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Animal sacrifice and Gadhimai Mela
We have a weird tradition—killing animals in the name of God. I think, it is more of an excuse to eat meat than worshiping – in the time when non-vegetarian dishes weren’t so common. Isn’t it time to accept the reality that gods don’t eat meat?In the eve of notorious Gadhimai Mela, a two day religious event, to be held from November 22, the issue of animal sacrifice is raised in every parts of Nepal. The mela is held at Bariyapur VDC of Bara district, every five years. Millions of people from India and Nepal come to the place to sacrifice thousands of animals. The “Buddha Boy” Ram Bahadur Bomjan who is meditating nearby in the jungle asked the organizers and the local authorities to stop such inhuman activities.
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Thousands of buffalos waiting to be sacrificedStopping an age old tradition would certainly bring chaos. For a place like Bariyapur, the Mela is a sole identity to the outside world. The Mela also means a rare business opportunity and wide
exposure for local people. They would certainly want the event to be held and they wouldn’t see any wrong in the age old tradition in which they were brought up. Reducing the number of sacrifices would certainly pave way to a sacrifice-less Mela in future. I believe campaigns against sacrifices like teaching school children, advertising in local media, posters etc. against animal sacrifice would be more beneficial. The Buddha boy could have made a long-term plan rather than trying to stop it at once. But, in a news he was quoted as telling he will go to the mela himself to stop the sacrifice. It looks like the government is going to resist the protest by deploying 1,150 police personnel of the Nepal Police and Armed Police Force, besides other mobile teams, for the security of the pilgrims.
It is not the Buddha boy alone – many animal rights activist are campaigning against such a practice. Animal Nepal is protesting against the mela and has also created an online petition. As of writing this post, there are 3598 signatures in the petition against Nepal Government to stop the Mela. If you think the Nepal Government should act against such sacrifices please add your name in the petition.
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4 responses to “Animal sacrifice and Gadhimai Mela”
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If people stops eating meat….. the sacrifices shall stop automatically.
Sacrifice that is done in the mela is sent away as “PRASAD”. If “PRASAD” is not accepted no sacrifice is allowed to be done.
So everyone against “sacrifice culture” join in and stop eating Thulo Khasi (though momos are delicious) and even Khasi… for they are massacared in Dashai.
I never understood it. People dont eat Buffalo in terai but why do they sacrifice it?
well no question join in and stop eating meat atleas to start with khasi and Thulo Khasi!!!!!! later we shall move into chicken (they too have a very sad story to tell, sadest probably).
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Nivantha Yapa November 26th, 2009 at 00:32
What is the point in sacrificing so many innocent animals? By using the name of a “releious ritual” people make excuses to make money using these poor animals. We are talking about the land of Buddha..
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Kerstin Müller November 25th, 2009 at 18:33
Stop this unbelieveble massaker! my heart hurts so much when i know about this mela and see all the pictures and movies abt this. u get rich and lucky when u spend luck and help for others too. nobody and never u must kill an animal for become khushi. the new living buddha gave so many good inspiration for this act and all people around the world are apalled about the bloodiness in a hindu culture. i’m really sad that all people which dont know exactly about hinduculture are thinking, that all hindus make cruelty like this. but many hindus are apalles about this massacre also. bless the new buddha. bless all people which stand up against this gadhimai mela!!!
3 Trackbacks / Pingbacks
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[...] came this information age. The global village shrunk in size, people came know what Gadhimai mela exactly is, Ram Bahadur Bomjom made international headline, Khagendra Thapa Magar is featured in US [...]
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Weird and Funny World » Madan Krishna and Hari Bamsha against animal sacrifice December 10th, 2009 at 14:15
[...] issue of animal sacrifice in Gadhimai mela is getting more attention as the mela date (Nov 22) is coming closer. First, animal right groups [...]
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[...] protest from animal rights groups, artists, and spiritual leaders, Gadhimai Mela is being held ’successfully’. More than 18000 buffalos were killed on the first day. It [...]
Amit December 7th, 2009 at 06:58