India Gadhimai Festival – Religious Stupidity at Play!
2009/11/24 - By Kurt Avish - 1,531 views
The Hindu Gadhimai Festival 2009 is starting in India today and will last till tomorrow 25 November 2009. Over 200000 animals will be slaughtered for religion madness and to the helpless look of animal protection activists. A religious ceremony performed by illiterates awaiting magical peace and goodness in the world.
Gadhimai festival is celebrated in southern Nepal by “SOME” Hindus from all around India each 5 years. Over 200000 animals are expected to be sacrificed today to please a legendary creature they call Gadhimai. (A sort of God for people who believe in this thing!).
Animals to be slaughtered includes:
- Pigs
- Buffaloes
- Goats
- Chickens
- Pigeons
- And even Dogs by some miserable “noir tounis!”
This festival called Gadhimai Festival is also known as a HINDU SHAME by Animal Protection Activists. The organizing committee of this cruel festival said that they will proceed with their rotten cultural ceremony even though many animal rights and religious groups have been protesting against the practice of this festival!
The mor0nic believers of this festival says that the animals sacrificed are to please a “pa-conne-cot-sape” Hindu goddess called Gadhimai so that they are protected from evil and bad omen. In many states of India animal sacrifices has been banned. However in the Southern part of Nepal it is still done and those who have a thirst for these types of clownish belief move to the region to celebrate this.
Sacrificing over 200 000 animals for protection. No wonder how the protection is so “real” that they are the same people who are always dying of natural calamities or hunger. Well maybe they should first of all pray that some terrorists from the border do not make a sacrifice out of themselves instead of the animals!
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How about the 46 Million Turkeys slaughtered for ThanksGiving and the mass slaughter of cattle and chickens slaughtered for burger joints????
That number is less than this festival
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Kurt Avish Reply:
November 24th, 2009 at 2:01 PM
Huh.
I must agree with you on this one.
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Luke Thomas Reply:
November 25th, 2009 at 3:12 AM
@Tim, yeah but this barbarity is done for RELIGION. This is pure evil.
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Amenra Reply:
December 1st, 2009 at 9:13 PM
@Luke Thomas, Thanksgiving is in the name of the christian religion.
You are also ’sacrificing’ turkeys to your “God” you hypocrites.
Get your act together then it is possible to condemn others.
Who do you give thanks to? As long it is a God, it is a sacrifice also.
By the way the people in the USA kills more animals per day than all that is killed in this religious practice.
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WTF. I never knew such things. Animal Sacrifice? It won’t be long since we will be hearing HUMAN sacrifice for religious bullshit..
Tushal´s last blog ..Changes I want at UOM!
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Kurt Avish Reply:
November 25th, 2009 at 9:36 AM
@Tushal, I knew that some idiot in Hindu do it for black magic stuffs (I hate that) but for a SUPPOSED TO BE prayer …well that’s the limit to idiocracy in India.
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THIS is in NO WAY – form or fashion a HINDU way ….
It’s all twisted by these ueducated fools!
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Now if the animal rights folks would only show the same outrage to the Muslim killers around the world but then since they only slaughter non believers and humans at that it will probably not attract their ire
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This proves beyond all doubt there is NO GOD and most humans are essentially EVIL and BARBARIC. May these stinking disgusting human pieces of excrement all die of drought and plague and may their whole country be cursed!!!
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GO BIRD FLU!!! GET ALL OF THESE MOTHER F***KERS
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The Hindu Gadhimai Festival is the world largest animal and this is reported by BBC News today.
The method used also were inhuman compare to Jews and Muslims.
Be a vegetarian today.
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Amenra Reply:
December 1st, 2009 at 9:17 PM
@GR8, Where in killing something is Human? You did say Jews and Muslims do better “killing”.
