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 Nepal's Gadhimai Mela: Atrocity?
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Posted on 11-26-09 5:51 AM     Reply [Subscribe]
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POV: Nepal's Gadhimai Mela: Atrocity?





Photo © Gemunu Amarasinghe/AP/Courtesy WSJ-All Rights Reserved

Here's a thought to coincide with Thanksgiving, one of our most hallowed of celebrations.

The Bariyapur festival (also known as the Gadhimai Mela) has been in full swing in Nepal for the past few days. As you can read in the following excerpt, the age-old festival involves slaughtering of thousands of animals as sacrifice to a Hindu goddess of power.

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 are killed as part of a blood-soaked festival held every five years to honor Gadhimai, a Hindu goddess of power.
Animal sacrifice has had a long history in Nepal, an overwhelmingly Hindu country and, until recently, even in parts of India. Notwithstanding, animal-rights protesters from all over the world have decried and criticized this religious tradition as barbaric and atrocious.

My knee-jerk reaction when I saw this photograph on the Wall Street Journal's Photo Journal was one of revulsion, but then I remembered that we, in the United States, will consume 45 million turkeys for Thanksgiving alone...and while the slaughtering methodology may be slightly different, it's still an uncomfortable parallel, isn't it?. If you need to be reminded, you can always look for the clip of ever-hilarious Sarah Palin giving a press conference while a couple of turkeys were being "prepared" in the background.

And for the religious-minded, let's not forget The Binding of Isaac, in Genesis 22:1-24, which is the story from the Hebrew Bible in which God asks Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac, on Mount Moriah, but an angel intercedes at the very last minute, and Abraham then sacrifices a ram (who, as luck would have it, was placidly munching grass around the corner) instead.

Similarly, Islam requires Muslims to offer a sacrifice by slaughtering a sheep, cow, or goat during the Festival of Sacrifice or Eid el-Adha. It similarly commemorates Abraham's readiness to sacrifice his son Ishmael (not Isaac as in the Hebrew Bible) in the name of God, who sent a ram instead, thus sparing Ishmael's life. To this day, thousands upon thousands of bleating sheep are slaughtered in Muslim countries because of a religious tradition originating from the Hebrew Bible. Interesting, huh?

As I said, just a thought on this Thanksgiving day. Have a nice one.

 

source : http://thetravelphotographer.blogspot.com/2009/11/pov-nepals-gadhimai-mela-atrocity.html

 
Posted on 11-26-09 5:55 AM     Reply [Subscribe]
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Tales of Inhuman Cruelty Dog World’s Largest Killing Fair


Kathmandu, Nov 26 – Tales of immense cruelty and imperviousness to suffering began to surface Thursday after the ritual slaughter of thousands of animals and birds at the world’s largest killing fair ended in Nepal’s Terai plains with animal rights activists condemning it as legitimisation of violence.


Hundreds of carcasses of butchered water buffaloes, goats and other animals lay strewn near the temple of Hindu goddess Gadhimai in Bara district with rivers of blood flowing since Tuesday, when the massacres started.


Dalits from India and Nepal — a community that stands at the bottom of traditional Hindu hierarchy and is still regarded as untouchables — flocked to the charnel house to collect the carcasses and clashed with the contractors who had paid the temple authorities to carry away the meat by the truckload.


At the end of the two-day massacre, the mounds of bodies proved too huge for both sides and bulldozers were called in to dig deep pits and bury the remaining carcasses.


The stench arising from the dead animals as well as from the human excreta left by the millions of pilgrims filled the area.


Nepali daily Naya Patrika said Thursday that about 150 visitors to the five-yearly fair had fainted at the sight of the blood and violence.


Manoj Gautam, member of a youth initiative Roots and Shoots, which had been campaigning for the prevention of the slaughter, painted a picture of unbearable cruelty and suffering.


‘The animals were not provided with any water and food in the days before the sacrifice,’ Gautam said. ‘Many young animals had in fact already died from stress, exhaustion and dehydration before the killings started.’


