How do western people perceive Indians worshipping cows in Hindu temples?

Added: I'd say that a reasonable answer is "Find somewhere that what you want to see is being done and turn up". People will be happy to tell you how t find what you want and, as commented on in more detail below, I was able to observe and photograph a range of Indian religious activities with no objections from people concerned. As ever, YMMV :-) *

The following is my original answer. A bit of looking around the web shows that my 3 weeks in India produced a less than complete understanding of Cow worship - not surprising, but some added comment should be useful.

All the things I said about what I saw and how people treat use use cows in India are unchanged. However, it is vey clear that Cows are worshipped, are considered holy, the abode of numerous Gods and the manifestation of the goddess Lakshmi.

While I'm sure there are places that a "westerner" in tourist mode would be unwelcome in holy places in India, I found that I was almost universally welcome - at worst my presence was at least accepted. Taking photos did not seem to be a problem - my (ever present) the camera was usually ignored. At the end of this post I've included links to some videos & other material related to cow worship and

Original:

I'm an 'old Christian white man' with 3 weeks total time in India - so my perspective is not an 'Indian' one. But/and I aim to try to reach outside the standard tourist mindset and viewpoint. I succeed variably. I've also spent the better part of a year in other Asian countries (not up to HippieTrail's record, alas) so have some feel for other cultures. Some.

Matthew's answer has some merit BUT I'd strongly disagree with the suggestion that "Wikipedia says it best."

I'd suggest that their answer 'dumbs down' the issue and relationship excessively - as it would be easy to assume that eg dogs or goats would be regarded in a similar manner.

In India Cows are everywhere. Almost literally. On any street. Sitting on footpaths or wandering along roadsides. You can see them 'being worshipped' by simply watching people interact with them. Cows are largely just ignored. But someone may 'randomly' walk up to one and give it a bucket of water to drink. Or a bundle of hay. And a 'genuine' Hindu would not contemplate eating one.

Responding to MH's comment on my comment. I agree that 'dumbed down' has its place here - my argument is with Wikipedia - not MH.

In India dogs, cows and goats often run free on the streets. Dogs are largely completely ignored and seem to do well enough - but no Hindu would dream of suggesting a dog was sacred. Similarly goats. And no Hindu would disagree with the suggestion, properly translated culturally, that a cow was sacred.
Yet I saw cows free to wander, and tied up.
I saw them free to eat and sleep as they wished - and also saw them in harness pulling carts. I saw (and smelt) them corralled en masse in a dairy 'farm' - directly next to my Mumbai hotel.
In public on several occasions cows struck solidly and repeatedly with some sort of stick (possibly plastic, no guarantee) in order to get them to move - and nobody intervened or remonstrated with the assailant. I considered doing so in some 'appropriate manner' (but didn't). If that was done as severely in public in my country (New Zealand) you'd probably end up in court. Yet they are definitely "set apart".

The universal Indian "Namaste" greeting translates as ~~ 'The spirit within me recognises and acknowledges the spirit that is within you'. While the greeting is so common as to be formulaic that meaning is not lost to those who use it. I never saw anyone 'Namaste' a cow. I would not have been surprised if I had.

In non-Hindu Xinjiang in the far North West of China, in a Uighur village, I met a horse that was skin and bones, standing in the shafts of a water cart. Pulling several 100's of kg of water up the access road day after day would not have been easy. A real warrior. It looked at me. My heart went out to it. I bowed ever so slightly and nodded my head to it - an acknowledgement of its bravery and worth. The lady I was with, a westerner but well steeped in the culture, remonstrated with me surprisingly (to me) sharply. She said that if people saw me acknowledging a horse, in that manner in a way which would have shown respect if used towards other people, that they would be offended. I was suitably unimpressed. I suspect nobody would have been offended if I had 'Namaste'd' a cow in India.

GOMATHA - Mother Cow:

Video Gho Pooja, Cow Puja, Gomatha,Goddess Kamadhenu - " ... Gho Pooja means worship of the cow."Gho" means cow in Sanskrit.Around 36 divine beings have taken abode in the body of a cow ..."

Video Radha Krishna mantras for Gomatha and Kamadhenu at Parashakthi Temple

Gomatha - the sacred cow

• We find the significance, merit and method of cow worship mentioned several times in the vast sacred, ancient literature of mankind - the Vedas and Puranas (mythology)
  If one worships the cow, the departed souls of his ancestors are liberated.
  Also, one is blessed with peace and plenty both in material and spiritual aspects of life by this worship.
  He becomes wealthy.
  He gets the Knowledge of Self.
  He gets the punya (merit) of bath in all sacred waters and of visit to all sacred shrines.
  One must get up in dawn, bathe and start cow worship.
  Abhiseka ( pouring of water) must be done on the horns of the cow.
  Drops of such holy water from the horns must be sprinkled on one's head.
  This pious practice gives punya (merit) equivalent to the bath in all holy water of the world.
  The darsana (vision) of the cow‘s back, relieves one of all sins. It brings about immense welfare.

** Vande Gomatharam** - National conference on glory of Gomatha 2007

Gomatha Seva - cow rescue

The story of Gomatha

Picture for sale - accompanying text says:

Search on Go Matha much of relevance.

Images. Wow

*-YMMV: Your mileage may vary.