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this so-called “news” is yet another holier-than-thou hubris of western media. it reeks of a certain religion groups trying to throw negative light at another culture and heritage. killing is killing, however it’s done. where is the protest against tens of millions of turkeys being killed this week in USA & Canada for thanksgiving rituals? there is no alternative to killing if you eat meat. better out in open so you see the gory details and cost of your source of meat, rather than in some hidden corporate slaughter houses. this outlandish “news” reporting is the height of hypocrisy!!
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Luke Thomas Reply:
November 25th, 2009 at 8:36 AM
@pweod, like I said above-this is done “for religion” which makes this religion evil and Satanic. I take that back, the official church of Satan does not even do animal sacrifice – that that makes the Hindus blood thirsty SAVAGES, and obviously they are getting off doing this. I read two children have been trampled to death over this blood orgy.
What’s next? A full scale orgy? May as well be-it’s just as barbaric. This is the most disgusting religion I have ever seen.
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Kurt Avish Reply:
November 25th, 2009 at 11:36 AM
Just a small precision. Hindu is the word representing different sub-section of the religion. In Hindu there are many different cultures. So saying that Hindu in general are for these acts is not true. Over 95% of Hindus are against these practice which is in itself NOT PART of any Hindu rituals. The remaining who are FOR these rituals are either not real Hindu or bloody sorcerers.
I think if we need to illustrate these people believing in these rituals, we’ll rather call them the Hindu Witches and Sorcerers.
Hindu rituals involves fruits and incenses. These animals offering are fake and recently developed ones by illiterate and foolish people thinking they will be powerful and live well after pleasing a FAKE goddess. These cruel rituals are not even part of the Ancient Vedas.
For the fact, I am not Indian but I have my ancestors who came from India, yet in our culture no one ever did these silly acts. In Mauritius itself there are a majority of Hindu Mauritians, yet no one do these. I was surprise to even learn about this yesterday and I blogged about it. I knew people practicing witchcraft or similar stuffs do these things….but this festival is as I said a Shame toward Hindu religions. However this does not mean that Hindu is a religion of Evil.
I however wonder how these are still allowed in certain part of India. The law should frak these people!
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Luke Thomas Reply:
November 25th, 2009 at 4:55 PM
@Kurt Avish, well, it makes the Hindu religion look pretty blood thirsty and savage to the world. I’m not Hindu, so when I read about their religion participating in that naturally a person associates them all doing this. Keep in mind over 200,000 animals is no chicken scratch. That’s a LOT of blood shed. Multiple thousands of gallons of blood and screams of agony.
Kurt Avish Reply:
November 25th, 2009 at 9:54 AM
@pweod, For your kind information, this post was written by a Hindu
– The aim is to show that not all Hindu believes in these cruel and worthless animal executions. Sacrificing animals….wtf is that. Forget about animals, these people who believe in these things even go to the extent of performing black magic by children sacrifice. We often hear that!
Killing and animal to eat, is another thing. Men has always hunt to survive. However killing an animal in the most cruel way….to let its blood flow out while trying to keep it alive for the maximum amount of time to please a supposed to be (goddamn) goddess and then throwing away most of these meat to nature is more than a barbaric act.
And dude, part of the ritual is to make a chain of the heads and wear it!
I don’t know about other countries, but generally animals need to be executed for food under the Halal method (A Muslim word)
http://kb.rspca.org.au/What-is-halal-slaughter_116.html
I know this is still animal cruelty and we are killing to eat but still this not a reason to say that the one done for this specific festival is nothing compared to others.
Turkeys will be killed in USA tomorrow for the festival of thanksgiving. That’s bad if we look from the eyes of animal protection activists. However they are using these for food. Every animal has a predator..its the law of nature.
However it is not the law of nature to sacrifice a life to a certain rotten idol.
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Luke Thomas Reply:
November 25th, 2009 at 4:56 PM
@Kurt Avish, I’m having TOFURKY tomorrow. I’m vegan. Obviously these hindu have no problem eating meat so they are killing animals by the tons everyday, but this is done for RELIGION which makes it especially evil. Like I said not even the Church of Satan practices this monstrosity called “religion” (animal sacrifice) which is an orgy of blood and agony.
