Many religions have considered cattle to be sacred, most famously Hinduism from India and Nepal, but also Zoroastrianism, and ancient Greek and Egyptian religion. The killing of a cow is considered a great sin and Hindus are prohibited from eating beef. Although the name Hinduism is relatively new, having been coined by British writers in the first decades of the 19th century, it refers to a … Hinduism is the only religion in which various animals are closely Hindus regard all living creatures as sacred: mammals, fishes, birds, and. Animals have been traditionally considered sacred in Hindu culture, The symbolic significance of animals in India are as vehicles of god or deities themselves. Cattle and buffalo are respected by many pastoral peoples that rely on the animals for sustenance and the killing of an ox is a sacrificial function ( Thomas 1911 , p. 51). Sacred Animals of India by Nanditha Krishna. The Hindu diet is largely vegetarian, but differing views on eating meat exist within the religion. The cow is the most sacred animal for Hindus. Animals in Hinduism Hinduism contains a wide diversity of traditions, making it difficult to speak of a single religion common to all Hindus; nevertheless, there are many unique conceptions of animals in Hinduism, ranging from animal gods to Sacred Cows and to the system of Reincarnation. In various religions, animals are worshiped either in the form of deities or symbols, and are given high reverence in their societies. Hinduism, major world religion originating on the Indian subcontinent and comprising several and varied systems of philosophy, belief, and ritual. There are many sub-traditions within Hinduism, but there are two beliefs about humans which seem to dominate the religion’s view of animals.
Hindus, however, are vegetarians and they consider the cow to be a sacred symbol of life that should be protected and revered. This SpiritualRay article speaks about the most worshiped animals around the world, in various cultures.

Hinduism is a compassionate religion and treats all living beings from animals down to insects and tiny creatures with great respect as aspects of God, having souls of their own, going through the same process of births and deaths as human beings. Hinduism projects nature as a manifestation of the almighty and that He permeates all beings equally. Animal gods Many Hindu gods are represented as animals. Refraining from eating beef is a general rule, as the cow is considered a sacred animal—so much so that killing cows is illegal in India. If a Hindu kills a cat, he has to go to Kashi and donate a small cat made up of gold.
It is the living incarnation of one of their most important gods: Ganesh, an elephant-headed deity who rides atop a tiny mouse.

Elephants are sacred animals to Hindus. The doctrine of ahimsa leads Hindus to treat animals well: A white cow relaxing in the shade of a red wall Sacred cows are allowed to wander.