Sacrifice Pumpkins, Not Buffalo, During Nepal's Dashain Festival

During the 15 days of Dashain, which began yesterday and is considered the greatest Hindu festival, various incarnations of the goddess Durga are worshipped. Durga is celebrated for killing the demon Mahisasur, who terrorized the Earth in the form of a water buffalo.

As the Nepal Travel Guide tenderly describes it, "Thoroughout the kingdom of Nepal the goddess Durga in all her manifestations are worshiped with innumerable pujas, abundant offerings and thousands of animal sacrifices for the ritual holy bathing, thus drenching the goddess for days in blood."

The first nine days of Dashain observe the nine-day battle between Durga and Mahisasur. Durga slayed the water buffalo on the tenth day. The final five days commemorate the victory celebration and blessing of the goddess.

In temples across Nepal, Durga’s slaughter of the water buffalo is reenacted by a government-endorsed "puja," an offering made to the divine. The offering? A buffalo (or goat or sheep) is decapitated alive in front of worshippers.

But the Animal Welfare Network Nepal (AWNN) has a better idea for a kinder, gentler puja. Why not slaughter a pumpkin instead of a buffalo? A coconut instead of a goat? It would still get the point across, but be much more humane (and less gruesome).

The network began its Stop Animal Sacrifice campaign earlier this year during the Gadhimai festival in Bara, when 200,000 animals were sacrificed within the span of 24 hours. Campaigner Santosh Khatiwada told the Himalayan Times, "Nepal is one of the major countries practicing animal sacrifices and promoting superstitions and violence in the name of religion."

To get its humane point across, AWNN stages plays at Hindu temples, demonstrating their puja alternative. In Kathmandu on Thursday, the goddess Kali told the gathered crowd, "I do not need animal blood. I am happy with fruits and vegetables, so please offer me vegetarian sacrifices." She then withdrew a knife and proceeded to slash a pumpkin in half.

I think Swami Sivananda over on the Hindu Blog has an even better idea, and it doesn't involve killing animals or wasting food. He encourages the sacrifice of inner demons instead of animals (or vegetables). "Offer to Goddess Durga the animal, the Pashu, of your inner evil trait of passion, of anger, of greed," he writes. "You have no right or justification to hurt any living creature for whatever reason."

The Nepal Travel Guide notes that Dashain "is celebrated with great rejoice, and Durga is worshiped throughout the country as the divine mother goddess." The website features a photo of men holding down a goat as another man lifts a sword over its head. I can’t help thinking that a picture like this would bring tears to Durga’s eyes. Wouldn't a divine mother want to nurture life, not destroy it in the name of religion or superstition?

The slaughter must be stopped. Tell the government of Nepal to put an end to the sacrifice of live animals during Dashain.

Photo credit: Tom Maloney