The butchering was carried out randomly in a radius of 3 km around the temple.


‘Anyone could kill anything, with whatever — knife or sword,’ he said. ‘Many animals died an unbearable slow and violent death because the butcher was inexperienced and the knives were not sharpened properly.’


Thousands of buffaloes were standing in an enclosure when butchers holding swords started hacking randomly at them. While some heads could be severed in one cut, in other cases it took the butchers a long time to kill the buffalo.


Many tried to escape but were hunted down.


‘Baby buffaloes were bleating and searching for their mothers,’ a shocked Gautam said. ‘Soon they were walking around in a pool of blood. Not a single animal survived the blood bath.’


Two Nepal organisations that spearheaded the campaign to stop the massacre — Animal Welfare Network Nepal and Anti-Animal Sacrifice Alliance — said while the Gadhimai Fair is being promoted as a cultural event, it actually legitimises violence against the innocent.


‘The priests make the devotees believe that their wish will come true only when offering an expensive buffalo, goat or other kind of animal,’ the two organisations said in a joint statement. ‘The Maoist-led organising committee, instead of abolishing these outdated beliefs, promotes them to collect more revenues and increase the vote bank.’


They also blamed the coalition government of Nepal for the wanton killings that have shocked the outside world with condemnations pouring in till Thursday.


‘Not a single government leader has had the courage to speak out against the mass sacrifices,’ the two organisations said. ‘What kind of leader in this time and age wants to perpetuate rituals that perpetuate superstition, drain the resources of the poor and destroy the image of Nepal as an attractive destination?’


 


source : http://www.vamban.com/tales-of-inhuman-cruelty-dog-worlds-largest-killing-fair/


 
Posted on 11-26-09 5:57 AM     Reply [Subscribe]
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Hindu sacrifice of 250,000 animals begins


Cheers and protests as thousands of buffalo are decapitated at start of festival in Nepal honouring Hindu goddess Gadhimai




  • guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 24 November 2009 13.11 GMT
  • Nepalese Hindus lead buffalos that are intended for sacrifice to Gadhimai temple in Bariyapur



Nepalese Hindus lead buffalo to the slaughter in Bariyapur. Photograph: Gemunu Amarasinghe/AP


The world's biggest animal sacrifice began in Nepal today with the killing of the first of more than 250,000 animals as part of a Hindu festival in the village of Bariyapur, near the border with India.


The event, which happens every five years, began with the decapitation of thousands of buffalo, killed in honour of Gadhimai, a Hindu goddess of power.


With up to a million worshippers on the roads near the festival grounds, this year's fair seems more popular than ever, despite vocal protests from animals rights groups who have called for it to be banned. "It is the traditional way, " explained 45-year old Manoj Shah, a Nepali driver who has been attending the event since he was six, "If we want anything, and we come here with an offering to the goddess, within five years all our dreams will be fulfilled." .


Crowds thronged the roads and camped out in the open, wrapped in blankets against the cool mist. The festivities included a ferris wheel, fortune-telling robots and stalls broadcasting music and offering tea and sugary snacks.


As dawn broke, the fair officially opened with the sacrifice of two rats, two pigeons, a pig, a lamb and a rooster in the main temple, to cheers of "Long live Gadhimai" from spectators pushing against each other for a better view.


In the main event, 250 appointed residents with traditional kukri knives began their task of decapitating more than 10,000 buffalo in a dusty enclosure guarded by high walls and armed police.


Frightened calves galloped around in vain as the men, wearing red bandanas and armbands, pursued them and chopped off their heads. Banned from entering the animal pen, hundreds of visitors scrambled up the three-metre walls to catch a glimpse of the carnage.


The dead beasts will be sold to companies who will profit from the sale of the meat, bones and hide. Organisers will funnel the proceeds into development of the area, including the temple upkeep.


On the eve of the event, protesters made a final plea to organisers by cracking open coconuts in a nearby temple as a symbolic sacrifice. "It is cruel and inhumane. We've always been a superstitious country, but I don't think sacrifice has to be part of the Hindu religion," said the protest organiser, Pramada Shah.


