To kill or not to kill: Why Nepal debates whether to continue animal sacrifice every Dashain

Dashain, the festival that honours goddess Durga symbolising power, prosperity, motherly love, and valour, is also surrounded by many fierce debates. One of the biggest debates that Nepali society experiences around this time every year is about animal sacrifice in the goddess’s puja.

For many, Dashain is synonymous with feasting on the meat of the sacrificed animal as a ‘prasad’. During the 15-day celebration, thousands of goats, buffaloes, sheep and poultry are slaughtered in many temples ( shakti peeths ) and private houses. At the same time, many activist protests this practice stating this as an inhumane and gruesome ritual that ignites the instinct of violence in humans in the name of ‘pleasing the goddess Durga.’