Animals are slaughtered and sacrificed in Kathmandu for the goddess Gadhimai
Thousands of animals slaughtered at the festival of sacrifice in Nepal – The most important thing to start with:
The festival takes place every five years as a Hindu religious ceremony where tens of thousands of animals are slaughtered. Animal rights activists are campaigning for a festival without bloodshed.
For tens of thousands of Hindus, this festival is an important religious ceremony. But many outsiders see this as nothing more than terrible animal cruelty. The organizers of the festival of sacrifice are now worried about the reputation of the festival.
Wishes should be fulfilled
Tens of thousands of believers come to a temple in Nepal and witness men killing tens of thousands of animals with machetes. Buffaloes, pigs, goats and chickens are sacrificed during the two-day sacrificial festival to Gadhimai, the Hindu goddess of power. The offerings are intended to make wishes come true, such as the birth of a son or passing an exam.
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This religious ceremony has existed for centuries and is based on a legend that a prisoner dreamed that he would be freed if he made human sacrifices to the goddess Gadhimai. According to the story, he first donated his own blood, but then also donated animals. Now the festival of sacrifice takes place every five years in Bariyarpur in southern Nepal.
Animal rights activists are campaigning for an end to slaughter
There has been resistance from animal rights activists for some time.
An employee of the animal protection organization Humane Society International, Alokparna Sengupta, said: "It was very disturbing that people burst into hysterics and shouting when they saw the confused and frightened animals being slaughtered."
The festival of sacrifice is also repeatedly featured in international media reports.
This year, for the first time, journalists were not allowed into the arena where 7,000 buffalo were killed, the local newspaper Annapurna Post reported. The temple operators justify this decision by saying that the reporting would have damaged the festival's reputation.
Animal rights activists are encouraged
Recently, Nepal's Supreme Court ordered temple operators to discourage animal sacrifices. The Indian border police are supposed to stop people who bring animals across the border for the festival. Nevertheless, numerous pilgrims came again with their animals. And again tens of thousands of animals are to be slaughtered.
Ramchandra Sah Teli, the chief temple operator, told the Kathmandu Post newspaper that this tradition makes the festival so popular. He continues: “We did not ask people to send animals to slaughter.”
Animal rights activists are now full of courage and hope that the festival can be held in the future without the great bloodshed. The Indian city of Kullu is setting a good example here. Here participants donate blood instead of sacrificing animals.
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Source: rp-online.de
Article image: AnimalEquality Germany
Notes:
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