About 35 goats were sacrificed to propitiate goddess Ma Mahakala in Mahakala temple within the famous Buddhist site of Udayagiri here on Tuesday.The event, which happens every year on Raja festival, began with the decapitation of a goat, killed in honour of the goddess in the temple. Then goats were queued up and slaughtered one after another. Blood spilled over everywhere. Some worshippers anointed themselves with the blood too.
Former Jajpur MP Mohan Jena criticized the persons who sacrificed animals at a Buddhist site. “I demand the Superintendent of Police to arrest those persons who are behind the heinous act of animal sacrifice in Udayagiri. lord Buddha is the symbol of peace, but some persons besmirched the name of Udayagiri by sacrificing animals in the temple,” said Udayagri Buddha Mahotsav Samti secretary Maheswar Bal.
As per an ancient tradition, the animals were first taken to the temple where vermilion was applied on their foreheads. Then they were taken to the altar of the temple for sacrifice. They were slaughtered one by one, with sharp-edged weapons by the butchers while offering their special prayers to the goddess.
A priest of the temple said he was pleased with the festival's high turnout and insisted tradition had to be kept. "The goddess needs blood," he said, adding, "Then She fulfills wishes."When contacted, Archeological Survey of India (ASI) superintendent Maheswar Bal said, “The ASI earlier urged the villagers not to sacrifice any animals in the temple. But they did not pay any heed and sacrificed animals. The ASI is planning to file FIR against the priests of the temple and devotees who sacrificed animals”.“We will arrest all those persons who sacrificed animals at Udayagiri,” assured Collector SK Mallick.