How sacred is sacred?

The following picture which appeared in today's Evening Standard shows Hindu priests throwing offerings of clarified butter onto a scared fire to invole the permission of mother earth to build a cow protection centre near Watford.

The "bhumi puja" ceremony marks the start of work to create a home for cattle who would otherwise be slaughtered as they are sacred to the Hindu religion.


Fair enough I say, if you want to make the cow sacred, as long as I don't have to, then go ahead.

However, if you look closely in the picture it appears as though the priest has set fire to the head of one of the women.

What's the score here? With no beef to put on the bar-b-que, you pan fry the guests?