Despite the ban on the age-old practice and public awareness campaigns against it, thousands of animals and birds were sacrificed to propitiate Goddess Manikeswari during the annual Chhattar Yatra on the Astami during Dussehra here in Kalahandi district on Sunday.
The district administration had appealed to people to refrain from animal sacrifice. However, the devotees sacrificed over 50,000 animals, mostly goats, and birds on either side of the road near the temple to appease the presiding deity.
The slaughtering took place under the scanner of as many as 15 CCTV and drone cameras.
Over 1.5 lakh people took part in the festival and had a glimpse of the deity while it was taken out in a procession.
“As many as 11 platoons of police personnel were deployed. Besides, 41 SIs, 15 inspectors, five DSPs, an Additional SP, Kesinga SDPO, around 50 Constables and 37 Home Guards were engaged for a smooth conduct of the festival. We had initiated awareness campaigns to prevent animal sacrifice, and I believed people would refrain from it,” Kalahandi SP Brijesh Kumar Rai said.
The goddess was taken in the procession from Jenakhal at around 5.20 am after the Sandhi Puja to Bhawanipatna, the permanent abode of the deity. The town reverberated with the rhythmic beats of Jenabadya, Nisan and Ghanta (traditional musical instruments) and dancers performing Ghumura and martial art forms.
“We have immense faith in Maa Manikeswari. We offer sacrifices for fulfilment of our wishes in which people of all castes and religions participate,” a devotee said.
Before the start of the sacrifice ritual, two swords belonging to the goddess are washed in the pond located behind the Kalahandi royal family’s palace. The swords are then worshipped and brought back to the temple in a procession. Then, a buffalo is sacrificed at the Budharaja or Vairab temple, a satellite shrine of the Manikeswari Temple.
Following this ritual, the Chhattar or umbrella of the goddess, along with two swords of the deity, are taken out for procession.