Orissa festival: District officials appeal against animal sacrifice

With Chhattar festival around the corner, the district administration on Sunday urged people to do away with the ritual of animal sacrifice during the festival on October 9.

The festival, celebrated in the name of the presiding deity of Orissa’s Kalahandi district, Maa Manikeswari, sees thousands of animals and birds sacrificed every year to propitiate the goddess, in defiance of the directions issued by the district administration and several awareness campaigns by animal rights groups.

The administration’s appeal comes a day after a preparatory meeting was held at the office of the superintendent of police for the smooth conduct of the celebration.

During the celebrations, lakhs of devotees make a beeline to partake in the procession of Manikeswari. The goddess is taken from Jenakhal after Sandhi puja to her temple inside the Bhawanipatna royal palace, her permanent abode, amid the rhythmic beats of Jenabadya, Nisan and Ghanta (traditional musical instruments) while dancers perform ‘Ghumura’ and martial art forms.

Before the start of the sacrifice ritual on Asthami tithi of the Hindu month of Ashwina every year, two swords belonging to the goddess are washed in the pond located behind the palace. The swords are then worshipped and brought back to the temple in a procession. Then a buffalo is sacrificed at the Budharaja or Vairab temple, a satellite shrine of the Manikeswari temple.

Following this ritual, the Chhattar or umbrella of the goddess, along with two swords of the deity, are taken out for the procession.