Every five years, between November and December, hundreds of thousands, even millions, of Hindus gather at a temple in southeastern Nepal, near the Indian border, for a tradition that evokes both reverence and controversy. It’s known as a “blood festival” due to the vast number of animals sacrificed.
The Gadhimai festival, a religious event held every five years for centuries, involves the sacrifice of thousands of animals—from small creatures like rats and pigeons to larger ones like goats and water buffaloes. Devotees believe this mass sacrifice appeases the Hindu goddess Gadhimai, ensuring prosperity. During the 2019 festival, the Humane Society International (HSI) estimated that as many as 250,000 animals were beheaded.
This large-scale slaughter has drawn increasing criticism, pitting animal welfare advocates against devotees who consider the ritual a vital and inviolable part of Hinduism. The highest courts in both Nepal and India have attempted to intervene, but the killings persist. This year, Nepal’s vice president even participated in the festival, despite activists’ calls for him to abstain.
“Gadhimai is infamous for animal cruelty and human exploitation,” stated Alokparna Sengupta, HSI’s India director, in a recent statement. “It is appalling that the Gadhimai temple committee exploits the hopes and vulnerabilities of impoverished people for profit. The Nepalese government must prevent the exploitation of hundreds of thousands of people and animals in the name of tradition.”
Here’s what you should know about the festival.
Why are animals killed in the festival?
The mass sacrifice originates with Bhagwan Chowdhary, the founder of the Gadhimai temple. In a dream, the powerful goddess Gadhimai appeared to the imprisoned Chowdhary, promising power and prosperity in exchange for a blood sacrifice. While human sacrifice was initially sought, Chowdhary successfully substituted animal blood.
Today, the Gadhimai festival is a month-long observance culminating in the ritualistic animal killings. Animals are even brought from India, and the Nepalese government’s involvement is noteworthy. Reports from 2019 indicate that five animals initiated the mass slaughter, followed by a local shaman offering his own blood, before approximately 200 butchers entered an enclosure containing thousands of animals to be killed.
HSI estimates that 500,000 animals were slaughtered in 2009, a number that decreased to around 250,000 in both 2014 and 2019—including thousands of water buffaloes.
This year, the animal sacrifices are scheduled to begin on December 8.
What has been done to stop the killings?
Activists have long condemned the festival, presenting petitions to Nepalese and Indian courts. Brigitte Bardot, the French actress, even wrote to the Nepalese government, denouncing the killings as “barbaric.” However, the Nepalese government declared in 2009 that it wouldn’t use force to prevent the sacrifices, citing the importance of religious freedom.
In 2014, the Supreme Court of India directed neighboring state governments to restrict the export and transport of animals destined for Gadhimai.
In 2015, temple officials initially announced that the 2019 festival would be bloodless. However, they later clarified that while they could request devotees not to offer animal sacrifices, they couldn’t be forced to refrain, and the tradition couldn’t be banned.
The Supreme Court of Nepal, in a 2016 ruling, instructed the government to begin phasing out and discouraging animal sacrifices. However, this was largely ignored as the killings continued in 2019, leading opponents to file a case against temple officials and the government for violating the court order. “We strongly believe there’s been complete disregard for the court’s verdict by the government for the past five years,” stated Nepalese conservationists who filed the petition. This case remains unresolved.
