Every five years around November and December, hundreds of thousands to millions of Hindus flock to a temple in southeastern Nepal... dubbed the world's bloodiest festival because of the sheer number of animals slaughtered and offered as sacrifice. The Gadhimai festival, a quinquennial religious observance dating back more than centuries, sees the killing of thousands of animals... in belief that the mass sacrifice will appease the Hindu goddess Gadhimai, who will in return bring them prosperity.
The bloodshed has invited increasing scrutiny, as activists who champion animal welfare square off with devotees who believe that the ritual is an important, untouchable cornerstone of Hinduism. The top courts in Nepal and India have both tried to intervene, but the killings look to continue.
It is disgraceful that the Gadhimai temple committee is exploiting the hopes, fears and frustrations of impoverished people for its own profit. The Government of Nepal must protect against the exploitation of hundreds of thousands of people and animals in the name of tradition.
During the last festival in 2019, as many as 250,000 creatures were beheaded, according to animal welfare group Humane Society International (HSI). This year, Nepal's vice president even led the inauguration of the festival, which advocates had requested he not take part in.
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