BHU students learn how to make cow dung cakes, video goes viral

Varanasi (UP), Feb 7: The prestigious Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in Varanasi, the Lok Sabha constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, recently organised a workshop in which the dean of the social science faculty Prof Kaushal Kishore Mishra taught the students how to make 'upala' (cow dung cakes).

A video that went viral on social media, showed Prof Mishra imparting training to the students in making dung cakes. Mishra could be seen surrounded by some students, who could also be seen making dung cakes. The BHU also later tweeted that a workshop was held at the Integrated Village Development Centre of the University where the students were imparted training in making cow dung cakes.

Prof Mishra said that these dung cakes could be used for performing 'havan' (a ritual by fire), puja and also as a fuel for preparing food. He also urged the central government to make arrangements for selling products that could be prepared from cow dung. "It will help in increasing the income of the farmers," he said and added that students would be visiting the villages and training the people there in making cow dung cakes.

However, the video has drawn flak from various people who have taken to the Internet to slam the university for organising such a workshop. "Universities should be places for higher learning and the students go there to acquire specialised knowledge and not to and not to learn how to make cow dung cakes," said a netizen.

Another user said that such training could be very easily imparted by the women in the villages and that there was no need to have highly paid professors for this kind of work. 'Upala' or cow dung cakes are traditionally made by women in villages and used as fuel. They are now being sold at a premium on e-commerce websites too.