Devotees Urged to End Animal Sacrifice Ahead of Nepal’s Gadhimai Festival
Chirag Gupta
Patna: In a press conference held in Patna, the Prashant Advait Foundation (PAF), in collaboration with Humane Society International/India (HSI/India) and People For Animals (PFA), urged devotees to avoid animal sacrifice during the upcoming Gadhimai Festival in Nepal, set to begin on December 7. The festival, held every five years in Nepal’s Bariyarpur district, is notorious for the mass slaughter of thousands of animals—including buffaloes, goats, pigs, pigeons, and chickens—as part of religious rituals.
Former MP Maneka Sanjay Gandhi, alongside HSI/India, PAF, and PFA, called on the Bihar government to take action to prevent the illegal transport of animals across the Indo-Nepal border. They referred to a Supreme Court order in the case of Gauri Maulekhi v. Union of India, which directs authorities to stop the unlicensed export of live cattle and buffaloes. Animal welfare organisations have deployed teams at border checkpoints to assist law enforcement in preventing illegal animal transportation and to seize animals intended for sacrifice.
Acharya Prashant, founder of PAF, emphasised that devotion should foster compassion, not cruelty. “Slaughtering animals diminishes the spirit of worship,” he stated. “Let us honour the goddess by upholding the sanctity of all life during Gadhimai.”
Maneka Sanjay Gandhi echoed these sentiments, urging society to move beyond outdated traditions and embrace more humane ways of celebrating.
HSI/India highlighted its efforts to reduce animal sacrifices at Gadhimai since 2014, noting a sharp decline in the number of animals killed—from over 500,000 in 2009 to around 3,500 buffaloes in 2019. The organisation plans to continue its work to promote compassion and curb animal cruelty globally.
Supported by PAF, HSI/India, and PFA, the campaign to end animal sacrifice at Gadhimai reflects a broader push to challenge inhumane traditions and promote a kinder, more compassionate world for all beings.