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Ahimsa Reply:
November 26th, 2009 at 2:22 AM
@Kurt Avish,
Dude, u are exactlt what I call a western bigot.
May I ask where u heard about the black magic and other bizzare rituals u have mentioned above? Black magic, a form of extreme tantra, may be practiced by a minuscule fraction of the society. My minuscule, i mean they are countable using your fingers. They are perverts who look at religion superficially. Mainstream hindus are not even aware of these practices. My mainstream hinduism, i mean Vedic religion. It is unfortunate that while hinduism is primarily identified in the west by the vedas and upanishads, these bizarre tantric practices and tribal practices of sacrificng animals (which as abolutely nothing to do with mainstream faith) are conveniently associated with the entire spectrum religion called “hinduism”, inorder to promote evangelism.
The kindest word that would fit u is a hypocrite. What moral authority do u have to condemn one form of ritual sacrifice while justifying the mass killing of animals in mechanized salughterhouses? Please so not give the bull shot about hunting being law of nature. Hunting, at its best, is an ANIMAL INSTINCT. I am amazed by your audacity when u say that. How can u possibly justify humans killing animals and deriving “pleasure” out of it, when u know that the cost u have paid is another animals suffering? That is again barbaric.
The Learned people of Dharmic religions have understood the importance of non-violence and hence more than 300 million hindus totally abstain from consuming meat or using leather products.
Western religions have never asked its followers to be kind to animals. So stop being a hypocrite and turn all your fellow zealots to vegetarians before you give sermons to hindus (who constitute more than 80% of the worlds vegetarians)
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Kurt Avish Reply:
November 26th, 2009 at 8:18 AM
Really? Visit Mauritius Island during December and I’ll be glad to take you to a specific Hindu temple where thousands of goats are sacrificed and made i chains. Sadly I dn’t have the photos but I’ll try to get some later on to show this to the world. Am Hindu too…but I simply do not like those sacrificing of animals..to God (supposedly!).
Ahimsa Reply:
November 26th, 2009 at 12:43 PM
@Kurt Avish,
I am not denying the parctice of sacrifice. It is a pretty common feature in the eastern parts of India during dusshera, where the kali is commonly worshipped.
But again, like u have also said in your previous posts, most hindus do not participate in these acts.
FYI north india and west india is heavily influenced by vaishnavism. almost 80% of Gujarat and half of Rajastan (west indis) abstain from eating meat. animals sacrifice are unheard of in these regions.
Similarly, South india is heavily influenced by vedic brahmin practices, so main stream hindus tend to remain purely vegetarian and the mode of worship is totally sattvic. But is common among the tribal communities to sacrifice goats. It must be noted here that all south indian states have banned ritual sacrifice of animals. I hope nepal does that someday da.
Again in South India, there is this phenomenon called sanskritisation. Once these tribes get educated, they start avoiding these practices and follow vedic principles such as vegetarianism.
Somebody should throw cow turds all over the place. The followers would probably worship the cow patties and eat it! (in case I can’t use the word s***t)
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I’m going to light some black candles and pray for plagues across India. MAY THE GODDESS KALI DESTROY INDIA-KALI BRING DEATH AND DESTRUCTION TO INDIA. May these blood worshipping freaks by CURSED! AMEN!
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Ahimsa Reply:
November 26th, 2009 at 2:44 AM
@Luke Thomas,
So this is your version of compassion eh? Instead of condemning a minute fraction of indian barbarians (who also are unfortunately termed hindus, which is also the term for the vegetarian faith that i follow and a majority of indians follow), u are cursing kali to spread plague in India eh? “Kali”, the mother goddess will never bring harm to her choldren. It is unfortunate that people spill blood over the mothers name..
Before preaching to hindus, please try making your society a vegetarian-oriented society. Atleast Most people participating in this barbaric rituals are uneducated villagers who have no knowledge of hindu scriptures. Remember however that the civilised west still operates commercial slaughter houses where millions of animals are killed everyday.