The campaign has the support of the French actor Brigitte Bardot, who has petitioned the Nepalese prime minister, Madhav Kumar Nepal, about the issue. But the government, which donated £36,500 to the event, has shown no sign of discontinuing the centuries-old tradition. An attempt by the previous government to cut the budget for animal sacrifice provoked street protests.


Chandan Dev Chaudhary, a Hindu priest, said he was pleased with the festival's high turnout and insisted tradition had to be kept. "The goddess needs blood," he said. "Then that person can make his wishes come true."


 


source : http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/nov/24/hindu-sacrifice-gadhimai-festival-nepal


 
Posted on 11-26-09 8:22 AM     Reply [Subscribe]
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Looking at this, I am ashamed to be Nepali, heck, even ashamed to be human.
 
Posted on 11-26-09 8:50 AM     Reply [Subscribe]
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But then, while not condoning the cruelty to animals, it is probably fair to say that most, if not all, of meat of slaughtered animals will be consumed, hence, the circle of life.


One can argue that more animals are killed for pleasure -hunting - here in the West.  But still the image of animals being slaughtered left and right with little regard to their pain and anxiety does not sit well.


I am a meat eater, so some can say that I indirectly support this kind of human behaviour.  That could be true.  I don't know.


 
Posted on 11-26-09 8:56 AM     Reply [Subscribe]
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Riten you must be deluded to think the animals will be consumed that too 200,000.  I read, One indian man gave bali of 105 buffalo because he wan'ted baby in his house. Do you think he is going to eat all of those 105 buffalos.  This is just one example. hundreds of thousands people come and give the sacrifice.


If you listen to BBC nepali yesterday,  there are dead body of  buffalos and other animals all over the field and it has increased the chance of epidemic in that area.  Who is going to remove all those dead animals?

 
Posted on 11-26-09 10:48 AM     Reply [Subscribe]
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We must take this into perspective. Ofcourse activities of poorer people look gross than those of the rich because the rich have resources to do things more cleanly.


However  let's even consider Thanksgiving. Wall Street Journal  estimates 46,000,000 turkeys are consumed by Christians in Thanksgiving compared to the 20,000 bulls killed during this Gadimai Mela.


'Mysansar' has the data as 20,000 bulls which seems more correct than the astronomical amount that is quoted by 'daum'-who started this thread. In the end it seems 'daum' is more interested in spreading christinity than stopping any ills. One example is that he shows the inflated number in numerals as 200,000 while he hides the number of turkeys kills as 48 million. While this may be subconscious on this part let the reader compare apples to apples.


 
Posted on 11-26-09 10:51 AM     Reply [Subscribe]
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Here goes the picture.



 
Posted on 11-26-09 11:47 AM     Reply [Subscribe]
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Posted on 11-26-09 7:40 PM     Reply [Subscribe]
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It's pretty disturbing:(



 
Posted on 11-27-09 3:33 AM     Reply [Subscribe]
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yo [Disallowed String for - use not allowed] haru ta dhoti nai hun ni... bihari m*c*kne!
sab ko [Disallowed String for - bad word] katnu parne


 
Posted on 11-27-09 8:16 AM     Reply [Subscribe]
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"Human kills human just to prove that Killing is BAD" [~Anonymous)

We humans are very unreasonable kind, yet we believe we are very reasonable!!

We
called those atrocity as INHUMAN, but don't you think thats so HUMAN!!
can you show me any ANIMAL (other than HOMO SAPIENS) who kills like us?
and yet we call those act INHUMAN!!

I NEITHER SUPPORT ANIMAL SACRIFICE NOR I'M JUSTIFYING WHAT WE DID IN NEPAL (GADIMAI MELA) WAS RIGHT OR WRONG!!

