GUWAHATI: The tradition of animal sacrifice got under way at Kamakhya Temple here with the shakti peeth scheduling the custom across three days from Maha Saptami on Tuesday.
Animals such as buffaloes, goats and birds such as pigeons and ducks are sacrificed at the legendary temple, one of the oldest of the 51 shakti peeths, during Durga Puja every year, a ritual that animal rights organisations here have been opposed to for long.
Speaking to The Shillong Times on Tuesday, Kabindra Dev Sarma, the head priest of the ancient shrine, said that in keeping with the tradition of animal sacrifice, 19 buffaloes will be sacrificed this time across the three days.
“We have already sacrificed one while three more buffaloes will be offered at the altar of Ma Durga by this afternoon. Tomorrow on Maha Ashtami, we will sacrifice ten buffaloes while six more will be offered on Maha Navami. Besides, we will also be offering goats, ducks and pigeons during the three days,” Dev Sarma said.
In May this year, singer-actor, Zubeen Garg stirred up a hornet’s nest by speaking out openly against buffalo sacrifice at the temple, which invited flak from several quarters, including residents of the area and priests of the temple.
“We respect him as an artiste but we cannot endorse what he said as the tradition of animal sacrifice has been there since hundreds of years at the temple and across the other shakti peeths (seat of Shakti). Besides, there is a Supreme Court directive legitimizing rituals that were over 100 years,” he said.
Shakti peeths are significant shrines/ pilgrimage destinations of Shaktism (worship of the Hindu goddess, Shakti). Every year in June, lakhs of devotees from across the country and world, visit Kamakhya temple during Ambubachi Mela.
The temple head priest further said there was no restriction in regard to how devotees choose to offer puja at the temple. “One can offer puja with flowers, perform yajna or animal sacrifice,” he said.
The meat from sacrifice of buffalo is distributed among several tribal families living on the hills of the city. “The people belonging to Garo, Bodo, Kachari, Rabha, and Karbi among other communities living in and around the city come to the temple every year during puja and take the meat which is served as prasad for distribution among their relatives and friends,” Dev Sarma said.
The meat of goats, ducks and pigeons is distributed among devotees at the temple. Apart from priests, people from several communities are involved in animal sacrifice, bhog preparation, distribution and other allied activities during Durga Puja at the temple.