Nod to animal sacrifice at Kullu Dasehra

Dipender Manta

Tribune News Service

Kullu, September 4

After a three-year gap, Kullu Dasehra this time will witness age-old ritual animal sacrifice in restricted manner. The sacrifice was banned in 2014 by Himachal Pradesh High Court.

According to tradition, the sacrifice of a buffalo, a male lamb, a fish, a crab and a chicken is an important ritual on the concluding day of Kullu Dashera, which begins in Kullu town after it concludes in the rest of the country every year.

The people of the district are enthusiastic this time after interim relief given by the Supreme Court over ban on animal sacrifice. They are hopeful that the ritual would be performed with traditional fervor. However, the district administration will maintain a close watch over the religious activity during Dasehra to implement the orders of the honorable court with full spirit.

Chief care taker of Lord Raghunath temple in Kullu Maheshwar Singh said, “We are bound to abide by the law of the land and ritual will be performed according to the direction of honorable court.”

Dhot Ram, Kardar Sangh president Kullu, said “The deity society is happy that this time it will be able to celebrate the festival with traditional fervor and tradition, which was affected after the Himachal Pradesh High Court imposed the complete ban on animal sacrifice during religious activity in temples”.

Rajiv Kumar, a local resident, said that the Kullu district is well known for deity culture, where people have deep faith in tradition and ritual. “Ever since the ban was imposed on animal sacrifice during religious activity, the people of the district were in utter distress. They believe that without performing traditional rituals deities will bring misfortune to them” he remarked. Deputy Commissioner Kullu Yunus Khan told The Tribune here today that the district administration would maintain a close watch over animal sacrifice and it would take place at a confined place as per the directions of the honorable court.

Earlier the animal sacrifice was conducted in full public view during Kullu Dasehra, which is described as a brutality against animals by animal protection activists. In Himachal Pradesh it was a common tradition to sacrifice animals in full public view during religious festivity in temples like Shant Maha Yagya and Bhunda Maha Yagya, where goats and sheep were sacrificed in hundreds.

Maheshwar Singh knocked the door of Supreme Court to get relief on ban on animal sacrifice to perform the age-old tradition of Kullu Dasehra when Himachal Pradesh High Court had imposed complete ban over animal sacrifice.