The
fact is, that atrocity happened in the open public, hence the loud
cry!! otherwise ANIMALS get SLAUGHTERED everywhere in the WORLD, yeah
in very HUMANLY WAY!! So what are we JUST HYPOCRITE ??

Only
Difference is those animals were killed in PUBLIC, otherwise THE MEAT
will get CONSUMED and THE SKIN will go for LEATHER PROCESSING!!

There
is nothing called RIGHT or WRONG....cause we believe ourselves to be
very REASONABLE, yet act HYPOCRITE.. ..on the OTHER side we are nothing
but a RISEN APE!!

"Human
beings are animals....We may prefer to think of ourselves as fallen
angels, but in reality we are risen apes." ~Desmond Morris



COW SLAUGHTER HOUSE


 
Posted on 11-27-09 9:18 AM     Reply [Subscribe]
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 Much more animals are killed in USA than in Nepal everyday. Slaughtering animals and eating meat are a part of everyday life in USA than in Nepal.

Now only the difference is that the animals are KILLED/sacrificed in Nepal openly where as animals are SLAUGHTRED in the slaughter house in USA.


This is only the difference. Do people think about this difference?


 
Posted on 11-27-09 11:39 AM     Reply [Subscribe]
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Gadimai Mela, (Hindu Festival) happens ones every five year, its
famous(notorious) for mass-animal sacrifice(to please Hindu Goddess of
Power), it is estimated around 200,000 animals (including White Rats,
Pigeons, Roosters, Goats and Buffaloes) gets killed in this festival.
This festival can be compared (at least i'll compare in intensity of
sacrifices is concerned) as Thanksgiving in US (~45 million Turkeys
will be killed[Source:PETA]) and Muslim festival of Id-ul-Adha
or Bakr-Id(Festival of Sacrifice, where animals gets sacrificed).
[Please pardon my ignorance/blog space, about other sacrificing rituals
around the world].



More @ www.sajilonepal.com


 
Posted on 11-27-09 7:43 PM     Reply [Subscribe]
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It's not just us @ Gadimai, It happens even in one of the most developed nation in the world. Denmark is a big shame The sea is stained in red and in the mean while it’s not because of the climate effects of nature. 


??? ???????


It's because of the cruelty that the human beings (civilised human) kill hundreds of the famous and intelligent Calderon dolphins.
 


??? ???????
This happens every year in Feroe iland in Denmark . In this slaughter the main participants are young teens. 
WHY? 
To show that they are adults and mature.... BULLLLsh 

??? ???????

In this big celebration, nothing is missing for the fun. Everyone is participating in one way or the other, killing or looking at the cruelty “supporting like a spectator”


??? ???????

Is it necessary to mention that the dolphin calderon, like all the other species of dolphins, it’s near instinction and they get near men to play and interact. In a way of PURE friendship
  
??? ???????



??? ???????


They don’t die instantly; they are cut 1, 2 or 3 times with thick hocks. And at that time the dolphins produce a grim extremely compatible with the cry of a new born child.
 


??? ???????
But he suffers and there’s no compassion till this sweet being slowly dies in its own blood
??? ???????

??? ???????

Its enough!
 
We will send this mail until this email arrives in any association defending the animals, we won’t only read. That would make us accomplices, viewers. 

??? ???????

 
Posted on 11-28-09 11:37 AM     Reply [Subscribe]
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Gadhimai is total atrocity. It was justified in the past, but not in present context. It is a disaster in every sense: we look stupid in front of international perspective. Reported in wsj, nytimes, boston globe, etc. International Animal rights group will probably list our country as one of the worst offender. Some may it dont matter, but it does. Their media campaign hurt Nepal immensely to promote tourism. Then there is issue of health. God knows what this wrath will bring in Nepal.


May our All our Bad Lucks have something to do with Practise of Killing like this in the name of God.


