The Gadhimai festival, the
world's largest animal sacrifice event began on Tuesday morning in Nepal,
despite fierce objections from animal rights groups. The Gadhimai festival
- a two day event - began with the killing of a goat, a rat, a pig and a pigeon
by a priest, who also drew blood from five points of his body. This was
followed by the descent of 200 butchers wielding carved kukri knives into the
temple arena - a walled arena bigger than a football field - ready to behead an
estimated 3,500 buffalo. Excited devotees climbed trees to watch the
bloodbath.
This
religious event has been held every five years for the last 260 years, in
Bariyarpur village, Nepal. In 2009, at the height of the festival, an estimated 500,000
buffalo, goats, pigeons, pigs and other animals were slaughtered, according to
Humane Society International. The said NGO reports the number dropped to about
30,000 in 2014. In 2015, Gadhimai Temple Trust - the festival
organizers - announced there would be no more slaughtering but the animal
sacrifices are underway this year, regardless.
The belief is
that these sacrifices encourage the Hindu goddess of power, Gadhimai, to
grant their wishes.
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