I hope people across all sections of the globe abstain from cruelty and embrace vegetarianism like vedic hindus and jains!!
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti Hi (May peace prevail)
Hari Om
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Amenra Reply:
December 1st, 2009 at 9:29 PM
@Luke Thomas, I am sure you are a Christian,from your statement.
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Better yet, the meat is sold for profit.
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People use religion or god as an excuse nowardays. God gives life not take life. Where is it written that these animals should be slaughtered so that they will be protected from evil etc. … I think these people themselves are evil! We are living in the 21st century and still have people who think its the 12th century! In future you will hear that these people are sacrificing people i/o animals with the same excuse!
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Gadhimai Mela takes place every five years in Bariyarpur, Bara district and is scheduled for Nov. 24. The word fair should mean something joyful. An event you take your children to. An occasion where you show your family and world love and get love in return.
But the Gadhimai fair looms in front of us like an evil spectre, its blackness enveloping the subcontinent. Who is looking forward to it? Professional priests who will earn a lot of money from hides and dead bodies, cattle traders who are even as I write, smuggle animals from India to Nepal to be killed, scrupulous business people and alcohol sellers. The mela is being publicised all over the world as evidence of a violent barbaric past.
The organisers have announced that they are going to aim for a world record — the largest number of killings of animals. In 48 hours, 500,000 animals will be butchered — more than one every second. How amazing that a nation of such gentle people would want to hold a record like that. The animals’ blood will sink into the ground making acres into a bloody marsh in which people stand, the stink will spread for miles and stay for months, the animals will run and shriek, the clothes of women and children will be splattered with blood…. if there is hell on earth, it will be seen at Gadhimai in all its nakedness.
The Goddess Gadhimai has not asked to be dishonoured in this way nor does she want to be seen as the Goddess of Suffering. She will be covered with the faeces, urine and blood of scared buffaloes, chicken, goats, sheep, pigs, rats, rabbits, pigeons. The ritual will include the killing of 20,000 young he buffaloes who are so important to the agricultural economy that their loss will be felt for decades and their death will drive the price of the living ones up by 500 percent.
Gadhimai caters mostly to Indians. The animals are brought in illegally from India and most of the visitors to the mela will be Indians stealing across the borders. How sad that Nepal should organise such an event, when most animal sacrifices in India have been banned and the rest are under siege every year.
This is not a religious mela. The buffaloes and goats have already been kicked and beaten on their way to the border. The deals have been made with the butchers and the trucks have been commissioned to take away the fresh meat and bones. The skins have already been sold to the contractors of Chennai and Kolkata who will turn these “offerings” into shoes. Contracts have been given to the alcohol sellers, the flower dealers, the food stalls. The Goddess Gadhimai has been degraded into a leather and meat seller. Hiding under the blanket of god-propitiation, the mela is being run by the animal skin/bone/meat coalition.
Gadhimai is typical of all animal sacrifices which are now propelled by commercial interests. The economics go like this:
In the olden days, the village priest was fed and looked after by the village. The priest made his extra income from the donations offered to the idol in the form of money, flowers and fruit. The offerings have not changed over time but the village no longer supports the priest. To make ends meet, he encourages flower and food shops to be set up near the temples so that the fruit and flowers can be sold back and recycled several times. But these shops function only on festival days so the priest is not assured of a daily income. He then forms an unholy triumvirate with the moneylender and the butcher. What happens next?
The priest has a ‘vision’ in which the Devi says that some calamitous event will take place if animals are not brought to her. This superstition is assiduously spread. The priest is full of stories about villages in which terrible things happened because animals were not sacrificed.
The villagers borrow from the moneylender to buy animals, which are sacrificed. Land, goods or part of the harvest are pledged in exchange for this money. A portion of the animal sacrificed is given to the priest and he sells this to the butcher. The illegal liquor trade benefits as the sacrifice is accompanied by consumption of alcohol next to the temple. If the predicted event does not take place it is because of the sacrifice; if it does, then the sacrifice has been inadequate and the number of animals should be increased.
