最初、方暁「印度発明牛尿飲料PK可口可楽」(『東方早報』2009年2月13日)という記事で知ったのだが。
『東方早報』の記事では、Cow Waterを開発したRashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)を「国家衛隊」と訳している。
RSS comes up with cow water alternative to Coca Cola and PepsiLondon, Feb.12: India’s right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has claimed that it has developed Gau Jal or Cow Water at its research centre in Haridwar, and hopes it will be marketed as a 'healthy' alternative to Coke and Pepsi.
Hindus worship cows for their life-sustaining dairy products, but many also consume bovine urine and faeces in drinks and spice mixes for their "health-giving" properties.
In some Indian states, cow dung and urine are sold in regular dairy shops alongside milk and yogurt, and "ayurvedic" Indian health food companies make porridge, toothpaste and tonic drinks which claim to cure ailments ranging from liver complaints to diabetes and cancer.
The urine is also believed to have disinfectant properties while the dung is used in many Indian village huts as a clean and antiseptic flooring.
According to The Telegraph, the RSS's Cow Protection Department has invented the new urine-based soft drink it hopes will promote its health-giving properties to a wider market.
"We refer to gau ark (cow urine) as gau jal (cow water) as it has immense potential to cure various diseases. We have developed a soft drink formula with gau jal as the base and it has been sent to a laboratory at Lucknow for testing," said director Om Prakash.
His team is now focusing on packaging, marketing, and of course preservation to stop its curative drink from going whiffy in the summer heat.
"It will be a revolution of sorts. The acceptance of cow urine as a potent medicine is increasing day by day and once it comes as a cold drink, its demand will definitely increase. It will prove and justify the high stature accorded to a cow in Indian culture." he added.
- ANI
See also http://d.hatena.ne.jp/sumita-m/20080909/1220932179 http://d.hatena.ne.jp/sumita-m/20090215/1234634437