Dolma and Neeli: a relationship of love

Dolma was not able to see Neeli in pain. Neeli was her cow whom she had reared from calfhood. She had enjoyed every moment she had put in to bring her up. Now Neeli was 3 years old and was pregnant for the first time. Nine months of her gestation had passed uneventfully but today Neeli was showing too much of the pain. She was lying down again and kicking at her belly. Dolma was waiting for her husband, Chhering to come back home so that some veterinary medical help could be sought for this speechless companion of hers.

Dolma brought some decoction of mint and onion for Neeli and drenched it to her as was advised by an old lady in her neighbourhood. But another hour passed and there was no relief. Soon she noticed a lot of fluid falling out on the ground from Neeli's back. She was trying to make out whether it was urine or something else, in the meantime some membrane like things began hanging out. Neeli was still in pain. Withing few minutes she could see a hoof peeping out.

Now Dolma was happy that Neeli had begun to deliever and she will be relieved of all the labour soon. She hurriedly walked into her room and brought a clean old towel with her to clean Neeli's calf that would soon be born. But to her suprise two hours passed but Neeli's labour was not over, it was still showing pain and stress. The calf couldn't come out.

Chhering was back home by now and it was already 7:00 pm so was worried to find the veterinary help in off time. He knew a veterinary pharmacist in the adjoining village so rushed to him for the help. Another hour passed with more stress and now Neeli had fallen down on the ground looking exhausted. Dolma was continuously praying for her cow' well being.

The horn of a car outside the Neeli's shed brought some hope to Dolma. The pharmacist had come with some lubricating ointment and pieces of ropes. He gave some injections to Neeli and then put on the gloves on his hands and arms. Lubricated the sleeved and gloved arms and hands with ointment he tried to pull the limb peeping out. Soon another limb came out. He tried to pull the foetus  out with both his arms but couldn't be successfu. Then he snared both of the limbs and handed these snares to Chherring. He sent Dolma to bring some help from neighbour hood. Dolma was back with two men from the village.

Now the pharmacist put his both hands perhaps inside Neeli's womb and asked Chhering and another boy to pull out the foetus with snares. Within few minutes a big dead calf was lying outside Neeli's body and Neeli was feeling relieved. For Dolma, these hours of Neeli's pain were the moments of extreme agony and now she was thankful to God, the veterinary man and her neighbours for timely help.

Dolma could well imagine the days after this incidence when in olden times women used to die of difficult labour because of the unavailabilty of medical help.