KENDRAPARA: Animal blood continued to be spilled at the altar of Ma Ramachandi Temple in Pattamundei’s Srirampur village as large number of people lined up to propitiate the deities on the occasion of Raja Sankranti on Saturday.
The cries of the dying animals were lost amid the din of the thronging devotees as about 130 animals were sacrificed at the stroke of Chaitanya Rana’s swords at the temple which was soaked in blood.
Some worshipers even anointed themselves with the blood.
Animal rights activists tried to oppose the practice but many people justified the animal sacrifice as it is not illegal.
“My son got a job in a private company in Mumbai this year for which I sacrificed a goat in the temple as the Goddess fulfilled my wish,” said Dhirendra Mallick of Srirampur village.
Each devotee paid Rs 500 to the managing committee of the temple to sacrifice the animal, said Alekha Panda, one of the priests.
“I was pleased with the high turnout and insisted the tradition be kept. The Goddess needs blood once in a year on Raja Sankranti to fulfil the wishes of the devotees. People worship Mother Earth during the three-day long Raja festival. Many farmers sacrificed animals to get good crops in this year,” he added.
Biranchi Narayan Das, Sarapanch of Srirampur Gram Panchayat said the Supreme Court in 2015 had refused to interfere with religious practices on the grounds that judiciary could not stop centuries-old traditions of sacrificing animals by different communities.
The Apex Court had stated in its order that the court has to balance between the law and religious practices.
Animal sacrifice is a sensitive matter better dealt by the representatives of the people in the appropriate forums and court cannot shut its eyes to centuries-old traditions and animal sacrifice is not confined to any single religion.
“As per the judgment of the Supreme Court, animal sacrifice during religious festivals is not illegal. Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act also carves out exception for animal sacrifices carried out for religious purposes,” Das said.