Animal sacrifice rituals during Dashain festival

Kathmandu, Oct. 8: The mass sacrificial ceremony is specially organised at the Taleju Temple of Hanuman Dhoka of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur to offer to the goddess during Maha Ashtami and Maha Nawami.  

Pension Management Office (PMO) and Guthi Sansthan have provided four-legged and two-legged animals to sacrifice in the name of goddesses across the nation. 

As per the tradition, PMO manages 162 he-buffaloes and 187 he-goats to sacrifice during the 15-day Dashain festival. 

Rajbahi Shrestha, information officer of PMO, said that a mass sacrificial ceremony is organiased at the Mul Chowk of Hanumandhoka, then other areas to worship Taleju Bhawani. From the day of Ghatasthapana to Maha Nawami, each day he-goats are sacrificed, with a total of nine he-goats sacrificed during the period. 

On Maha Nawami day, eight he-goats are sacrificed in the morning during the special worshipping time and 54 he-goats, 54 he-buffaloes and a duck are sacrificed in the evening. 

After the sacrifice of eight he-goats at a special worshipping time in the morning of Maha Nawami, 54 he-goats, and 54 he-buffaloes are sacrificed in the morning. On the day of Chaturdashi on October 16, the same mass sacrificial ceremony is organsied offering 54 he-goats, and 54 he-buffaloes. 

According to him, around 60 to 65 four-leg and two-leg animals are provided for sacrifice at several other goddess temples.  

It has allocated Rs. 120 million each year to manage animals during the whole year. 

PMO provides 17 he-goats, seven he-buffaloes and 18 ducks for mass sacrificial ceremony at Nuwakot Palace during Ashtami and Nawami day, said Shrestha.

Sandeep Khanal, Executive Director of Hanumandhoka Durbar Museum Development Committee (HDMDC), said that this year’s Phulpati rituals and Kalratri Puja of Maha Ashtami will be organised on the same day on Thursday, the eighth day of the Dashain festival. 

Members from Sarduljung Company and HDMC will depart for Gorkha in the morning on Thursday to bring Phulpati and palanquin with Phulpati will enter Hanumandhoka on the evening of the same day, he said. 

The ritual of he-buffalo sacrifice will be observed on October 8, the sixth day of Dashain at Taleju Bhawami temple. According to the Central Guthi Santhan, 50 he-buffaloes, 14 ducks and 24 sheep are provided under the Rajguhti for Taleju Bhagawati of Hanumandhoka. 

Bhaktapur-based Taleju Temple with other Shakti Peeths, has been provided 37 he–buffaloes, 86 he–goats, 29 ducks and two hens and one he-buffalo and 46 he-goats are provided for Lalitpur Taleju Bhagawati and other goddesses.