KENDRAPARA: Near about 200 animals including 100 goats were sacrificed to appease the Goddess at the ancient Maa Jagulai shrine in Garadapur village of Kendrapara district on Wednesday after a two-year long Covid hiatus.
The ritual, marked to celebrate the occasion of Gouri Panchami, began on Wednesday at midnight and continued till Thursday morning. As per ancient tradition, the sacrificial animals are first taken to the shrine where they are garlanded and vermilion applied on their heads, before being taken to the altar where they are beheaded. The act, this time, was performed by Satrughan Behera.
“Over the years, we have been trying to pursue the temple authorities and devotees to stop such gruesome activities but they pay no heed to our pleas,” added Secretary of People for Animals, Sudhanshu Parida.
Balabhadra Panda, the priest of the temple, was pleased with the festival’s high turnout after two years and insisted that the tradition had to be continued.
Another priest Anirudha Panda said the Supreme Court in 2015 refused to interfere with the centuries-old practice of animal sacrifice and also held that the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal Act (PCA) carves out exceptions for animal sacrifice carried out for religious purposes which is why it is not illegal.