In Tamil Nadu Mattu Pongal is celebrated on the day after Pongal. On Mattu Pongal day reverential worship is offered to the beast of burden respecting the teaching of Hindu scriptures that the Supreme Being lives in the Heart of every living being.

Modern man may question the truth of such teachings like Hiryankashipu of yore but in the ennobling presence of Sri Ramana Maharshi meanest of creatures felt their self-worth and stood tall as a representative of the Supreme Being blessed with that name and form. One example is cow Lakshmi whose majesty and sagacity put to shame ignorant human beings.

We read the following in the book of Cow Lakshmi by Sri Devaraja Mudaliar

“On June 17th 1948 Lakshmi fell ill and on the morning of the 18th it seemed that her end was near. At about 10 o’clock in the morning Sri Bhagavan went to her. He caressed her and said, “Amma, do you want me to be near you now?” He looked into her eyes and placed his hand on her head as though giving diksha. He put his hand over her heart also and then caressed her, placing his cheek against her face. When he had convinced himself that her heart was pure, free from all vasanas entailing rebirth and centred solely on Bhagavan, he took leave of her and returned to the hall.

Close disciples of Sri Bhagavan have no doubt at all that he gave Moksha, Deliverance, to her as he did to his mother.