THE WORST ANIMAL GENOCIDE EVER IS FINALLY BANNED

AND MOVED TO HISTORY

OR

EVERYTHING IS JUST A DREAM?

“The time will come when men will look upon the murder of animals as they now look upon the murder of men”

– Leonardo da Vinci

Good things are happening but only if we work on them, if we never give up.Bad things are happening when good people do not do anything to stop it. Then, they are even progressing and getting worse but when they  reach the top, it is too late to act, darkness is stronger.

There is so much injustice all around the world that  is almost touchable. Suffering of innocent people and animals seems to be the daily decor of the news, the food for media between their lies and cricket with political points and dollars.

As always, when I am informed about the people’s customs which bring death to other living creatures, I am feeling ashamed that I am sharing the heritage of so called mankind. Someone would think that this civilization is advanced but after we are witnessing to so many ridiculous cults and religious ceremonials, full of hatred towards animals, under the cheap and pathetic excuse of cherishing Gods, I am not so sure how far we are away from the bloody thirsty  grabbers.

Hindu goddess of power, Gadhimai is often abused by some of  Hinduistic believers who think that if they sacrifice animals, she will be pleased and they will be blessed. The sacrifice of  some animals became such a painful ritual but also very massive that got an international attention. Animal rights activists were shocked about the “quality and quantity” of killed animals for the purpose of some rites within Hinduism that the whole world stood up against pure paganism in 21st century. One of the first victories is definitely the ban of mass animal slaughter at Gadhimai festival in Nepal. The ban comes directly from the Nepal temple what decided to end the centuries-old Hindu tradition of mass killing of animals:“We have decided to completely stop the practice of animal sacrifice.I realised that animals are so much like us – they have the same organs as us … and feel the same pain we do.” – these are words of  Motilal Prasad, secretary of the Gadhimai Temple Trust, which organises the celebrations and gathers the thousands of worshipers from Nepal and India , who come there to give their offer and to end lives of thousand animals with no reason. However, this is a very old religious practice which is held once in a five years:”According to legend, the first sacrifices in Bariyapur were conducted several centuries ago when Gadhimai appeared to a prisoner in a dream and asked him to establish a temple to her.When he awoke, his shackles had fallen open and he was able to leave the prison and build the temple, where he sacrificed animals to give thanks.” This is not only a religious thing but also a matter of 400 years old custom among people. The mentioned secretary of Gadhimai Temple Trust is convinced that bloody ritual must be stopped because there is no any logic in pleasing of Gods through the sacrifice of other living beings.Sadly, people will not easily accept this decision because it takes time for the society to adjust on the new rules from above. They must be educated about the real spirit of religion which has nothing to do with killing and death but with love and compassion.

The official decision came up in 2015, just some months after the last bloody ceremony took a place in the village of Bariyapur near the Indian border.Manoj Gautam, president of Animal Nepal Welfare Network claimed that some  2.5 million worshipers sacrificed an estimated 200,000 animals at the temple in Bara district. The free choice of animals what will be slaughtered enabled to Hindu pilgrims to buy  anything from buffalo to rats, depending on money they have. Those people have their own reasons to believe that after sacrifice, blessings will visit their homes but they missed to understand that worship could be also effective if it is bloodless and peaceful.

How they will be convinced to not buy and sacrifice animals at the temple in 2019, in the next Gadhimai festival? That is the problem. The official ban is one thing. The reaction of people on it is another. The few centuries old ceremony can not be erased by one single ban. This is a long term process. Priests have 3 years to work on religious education of believers so the media too and the Nepal government.

 

Ram Chandra Shah the chairman of the Gadhimai Temple Management and Development Committee is not sure how this will be organized and implemented on the ground:“Devout Hindus could be requested not to offer animal sacrifice to the goddess, but they could not be forced not to do so – nor [could] the tradition be banned or stopped completely” In other words, this ban is not legally implemented. It is more a kind of suggestion but it is not legally punishable if anyone doesn’t respect the ban. The only positive thing about it is the fact that the main priest wont support himself  the sacrifice so it is to be expected that majority of pilgrims will follow him.

Gauri Maulekhi, Humane Society of India consultant and Trustee,  who petitioned in Supreme Court against the Gadhimai festival said: “This  is a tremendous victory for compassion that will save the lives of countless animals. HSI/India was heartbroken to witness the bloodshed at Gadhimai, and we’ve worked hard to help secure this ban on future sacrifice”. The ban is a great victory for animals and for animal lovers and activists who have spent years fighting this backward tradition on the ground. The Temple didnt issue the ban till the moment they havent been sure about the governmental pressure and public rising resistance. The Education came from all over as well as the global anti-animal genocide activism and campaign. Millions of people in India and Nepal stood up completely against this barbarian killing and they were urging for final ban and slaughter-free puja insisted by Temple.

The social pulse is something what changes our world and brings sunshine there where is a darkness. People are awakening and learning that they must live in balance with the nature or they will be forever exiled.The compassion is all and without it, human heart is a stone and civilization is a frozen image of disaster.

We were given the ability to have a common sense so we can protect this Earth and all what live on it. If we cant do it, we should admit that we are beasts and we must step out.Once for all time.