A booze loving 'bakra' who relishes goat-meat

Varanasi, June 10 (UNI) Gone are the days when the truly herbivore goats lived only by feeding on green and dry grass.

Ten-year-old Baiju Bawra -- a male goat -- the darling of the boatmen community in the Rajghat area here does not love green or dry grass, but relishes roasted fish and chicken, besides mutton With equal elan, the goat guzzles bottles of chilled beer and liquor ranging from toddy and countrymade brands to the big IMFL brands.

The starch white male goat sporting a wispy beard romances with female goats only after being served at least a bottle of liquor, claimed one of the residents of the area Ramesh Manjhi.

''It even accompanies us to game of cards on the banks of the Ganga river, only out of the desire to at least get a glassful of liquor,'' said Ramesh Manjhi, a friend of the boatman who owns the one-of-its-kind 'bakra.' The unique 'bakra' was brought by some devotees as 'daan' (donation) for the sacred Ganga river as part of a religious ritual eight years ago, but the boatmen present near Rajghat brought the animal home and domesticated it.

Gradually, the 'bakra' adopted into the lifestyle prevalent among the boatmen of the area and especially developed a penchant for drinking liquor. Later, the grass grazing animal became a carnivore just like his owner.

Such is his penchant for non-veg food that if there is a party in the area and the got is not invited, it tries to forcefully snatch the food, especially roasted fish and mutton with the power of its sharp horns, claimed Prahlad Sahni a another resident of Rajghat.

''A bout of mutton coupled with liquor is followed by inebriated Baiju Bawra's trademark wrestling with its owner and his friends as was visible at the Rajghat today,'' he added.

UNI