On the occasion of the age-old Chhatar Yatra of Goddess Manikeswari, thousands of animals and birds were slaughtered near the temple at Bhawanipatna in Kalahandi district on Thursday, though the State Government has already imposed a ban on the gory act.
According to reports, animals and birds were sacrificed on either side of the road near shrine during the procession of the Goddess. The front side of the temple witnessed bloodshed due to mass sacrifice of the animals and birds.
Thousands of devotees from different parts of the district and outside performed puja and many of them offered animals before the deity like previous years. People here believe that the deity would fulfil their wishes when the animals are sacrificed in front of her.
“We had launched an awareness programme to stop this animal sacrifice, but there is something more to do to create awareness among the tribal,” said the Additional SP of the district.
Several activist groups have been trying to prevent the practice of animal sacrifice at the shrine, but religious sentiment overrides their protests every year.