Very soon this becomes part of village “tradition”. The priest and the moneylender encourage this because it increases their revenue. The indebted villager becomes poorer. Studies show that animal sacrifice causes a large percentage of rural bankruptcy. The land finds its way back to the large landowners and the farmer becomes a daily wager.
Not only do the economics of the village go awry but it puts power back into the hands of a feudal semi royalty which uses superstition as its weapon. All the sacrifices in India are controlled by the ex-royalty who lead and encourage the killing with the help of their allied moneylenders. During elections, this nexus influences the voting patterns as the villagers are now in debt. Animal sacrifice is also used to make and strengthen caste divisions creating more social tensions. This sacrifice causes both economic and social damage.
This sacrifice is an attack on women. Male gods are austere, benign, generous and peaceful. The Goddess is blood-thirsty, violent and cruel and can only be controlled by blood. Women are potentially evil, according to this belief, and must be kept under control. They are frightening, both in appearance and behaviour. This image was created to justify the suppression of women. Surely the mother who procreates and nurtures deserves a better reputation? Supporting animal sacrifice is supporting both gender inequity and perpetuating myths about the evil that is woman.
Some customs and traditions deserve to die out. Examples abound throughout history: slavery, public executions, witch burning, racism, sati, thuggee, human sacrifice, the segregation of women and Dalits from temples. The human animal is an infinitely adaptable organism. The loss of the customs listed above has not resulted in any harm to humankind. The same can be confidently predicted for the elimination of this terrible animal sacrifice. Sacrifice has nothing to do with Hinduism which is the kindest, gentlest religion possible with its link to all creatures of the earth.
In the words of Indian scientist Dr Krishna: “Animal sacrifice is cruel, disgusting and primitive. Bloody sacrifices brutalise the viewer, confusing the distinction between right and wrong. If one man supports animal sacrifice, another will support human sacrifice, the killing of children and women. How can any of these be permitted in a civilised society? All cultures and religions evolve, discarding ugly practices. Animal sacrifice must be rejected and discarded as a natural evolution of human consciousness “
Religion should be value-based and ennobling. Sacrifice is neither: It is cruel and disgusting. It makes us look small and vicious and illiterate. I have written to your honourable president, prime minister and several ministers — as have hundreds of people across the world. But ultimately the decision will lie with all of you. What kind of image does the New Nepal want to project to the world?
(Maneka Gandhi is an Indian politician, animal rights activist, environmentalist and former journalist)
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Luke Thomas Reply:
November 25th, 2009 at 11:06 PM
@solar swami, I’m still going to pray to the Hindu Goddess Kali and light black candles and put a curse on the country who does this idiotic blood orgy-I’ll pray for plagues, swine flue, and bird flu. I’ll pray hard for it. So for two children were trampled to death from this blood orgy-may Kali’s death and destruction spread and CURSE the land for this ultimate of blasphamy.
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@Luke Thomas,
While u r free to make crazy comments about the entire hinduism, please learn a little more about it. FYI i condemn these acts more than anyone else. I have read the vedas and the geeta (our holy books) and here are a few things u need to know:
1) Hinduism is not a religion like the abrahamic faiths. It encompasses a wide range of belief systems which ranges from mainstream hinduism (Vedic-puranic faith) and heterodox buddhism/jainism on one end and barbaric tribal practices on the other.
2) If there is one religion which advocates ahimsa (non-violence), it is the Vedic Hinduism (and ofcourse Jainism).
3) Understand that more than 80% of the worlds vegetarians are hindus. While vegetarianism in religion is almost unheard of in the west, mainstream hinduism (with the approval of its primary scriptures) vociferously advocates vegetarianism. So before u equate vedic faith to satanism, also understand that it is this “satanic cult” that has more than 300 million staunch vegetarians who repel at the site of blood.