 
Posted on 11-28-09 12:53 PM     Reply [Subscribe]
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The reason for you to come forward and defend this killing are as follows:

1. You want us to visit your blog. Hurray...great blog. Now move on you attention seeker. Guys, please do NOT post any replies on the blog. Let's not give them any free publicity.
2. Your father or a relative was involved in the ceremony. Some here sounds like their father was the chief priest who orchestrated the sacrifice on that day. Chill out.
3. You are originally from the region or have relative living around the area.
4. You think in terms of "American Conspiracy" for every thing that happens in Nepal. A bridge collapses in Nepal, it's the damn Americans. Worst are those who live in the US, and still believe these BS.
5. You are simply arrogant and ignorant "extremist".



Every culture had such practice sometime in their history and obviously most have gone past through it. This is not the question of how many animals are killed, who kills and who did this and that. 25 Vs 300 million population, it is a simple logic. Yes, American consume more meat, simply they are 10 times more in population. If you want to count figure and get out of context, should we count 2+ billion (with a "B") Indians and the Chinese. I'm sure they eat meat too. Holy cow, they must kill a million animals a day, both countries combined. What does that say? It does not make sense if you start counting numbers, which is not the reason the rest of the world feel uncomfortable with what happened in Nepal.
And for those who are commenting "Open" Vs "Closed" killing. Come on, we can go on and on with those "sorts" of excuses. Here, take this. We have sex behind "closed" door, can we do it in public? If no, why not? Exactly...the same reason applies here. According to you, killing is a killing, why can't it be sex is sex? Open sex is a crime, open killing is NOT. Wow...what priorities we have. Who sets those standard and why are you following that? Who's being hypocrite now?
It is about a primitive practice that we are following in this modern age. Look, everybody eats meat, but people do not go around with a machete chopping head in broad daylight with spectators cheering. The Taliban brought a women in the middle of a soccer field and pulled a bullet in her head, the spectators were enjoying just like this mela. Same concept, just a matter of time when we'll see that happen in Nepal.
To those who are coming in defense, sorry buddies. In this modern age, you cannot hide and be pure and magical like you used to be. News and information spread very fast these days. If you insist your donkey ride is better than the car on the road, go ahead. Don't be surprised when you are left behind.
We blame the politicians and the leaders for everything. Have you ever looked at yourself on the mirror? Maybe you DO NOT deserve to have a better nation. You cannot have an architect and a cave man living in the same room at the same time. Butchering animal for sacrifice, but at the same time asking for freedom, democracy and human rights do not go together, simply will not work. That is just like marching with bow and arrow against an enemy with tanks.
The guy in the picture with the khukuri can do the same thing to another fellow human being in a heart beat. Imagine a kid watching this from the crowd. Hey Prabhu...save our soul. What values will he hold growing up? Ask yourself. For the rest, beware...your silence now can hand our country to the religious extremist in the future.


 
Posted on 11-28-09 3:03 PM     Reply [Subscribe]
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Well said Bob. Like saying "You are what you eat.", it fits well like "We are how we are Think and Act." Can you imagine 150 plus people fainted during the festival just seeing animals slaughtered. It is time for people to come out and realize we need to go beyond. Public slaughtering should be banned constitutionally just like in India. No wonder 75 percent of the visitors are from India.


I hope this was a last Gadhimal festival of open killing or I hope next will be clean and humanely managed ceremony where people can be pride of their tradition discontinuing killings.


 
Posted on 11-28-09 6:01 PM     Reply [Subscribe]
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Ok, this is so funny that people here are ashamed to be a Nepali because we sacrifice so many buffaloes. Come on, people. Come to senses.

Nepalese are not inhuman just because we sacrifice animals. Our meat consumption frequency is way low than people of the First World. Meat is so expensive that it has become a rich persons' diet. Poors derive their protein requirement from plant proteins.

It's a different thing that meat rich people in the First World consume comes from Third World Countries. Argentina and Latin American countries supply thousands of metric tons of meat to First World.

There is no reason for us Nepalese to feel ashamed about it. We survived by eating plant and animal proteins. This is part of evolution. Media may portray it differently and religion may teach us that it is bad, but it is really not. We gotta survive and live our live, eat meat, stay positive.

 


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