Stop the Brutal Slaughter at Nepal's Gadhimai Festival
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Sponsor: The Animal Rescue Site
Thousands of innocent animals face brutal slaughter at Gadhimai Festival. Help end this senseless cruelty and bring compassion to a place where suffering reigns.
Every five years, the Gadhimai Festival in Nepal becomes the site of one of the world’s most horrific spectacles.
Tens of thousands of animals are brutally slaughtered in a ritual that has been part of this event for over two centuries. Despite widespread international outcry, legal rulings, and efforts by activists, the slaughter continues almost unabated1.
A Tradition Rooted in Suffering
At the Gadhimai Temple in Bariyarpur, Nepal, this festival is held in honor of the Hindu goddess Gadhimai, revered as the goddess of power. Devotees believe that offering animal sacrifices will bring prosperity, protection from evil, and fulfill their deepest wishes2. In the days leading up to the festival, animals are crammed into overcrowded enclosures, deprived of food and water, awaiting their gruesome fate. The sight of these terrified creatures, many of them imported illegally from across the Indian border, is heartbreaking. The killing spree begins with the sacrifice of a few animals, followed by the mass slaughter of thousands, all in the name of tradition3.
The Legal Battle and Its Shortcomings
The Supreme Court of Nepal ruled in 2015 that the government must take action to discourage the practice of animal sacrifice4. However, enforcement has been weak, and the ritual killings continue, largely unchecked by authorities. Temple officials claim they cannot stop the sacrifices due to the overwhelming devotion of the people, but this is no justification for allowing such inhumane practices to persist.
The Push for Compassionate Alternatives
Animal rights activists have tirelessly campaigned against this massacre, and their efforts have not been in vain. The number of animals sacrificed in 2019 was lower than in previous years, but the scale of the killing remains alarming5. Activists from organizations like Humane Society International and the Federation of Animal Welfare Nepal have called for an end to the bloodshed, urging the government to enforce existing laws and promote more humane alternatives. Yet, the Gadhimai Temple Trust and government bodies have failed to fully implement the necessary changes6.
Your Voice Can Make a Difference
The time for change is now. We must raise our voices against this needless cruelty. Tradition should not be a reason to inflict suffering on innocent animals. There are compassionate ways to honor cultural practices that do not involve such brutality. We believe that with enough public pressure, the Nepalese government, the Supreme Court, and the Gadhimai Temple Trust can be persuaded to enforce the ban on animal sacrifice and end this bloodshed once and for all.
Your voice matters. By signing this petition, you are sending a clear message that the world will no longer stand by and watch as animals are needlessly slaughtered. Together, we can push for a future where compassion triumphs over cruelty, where cultural traditions evolve to reflect our growing understanding of the value of all living beings.
Call to Action
Sign the petition now and join us in demanding that the Gadhimai Festival become a symbol of compassion rather than suffering.
- ABC News (3 December 2019), "Sword-wielding butchers slaughter thousands of animals to honour Hindu goddess Gadhimai in Nepal."
- Arun Budhathoki, Hannah Ellis-Petersen, The Guardian (3 December 2019), "Nepal animal sacrifice festival pits devotees against activists."
- BBC News (3 December 2019), "Gadhimai: Nepal's animal sacrifice festival goes ahead despite 'ban’."
- The Kathmandu Post (9 December 2019), "Animal rights activists decry mass slaughtering at Gadhimai."
- Al Jazeera (3 December 2019), "Gadhimai: Nepal’s mass animal slaughter begins despite outcry."
- Animal Equality (19 February 2020), "Investigation: Animal Sacrifice Continues at Gadhimai Temple."
The Petition:
The Honorable Ministers of Culture, Tourism & Civil Aviation, Home Affairs, and Communication & Information Technology, The Supreme Court of Nepal, and The Gadhimai Temple Trust,
We, the undersigned, urgently call upon the Government of Nepal, the Supreme Court of Nepal, and the Gadhimai Temple Trust to take immediate and decisive action to end the brutal slaughter of animals at the Gadhimai Festival.
Every five years, tens of thousands of animals are sacrificed in the name of tradition at the Gadhimai Temple in Bariyarpur. These mass killings, carried out in the belief that they will appease the goddess Gadhimai, are a practice that inflicts unimaginable suffering on countless sentient beings. The spectacle of bloodshed and terror is not only inhumane but also a stark contradiction to the values of compassion and respect for life that are at the core of all major religions, including Hinduism.
The Supreme Court of Nepal has already recognized the need to curb this practice, and it is imperative that its rulings be enforced with the utmost urgency. While we acknowledge the cultural significance of the Gadhimai Festival, we believe that traditions must evolve in ways that do not perpetuate cruelty and suffering. It is time to replace these sacrifices with rituals that honor life rather than destroy it.
We respectfully urge the Ministries of Culture, Tourism & Civil Aviation, Home Affairs, and Communication & Information Technology, in conjunction with the Gadhimai Temple Trust, to take the following actions:
- Enforce the Supreme Court's Ruling: Implement and enforce the Supreme Court’s directives to phase out animal sacrifices at the Gadhimai Festival.
- Promote Compassionate Alternatives: Encourage and support the development of alternative rituals that allow devotees to express their faith without harming animals.
- Raise Public Awareness: Launch a nationwide campaign to educate the public on the moral and ethical implications of animal sacrifice, and promote a vision of compassion and respect for all living beings.
- Engage with Religious Leaders: Work with Hindu religious leaders and scholars to endorse and promote practices that reflect the values of kindness, non-violence, and reverence for life.
By taking these actions, you will not only be upholding the principles of justice and compassion but also setting a precedent for a more humane and ethical future. The world is watching, and your leadership on this issue will resonate far beyond Nepal’s borders.
Let us work together to ensure that the Gadhimai Festival evolves into a celebration of life and a beacon of hope for a better, kinder world.
Together, we can ensure a future where tradition and compassion coexist, where the suffering of innocent animals is no longer a part of our cultural heritage, and where humanity triumphs over cruelty.
Sincerely,
