Deadly day begins at Gadhimai today

BARA, NOV 28 - The sacrificial ritual at Gadhimai is set to begin in the wee hours of Friday, with hundreds of thousands of people from India and Nepal flocking to Bariyapur to partake in the most crucial day of the once-in-five-years event. Devotees poured into Bariyapur with buffaloes—mostly calves covered in an auspicious red cloth, some even decorated with flowers around their horns—which they handed over to the management authorities to be taken inside a makeshift slaughter field, situated a few hundred metres from the Gadhimai temple. The security around the slaughter field has been tightened with locals and Armed Police blocking people, including journalists, from entering the slaughter area. But they do let insistent ones take a peek into the field from the little holes on the brick wall which grants the views of the buffaloes set to be slaughtered. As of Thursday evening, meat contractor and local politician Sashi Kant Mishra said the number of buffaloes has crossed the 5,000 mark and more are expected to come. “The number of animals will perhaps be fewer compared to last time but not as little as anticipated,” said Mishra, adding that the final count would be known on Friday morning. The sacrifices will start before dawn, after priests perform rituals at the temple. It starts with the sacrifice of a rat, one of the five animals that are offered to appease the Goddess Gadhimai. While the buffaloes are slaughtered on the field, rats, pigeons, hens and goats will be sacrificed in and around the fair premises by devotees themselves. Last month the Indian Supreme Court passed an order restricting the movement of animals from India into Nepal. The Armed Border Force and activists have been patrolling the Nepal-India border to enforce the order, limiting the number of animals that cross the border. Seventy percent of the buffaloes come from India. However, Mishra said many devotees had brought the animals through illegal channels. Indian activists filed an FIR against the Gadhimai Organising committee for encouraging their smuggling. The committee denies the charge. Meanwhile, Nepal’s Supreme Court has asked authorities to carry out “proper management” of the sacrificial ritual. Around 14,000 security personnel have been deployed in the area, along with five animal health check posts set up at each entry point. Local Shanta Ram said, “People come here with faith and you see that Gadhimai fair is a remarkable one. It’s not only about the sacrifice but a moment for people to come together.” A small village—one of many that make up Bara , Bara yapur has been transformed. Thirty-nine-year-old Ram is a horse-cart rider or ‘Tangawala’ for whom business has never been better. In the last 15 days, his daily earning has shot up from Rs300 to 15,000 rupees. Ram and other Tangawalas offer cheaper rides and their drop off point is closer to the temple than that of other vehicles. And where Ram’s business ends, a thousand others begin. Within two kilometres of the main temple, hundreds of shops have sprung up in makeshift tents selling a wide range of things from local sweets to copies of a documentary on Gadhimai. Particularly busy were coconut sellers. Mukesh Kumar came all the way from Bihar to sell coconuts. “It’s a good time for business. But there is so much competition with 10 more shops like mine that sale is not as high as I expected,” he said. Both Ram and Kumar said they would not be sacrificing buffaloes not because they do not believe in sacrifices but because it is costly. They, however, plan to offer hens. “I am not a big fan of sacrifice, but it’s important to thank the goddess,” said Ram.according to ekantipur