and more animals have started becoming redundant and find their way to the panjrapoles, if they escape the journey to slaughter houses. The Mahajans of the Society run such Panjrapoles with great sacrifice on their part and the donors and philanthropists in the society donate huge sums for such panjrapoles. However, it is necessary that these panjrapoles becomes self-sufficient instead of being a burden on the society and hence all efforts need to be made in its efficient management and organisation. The present Project Report indicates how Panjrapoles can attempt to become self-sufficient with help from mother nature.

IF YOU WISH TO IMPLEMENT THIS SYSTEM OR IF YOU ARE CURIOUS AND WISH TO SEE MODEL PANJRAPOLES FIRST; THEN, THE FOLLOWING PANJRAPOLES IN GUJRAT WOULD GIVE YOU GOOD INSIGHT.

JALARAM GOSEVA KENDRA : BHABHOR
VADHAWAN PANJRAPOLE : AT POST VADHWAN, DIST. SURENDRANAGAR.
RAJPUR PANJRAPOLE : AT POST RAJPUR DEESA, DIST. BANASKANTHA.