Photographer shoots women wearing cow masks in public places, says cows are more than women in India

A series of images, featuring women in cow masks have started going viral. These images have been shot as part of a campaign by Sujatro Ghosh, a Delhi-based photographer, who believes that Indian society values cows more than women.

• A woman sits on a classroom bench in Kolkata writing on a sheet of paper
• A middle-aged woman with a bag full of purchases stands next to a butcher’s shop
• A young woman poses in front of India Gate in New Delhi

They are all women but what is weird about the photographs is that they all are wearing cow masks.

The question being asked is whether women’s safety in India is secondary to topics like cow vigilantism, lynching and people’s eating habits?

“We are living at a time when cows are protected but women are not. Issues pertaining to women’s rights are suppressed while everyone is focussing on political concerns. What’s happening to our country?” questions Ghosh.

Holy Animal meets the Holy River Calcutta'17 It's been a rollercoaster ride with this project of mine and it's been appreciated in almost all the platforms in the country. Thank you so much for everything the cow will keep travelling 🎭 If you're interested in it – @catch.news http://www.catchnews.com/national-news/cows-over-women-a-unique-photo-series-protesting-india-s-misplaced-priorities-66021.html @times_of_india https://www.facebook.com/TimesofIndia/posts/10155503200257139 @timesnow http://www.timesnow.tv/the-buzz/article/whats-trending-in-town-gai-mask-the-new-moral-safety-helmet/63420 @wionews https://www.facebook.com/WIONews/videos/671912879686017/ Read the whole story here : http://www.wionews.com/life-fun/if-the-cow-is-our-mother-then-so-is-a-woman-16903 InUth http://www.inuth.com/trends/social-virals/this-photo-series-has-women-in-cow-masks-since-cows-are-greater-than-women/ Ebela https://ebela.in/national/kolkata-guy-protested-against-misplaced-priorities-of-india-using-a-photo-series-dgtl-1.630782?ref=national-ft-stry%3Futm_source%3Dfacebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=fb_mab The Quint https://www.thequint.com/india/2017/06/20/sujatro-ghosh-photo-series-cows-masks-women-safety @indiatimesinsta http://www.indiatimes.com/news/india/23-yo-artist-uses-a-cow-mask-to-point-out-the-flaws-in-our-society-this-is-why-it-s-brilliant-324167.html The Indian Express (Web) http://indianexpress.com/photos/lifestyle-gallery/photographer-sujatro-ghosh-images-of-women-wearing-cow-mask-protests-indias-misplaced-priorities-4714059/ @buzzfeedindia https://www.buzzfeed.com/soniathomas/women-wore-cow-masks-to-question-if-cows-are-safer-than?bffbindia&utm_term=4ldqpgp#4ldqpgp @allindiabakchod https://www.facebook.com/IndiaBakchod/posts/1492152207495435:0 Indian Express (Print) http://epaper.indianexpress.com/m/1254019/Indian-Express/June-22,-2017#issue/25/1 and many more 🚣🏼‍♀️🎗🏆 I will be photographing women from different parts of the society. I would be more than happy if you reach out to me and want to get photographed or maybe join this form of protest. #RisingBeyondJingoism #misplacedpriorities #cow #protest #women

A post shared by Sujatro Ghosh (@sujatroghosh) on Jun 22, 2017 at 8:33am PDT

My art comes as a form of protest. In my country Cows are more important than a woman's life with more security. (Reference: Majority of Hindus believe cow as their holy animal and they worship it though Majority of Muslims consume it as a part of their daily meal.) The debate is never ending "Whether to consume or worship it" but gaining political benefits out of it is wrong. Why not let the people decide what they want to consume. I will be photographing women from different parts of the society. I would be more than happy if you reach out to me and want to get photographed or maybe join this form of protest. Nicole says : "At least if I walk down the streets in a cow mask, my chances of being harassed will probably be slim. No one wants to harass anyone who looks like a deity or a representative of a deity." #RisingBeyondJingoism #classroom #cow #women #protest #womenpower #politics #indiarising #studying #live #animals @instagram #love #laugh #art #standup #everydayeverywhere #indiaphotoproject #everydayindia #womenphotographers #myfeatureshoot

A post shared by Sujatro Ghosh (@sujatroghosh) on Jun 16, 2017 at 8:57am PDT

My art comes as a form of protest. In my country Cows are more important than a woman's life with more security. (Reference: Majority of Hindus believe cow as their holy animal and they worship it though Majority of Muslims consume it as a part of their daily meal.) The debate is never ending "Whether to consume or worship it" but gaining political benefits out of it is wrong. Why not let the people decide what they want to consume. I will be photographing women from different parts of the society. I would be more than happy if you reach out to me and want to get photographed or maybe join this form of protest. #RisingBeyondJingoism #travel #cow #women #protest #womenpower #trains #indiarising #workingwomen #live #animals @instagram #love #laugh #mortality #standup #everydayeverywhere #indiaphotoproject #everydayindia #womenphotographers #myfeatureshoot

A post shared by Sujatro Ghosh (@sujatroghosh) on Jun 14, 2017 at 8:31am PDT

The politically explosive question asked in the campaign has earned the photographer the ire of Hindu nationalist trolls. However, women from all over the world are reaching out and wish to be a part of the campaign.

Ghosh has funded the project from his own pocket but is now contemplating crowdfunding his journeys. As of now, Ghosh has shot in hometown Kolkata and Delhi, but now plans to shoot in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kerala, and North Eastern states.