Gadhimai Temple

Gadhimai Temple is a sacred Hindu temple of the sacred goddess of power which is located in Bijayapur village of Bara district of central Nepal. The temple is most famous for Gadhimai festival which is held in every 5 years where the world’s biggest animal sacrifice is conducted in the temple area. The two days of the festival are separated for the Bali (slaughter) of various animals and birds including Buffaloes, goats, pigeons, chicken pigs, and many others. It is believed that Bali of the animals and birds is done for making Gadhimai goddess happy or pleased by the bloodshed of animals.

Gadhimai festival is one of the biggest and significant festivals celebrated in this temple and large values of animals are sacrificed in the premises during this festival. There is a hope of fulfillment of wishes by the goddess by giving Bali to animals as a part of this festival. This ritual has been started with the ceremonial ‘Pancha Bali’ (sacrifice of five animals) of a Rat, a Goat, a Pigeon, a Pig and a Rooster (Chicken). The Bali of animals in this temple was carried out more than two and a half century and it is estimated that about 500,000 animals are sacrificed during this holy festival in 2009. More than 200 men perform the ritual killing over there, where, animals and birds are killed by swords and other sharp-edged weapons. For this festival, the majority of animals are imported from India and devotees also purchase a lot of animals from local farmers too. According to record, around 5 million people visit this temple during this festival which is once celebrated in every 5 years.

However, the ritual killing (Bali) is now banned during this festival from 2015 by India’s Supreme Court against the movement of animals and also request for stopping animal sacrifices during this festival (i.e. Gadhimai Festival) in the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.