Gentle Connections
Part of our journey through capturing the stories of cattle in Singapore would not be complete without also visiting a farm. Nestled within the humid wetlands of Lim Chu Kang Road, we visited Viknesh Dairy Farm with Chand, an animal lover and arts worker.
The entrance of the farm was an open space filled with sculptures and bales of hay, and we were led to the stables where about a hundred gorgeous cattle and other livestock spend their days.
As soon as we entered, Chand commented that the animals were particularly curious; the cows called out to each other and the goats became particularly playful when we were within sight. The cows are free roaming in India, but in Singapore’s farm, the cows were so curious, and perhaps wary. She speculated that they may not be used to new people being around.
Chand shares that she is no stranger to bovine kind, and says that cattle have been a big part of her life, even without realising. Her most significant memories with cows have been from the trips she took to India with her family in her youth.
“Wow there’s a lot of cow poop in the street. This can’t be a dog’s… “
Her earliest memory was encountering a street cow and asking her grandmother what animal it was. To Chand, it was interesting visiting a farm in Singapore. Even in the cities of India, the cattle roam freely the streets, even as they do belong to people as property. The cattle here are delegated far away from civilisation unlike cows that are so integrated in the cities of India.
Chand mentioned that seeing baby cows were the best part of the trip. "They’re such non threatening animals, they're rather nonchalant and docile." She shares a memory of a particularly solemn trip to Chennai and during a difficult moment, she went outside her uncle’s house which was surrounded by neighbouring farming lands and was comforted by a calf. "The calf was very cute, and its mother let me pet it". Indeed life, even for a little while, is truly enriched by these gentle creatures.
We would like to thank Chand for spending the day with us and the people who run Viknesh Dairy Farm for allowing us to visit. Viknesh Dairy Farm is currently closed to visitors due to COVID-19 precautions.