In a significant find at the Indus Valley site of Rakhigarhi, excavators have found terracotta bull figurines featuring remnants of bright red and yellow pigments on their horns. These artifacts were found in a communal courtyard, suggesting they were used in an early Harappan prototype of the modern 'Pushkar' or 'Pongal' cattle festivals.
The presence of these painted figurines indicates that the ritual decoration of livestock has been a central feature of South Asian agricultural celebrations for over 4,000 years. The study suggests that these festivals were not only religious but served as critical markets for the exchange of elite breeding stock across the Indus region.