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Hindu worshippers yesterday started slaughtering thousands of animals in a remote corner of Nepal to honour their goddess of power, defying protests from animal rights activists.
Sword-wielding devotees were set to turn the village of Bariyapur near the Indian border into the world's largest abattoir during the two-day festival when animals ranging from buffaloes to rats have their throats slit.
"It is very festive here, everyone is excited," said head priest Mangal Chaudhary at the slaughter site near a temple devoted to Hindu goddess Gadhimai.
"All the morning rituals have gone smoothly and now we have begun the sacrifices," he said.
Worshippers on the first day were expected to sacrifice only buffaloes, thousands of which have been coralled into holding pens in a large field, before moving on to other animals.
Sita Ram Yadav, a 55-year-old farmer who travelled for three hours to reach the village, said the atmosphere was "like a carnival" with thousands of devotees packing the area.
"I am offering a goat to Gadhimai to keep my family safe. If you believe in her, she grants your wishes," Yadav said.
Worshippers from Nepal and India have spent days sleeping out in the open and offering prayers to the goddess at a temple decked with flowers.
The festival kicked off at midnight amid tight security, with the ceremonial killing of a goat, rat, chicken, pig and a pigeon.
Some 1,200 police personnel were patrolling the village and the field where sacrifices were taking place to control crowds. Police also worked to avert possible clashes between worshippers and anti-cruelty activists.
An estimated 300,000 animals had their heads chopped off or throats slit during the last festival in 2009, making it the world's biggest sacrifice of animals at any one site.
The goat and chicken flesh is distributed to devotees and villagers, while contractors bid to buy the buffalo and animal hides.
A campaign to ban the festival has attracted support from celebrities including British actress Joanna Lumley and French movie legend Brigitte Bardot, who has petitioned Nepal's president to end the "cruel tradition".


Nepal Hindus begin traditional mass slaughter of animals

Cattle prepared for ceremonial sacrifice at Bariyapur. Photo: Xinhua

News

Asia

Hindu worshippers yesterday started slaughtering thousands of animals in a remote corner of Nepal to honour their goddess of power, defying protests from animal rights activists.
