When the high priest of Gadimi raised the traditional kukuri knife and chopped off the heads of the five animals in front of him, blood seeped across the dry, dusty ground, triggering a riot on a foggy Sunday morning. Crazy killing.
Hundreds of butchers soon slashed the necks of the agitated, sobbing animals – from rats and pigeons to goats and buffaloes – with blunt metal swords in a religious ceremony watched by adults and children alike. Soon after, red rivers flowed through the grounds of a Hindu temple and the heads of the creatures were carted away in bags of ten.
The small town of Bariyarpur, 10 miles north of Nepal’s border with India, celebrates Gadhimai, known as “the bloodiest festival in the world,” on Sunday and Monday. It is estimated that more than 200,000 animals were slaughtered.
The puja is held every five years and is the culmination of a month-long celebration to honor the Hindu goddess Gadhimai in exchange for prosperity.
“This temple is considered the largest site of animal sacrifice in the world… [and] I am the eleventh generation to continue this tradition,” chief priest Shiva Chaudhari told The Telegraph. “This is a matter of our tradition and culture and everyone should respect it. There is no question of stopping it.
Devotees consider this ritual an untouchable cornerstone of their religion – Arkaprava Bhar
But believers consider the ritual an untouchable cornerstone of their religion, while animal welfare campaigners at home and abroad have condemned it as cruel and unnecessary, including French actress Brigitte Bardot and the British Actor Joanna Lumley, the confrontation between the two is intensifying.
“As animal rights activists, we know that there are several other industries, such as the meat industry, where animals are killed every day,” said Arkaprava Bhar, senior manager, campaigns, Humane Society International (HSI) India. Slaughtered and killed.
“The point is, the level of cruelty is on a completely different level…I can’t imagine anything else that could rival the level of cruelty of this particular holiday.
The festival dates back over 250 years ago, when the temple’s founder dreamed that goddess Gadhimai wanted blood in exchange for freeing him from prison, protecting him from evil and ensuring prosperity. After successfully convincing the gods to accept animals instead of humans, he initiated a ritual that he repeated every five years thereafter.
Animal activists save animals about to be sacrificed – PRABIN RANABHAT
At its peak, devotees estimated that around 2.5 million animals were slaughtered as people traveled from across India and Nepal to attend. But criticism has surged over the past decade and a series of court orders have eased the proceedings.
In 2014, India’s Supreme Court directed the government to stop the illegal transport of animals across the porous border with Nepal for festival use. Five years later, Nepal’s Supreme Court ordered a halt to the rituals and urged authorities to phase out the practice around the world.
Activists have also launched a door-to-door campaign urging people to stop drinking, while border police and NGOs have worked together to try to confiscate animals being transported from India to Nepal for the event – HSI said it had helped rescue a baby raised last week brought more than 700 buffaloes, goats, pigeons and chickens.
“If people kill people in the meat industry, it’s for a reason: to consume it,” Mr. Barr said. “It’s completely different because there are standards and you have to follow certain rules. You don’t have those here. And there’s zero hygiene, so health-wise it’s very, very bad as well.
“But thankfully most of the younger generation are better educated… and aware of these things. Everyone I’ve met is in favor of stopping this practice.
Confiscated animals rescued and relocated to safe shelter – PRABIN RANABHAT
Others, however, lament that the government is obfuscating and trying to restrict photography rather than end this sacrifice.
“But the government is blatantly ignoring the Supreme Court order,” said Sneha Shrestha, president of the Nepal Animal Welfare Federation. “Not only is there a lack of support, but the government is actually uncooperative… [and] Top government officials in Nepal are still sending animals for sacrifice.
Activists also claim that the temple wants to continue the ritual because it makes money.
HSI India director Alokparna Sengupta said in a statement that it costs 500 Nepalese rupees (£3) to slaughter a buffalo and the temple makes money by auctioning the animal’s meat and skin.
“It is shameful that the Gadhimai Temple Committee exploits the hopes, fears and frustrations of poor people for its own benefit,” he said.
Animal activists assist law enforcement in checking border vehicles for illegal transport of animals for sacrifice – Arkaprava Bhar
However, it seems unlikely that the sacrifices will end any time soon, as fervent believers consider them an important part of their faith.
“People from India arrived a month in advance to live in the villages. They brought their tents and settled in nearby villages,” said Lalbabu Thakur, who lives in the nearby village of Majhadiya. . He added that the entire region was preparing for Sunday’s sacrifice – there were 15,000 animals in his village alone.
“People believe that by making sacrifices, our wishes or wishes will come true,” Mr Thakur told The Telegraph. “After visiting Gadhimai, people feel that their vows have been fulfilled and their wishes have been fulfilled.” It’s realized. That’s why this tradition has lasted so long. It’s something that can’t be described in ordinary words.
Gadhimai Mayor Shyam Prasad Yadav added: “The issue of animal sacrifice is about people’s beliefs and beliefs… even though animal rights activists have raised questions and suggested curtailing the practice , but it seems unlikely to happen in the near future.
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