Mass Animal Sacrifice Begins in Nepal

(AP)  The ceremony began with prayers in a temple by tens of thousands of Hindus before dawn Tuesday. Then it shifted to a nearby corral, where in the cold morning mist, scores of butchers wielding curved swords began slaughtering buffalo calves by hacking off their heads.

Over two days, 200,000 buffaloes, goats, chickens and pigeons will be killed as part of a blood-soaked festival held every five years to honour Gadhimai, a Hindu goddess of power.

While cows are sacred and protected by law in Nepal, animal sacrifice has a long history in this overwhelmingly Hindu country and parts of neighbouring India. The Bariyapur festival has become so big, in part, because such ceremonies have been banned in many areas in the neighboring Indian state of Bihar.

And while it is criticized by animal-rights protesters, the festival is defended as a centuries-old tradition.

Many Nepalis believe that sacrifices in Gadhimai's honour will bring them prosperity. They also believe that by eating the meat, which is taken back to their villages and consumed during feasts, they will be protected from evil.

Taranath Gautam, the top government official in the area, estimated that more than 200,000 people had come for the ceremony in Bariyapur, some 60 miles from Kathmandu. Some brought their own animals to sacrifice.

"I am here with my mother who had promised the goddess she would sacrifice a goat. It was her wish and promise, and I am glad we were able to fulfill it," said Pramod Das, a farmer from the nearby village of Sarlahi. "I believe now my mother's wishes will come true."

Animal rights groups don't have much power in Nepal, but they have staged repeated protests in recent weeks. Local news reports say some activists set up stands in towns on the way to the Bariyapur temple, offering Hindu pilgrims coconuts and other fruits to sacrifice instead of animals.

There was no sign of them Tuesday.

"We were unable to stop the animal sacrifices this year, but we will continue our campaign to stop killings during this festival," said Pramada Shah of the group Animals Nepal.

The ceremony, which goes back for generations, has enormous resonance in a country where per capital income is about $25 a month, illiteracy is widespread and vast social divides have left millions working as tenant farmers for feudal landlords.

Even many educated Nepalis see value in the tradition.

Om Prasad, a banker from the nearby city of Birgunj, brought offerings of fruit and flowers to the festival, but said he believed people should be able to sacrifice animals if they want.

"It is their tradition, and it is fine if they continue to follow it. No one should try to tell them they can't follow what their ancestors did," he said.

Experts say it will take many more years before there are changes in these deeply rooted traditions.

"They continue these animal sacrifice rituals because they believe it is a tradition that can't be broken," said Ram Bahadur Chetri, an anthropology professor at Kathmandu's Tribhuwan University. "The people who follow these traditions believe that if they discontinue, then the gods will get angry and there could be catastrophe in the country."

Buffaloes, goats, chicken and ducks are sacrificed at most Hindu homes in Nepal during the Dasain festivals, which fell in September this year.

[buddesatva]

Well do they get to eat the animals 'sacrificed' or is it just the pure ugly fun of killing stuff?

[lioness41]

erasmus111:

>>> It's hard to believe that in the year 2009, that there are still such barbarians in the world. You can't tell me that with all these whackos going nuts with their swords that some of these animals aren't suffering. Some are probably not dying right away. <<<

And with all the "whackos" in the meat industry wielding their hammers you can bet that some of the animals are suffering and not dying right away.

The people in this country (most of them) eat meat, so do the people there. The animals have to die for that to be possible, and realistically it doesn't matter one bit whether the meat is dedicated to a goddess first or not. As long as it is being eaten they have every right. I'd have more trouble with it if they were wasting it.

I eat so little beef that I don't have much taste for it anymore, but that is not about morals as far as I am concerned. I intend to enjoy my Thanksgiving turkey tomorrow with creamed onions, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, and pie, and without a speck of remorse. You should too.

[erasmus111]

It's hard to believe that in the year 2009, that there are still such barbarians in the world.

You can't tell me that with all these whackos going nuts with their swords that some of these animals aren't suffering. Some are probably not dying right away.

[blueblueiis]

I agree. You are right. It's hard to believe today in 2009 people are doing this. It is wrong, pure and simple!

[biger-e]

Any one of those animals would eat you if they could with no remorse or compassion. they do not have the cognitive ability for that kind of thought. nor the "No! No! I want to live! Why?? you cried." type of thought that blue refers to. The death that most animals face in nature is far more violent and grotesque that what slaughter or hunters do. and to the veggies, realize that the advanced brain function that humans have (which allow you to feel your compassion)is in large part a result of the protiens ingested from millions of years of eating meat not salads. Thank the meat.

I love cats but I can't eat a whole one by myself ;-)

[hungry1968-17]

"The ceremony, which goes back for generations, has enormous resonance in a country where per capital income is about $25 a month, illiteracy is widespread and vast social divides have left millions working as tenant farmers for feudal landlords."







Sounds like Alabama or Mississippi.

[endurorob_5]

Not sure if that was an attempt at humor or your bigotry showing through.

[TheEnergyDoctor]

Perhaps its a good idea to have such a ceremony
with those convicted terrorists. Put big t-shirts
on them labelled "ANIMAL" then let the New Yorkers
loose with machetes(and oozies) to mow them down.

In this case it would be poetic justice.
i.e. the poor creatures slaughtering the Butchers.

[erb0087]

Shortstop Derek Jeter of the Yankees has been known to sacrifice flies during baseball games to ensure a successful outcome.

Why hasn't PETA gotten on his case about it ?

[endurorob_5]

PETA? Oh, People for the Eating of tasty Animals.

[erb0087]

"I am here with my mother who had promised the goddess she would sacrifice a goat."

Are you sure she wasn't referring to your father, sir ?

[endurorob_5]

So what. The animals are not tortured and the meat is eaten. Who cares if it is done cerimonally?

[erb0087]

"Many Nepalis believe that sacrifices in Gadhimai's honour will bring them prosperity."

========================================

One finds the most enlightened animal-protection and anti-cruelty laws in the Scandinavian countries. (Although the Norwegians might accidentally kill a whale now and then.)

One finds the world's highest standards of living for human beings, in the Scandinavian countries as well.

Put two and two together, people of Nepal.