- Title: INDIA: Cow urine soft drink set to hit Indian markets
- Date: 5th March 2009
- Summary: KANPUR, INDIA (MARCH 05, 2009) (ANI) EXTERIOR OF A COWSHED COWS STANDING IN THE COWSHED A COW PASSING URINE COWS STANDING BOTTLES FILLED WITH COW URINE A MAN PREPARING A SOFT DRINK USING COW URINE A MAN FILLING A GLASS WITH THE SOFT DRINK AND DRINKING IT (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) IN CHARGE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF COW URINE SOFT DRINK, RAMANUJ MISHRA, SAYING: "This soft d
- Embargoed: 20th March 2009 09:23
- Keywords:
- Location: India
- Country: India
- Topics: Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
- Reuters ID: LVA6QW60R1HE2H80N0MKWWZAQG5
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3
- Story Text: A hardline Hindu outfit, known for its opposition to "corrupting" Western food imports, is set to launch a new soft drink made from cow's urine, often seen as sacred in parts of India.
The group behind the drink, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), or National Volunteer Corps, says the bovine beverage is undergoing laboratory tests for the next 2 to 3 months and have not given a specific date for its commercial release.
The different flavors have not yet been finalised, but manufacturers said the liquid produced by Hinduism's revered holy cows is being mixed with products such as aloe vera and gooseberry to fight diseases such as diabetes and cancer.
"This soft drink has been made from cow urine. One bottle contains around 5 to 6 millilitres of cow urine. We have used other useful herbs also.
This soft drink not only has cooling properties, but also cures various other diseases," said Ramanuj Mishra who is in charge of research and development of the cow urine soft drink.
Many Hindus consider cow urine to have medicinal properties and it is often drunk in religious festivals.
The RSS, which aims to transform India's secular society and establish the supremacy of a Hindu majority, said it had not decided on a name or a price for the drink.
Purushottam, an officer in charge of the soft drink manufacturing unit in Kanpur said the product will be sold nationwide and that it will beat other soft drinks like Pepsi and Coke.
"We are sure that this will sell like hot cakes. This soft drink is beneficial for everybody. The MNCs that are selling various soft drinks caution customers about various ingredients. But our soft drinks has only benefits to offer and we are sure people will buy it," said Purushottam.
Many Hindu groups feel that foreign imports such as Pepsi and Coca Cola have a corrupting influence and see their products as a tool of Western imperialism. - Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
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