The Gadhimai festival primarily caters to Indians from across the border. Mostly, people from the adjoining Indian state of Bihar come to attend the festival and offer sacrifices. The barbaric fair started being organized in Nepal following a ban on animal sacrifice by most Indian states. It’s unfortunate and ironic that Nepal, which is known across the world as a peaceful nation, is yet to come out with strong legislations against animal sacrifice and cruelty.
Due to cross-border linkages, even animal rights campaigners from India, including parliamentarian Maneka Gandhi, have joined hands to apply pressure on the Nepal government to stop the sacrifices. They have written to our prime minister and president, among others. Even Ram Bahadur Bomzon, the “Buddha Boy” from Bara district, has urged to stop the Gadhimai sacrifices. Despite all these calls, sadly, the preparations to hold the festival are going on in full swing.
The festival is reminiscent of medieval brutality. During the fair, about 250 men move around in drunken stupor hacking every animal in sight to death soaking the land beneath in blood, turning the site into a breeding ground of diseases. Following the 1995 Gadhimai event, goats were detected of suffering from PPR disease (commonly known as goat flu), which still haunts the country. On top of that, perhaps what is being ignored are the psychological consequences of such mass killings, especially on children, who take part in the fair.
If Nepal does not want to draw international flak and condemnation, it must act fast. In the name of appeasing gods, we cannot continue such inhumane and cruel practices. It does not befit a civilized society.
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