Day of Reckoning for sheep, goats across Nepal: Mass Animal Sacrifice
We are currently towards the end of the big celebration of Navaratri or Nine Days of Mother Divine here in Nepal. Nepal is primarily a Hindu nation but with a twist - unlike Hindus in India- the Nepali Hindus eat meat. They do not eat cows but they eat everything else: goats, sheep, pigs, water buffalo and chickens. Since meat is expensive they do not eat it as much as in the USA. However....
One time of year -over the next few days-they do it up big time. Animals that were being raised all over Nepal in the mountains are brought down for the slaughter. This is done in the name of "religious sacrifice". They believe that the Divine Goddess requires this type or worship. This is the thing I like least about Nepal.
The roads are clogged by herds of animals being driven to the cities for consumption during the festival. Along the way deals are made and animals strapped to motorcycles and shoved in car trunks to be slaughtered en masse over the next 3 days.
The mountain people will be making $150 or more per animal as they sell to the city folk. This is their celebration time. They will be making their income for the year. However....
This is not the celebration time for the animals. Goats are tied up in front of all the houses in my neighborhood bleating piteously. They are removed from their herds and wondering what is going on and confused. I pass them by with compassion filling my heart. I don't understand eating of meat even though I ate it until the age of 17. This morning I awoke to the cries of animals being slaughtered. And this sight on my sidewalk greeted me as I walked this morning. My landlords don't engage in the practice but the neighbors do.
Decapitated goat " sacrificed" in front of my apartment.
One time of year -over the next few days-they do it up big time. Animals that were being raised all over Nepal in the mountains are brought down for the slaughter. This is done in the name of "religious sacrifice". They believe that the Divine Goddess requires this type or worship. This is the thing I like least about Nepal.
The roads are clogged by herds of animals being driven to the cities for consumption during the festival. Along the way deals are made and animals strapped to motorcycles and shoved in car trunks to be slaughtered en masse over the next 3 days.
The mountain people will be making $150 or more per animal as they sell to the city folk. This is their celebration time. They will be making their income for the year. However....
This is not the celebration time for the animals. Goats are tied up in front of all the houses in my neighborhood bleating piteously. They are removed from their herds and wondering what is going on and confused. I pass them by with compassion filling my heart. I don't understand eating of meat even though I ate it until the age of 17. This morning I awoke to the cries of animals being slaughtered. And this sight on my sidewalk greeted me as I walked this morning. My landlords don't engage in the practice but the neighbors do.
Decapitated goat " sacrificed" in front of my apartment.
In perspective, the treatment of most farm animals for consumption in the USA is despicable with the Confined Animal Farm Operations being the top offenders. At least the animals here lead a free and natural life until the end. But still it is quite alarming to witness this mass slaughter. Some Nepali are protesting this aspect of the Mother Divine celebration but I suspect not much will change for some time.
Meanwhile the Buddhist contingency of the country light butter lamps for three days and pray for the souls of all these slaughtered animals, I am with the Buddhists all the way. Some estimate a quarter million animals meet their end over the next few days in Nepal.
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