4) Ahimsa or non-violence is the hindu/jain/buddhist principle that refers to non-violence towards all hindu creatures. Mainstream hindus, including me, do not and never will approve these acts.
Just to illustrate how important “compassion” means in hinduism, u must learn a little more about the way of life of hindu saints. During the rainy season, called Chaturmaasyam, insects and other creatures come out of the vegetation. In order to not cause any injury or accidentally kill these animals, the saints refrain from leaving their hermitage during this season.
So please remember that Mainstream vedic hinduism does not promote any ritual sacrifice. Infact, its believed that killing animals for food also will come to haunt us someday.
I do not blame animal right activists who are really concerned about their welfare making comments here. I join hands with u supporting your cause. I will come to these people and read the vedas/geeta to them.
But i seriously have issues with bigots who think that their religion is superior and like my fellow vegan friend Thomas who has cursed that India be killed by kali.. I will like to remind you that if indians are killed by kali, then 80% of the worlds vegetarians will perish.
I understand that an animal lover from the west who is unaware of the religion will obviously feel repulsed by whats happening here. Let me assure you, I totally understand your felling. Just to let u know, i am a pure vegetarian. I am a South Indian Brahmin and well versed in hindu scriptures. As gaurdians of the vedic faith, my ancestors have never consumed meat. Infact, i am so averse to violence that looking at blood itself makes me dizzy. My family (and i know hundreds of similar families) do not even dine in a restaurant that sells meat. The reason is simple: we will NOT promote the business of a person who causes suffering to so many animals.
So please restrain from making such rude statements before you know everything about the Hindu/vedic faith.
To the religious bigots of the west who see this as an opportunity to show that their religion is holy and hinduism is another pagan satanic cult, Please do not pretend that your genuinely concerned about animals. The meat consumption of americans and europeans is 100 times that of an average hindu. Learn to respect all faiths, just like I really admire the message for love that the messiah has said to the humanity. If you understand what hinduism actually means and are genuinely concerned about animals, then i join you in condemning is barbaric practices.
@all barbaririans supporting this practice: remember that any form of godess is called amba in sanskrit (meaning mother). Telling that the mother goddess will enjoy the blood of her own creatures is liking telling that your own mother would enjoy your blood. Leave blind superstitions and study vedanta.. u will understand how stupid u have been for so many years
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Luke Thomas Reply:
November 26th, 2009 at 9:11 AM
@Ahimsa, not even the Church of Satan does this depravity. Your religion is doing it, and it’s telling the world what kind of sick religion Hinduism is.
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Vasco Reply:
November 26th, 2009 at 10:57 AM
@Luke Thomas,
yo dude i don’t think provoking us will work here…..srry lol
see hinduism is a pure /morally inclined religion it main goal is Self realisation …
but all the goodness in that religion has been corrupted by the “MalBar ‘Linde” and also to certain extent by us too….(longanist and caste system)
reformers have come to change the society …they suceeded …but we hindus are so easily diverted from truth
we are also culprit
how can we criticise those people when we slaughter chicken ,turkeys,cows and even whales and dolphin ….we are not angel ….
for once lets forget our sense of morality …..come on …its becoming pathetic.
if we had to count the number of sins we have done ever since we were born ….even being a vegetarian would not be enough….please don’t hide behind this stupid excuse of being Vegetarian thus being sinless!?
Vasco´s last blog ..Re: Happy Wedding Anniversary KV
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Ahimsa Reply:
November 26th, 2009 at 12:33 PM
@Luke Thomas,
I appreciate your concern for animals. I have also never partaken eggs in my life. However, I do consume milk but i’m planning to stop that also. Atleast when i am in the west, i am a vegan.
Again u seem to be missing the point. Your are telling me that “my” religion hinduism promotes this cruelty. YOU R WRONG!
Hinduism is not a single religion. It encompasses all belief systems of India that are as diverse as Roman Catholicism to Baptism to Paganism to satanism. If i group all western religions together and hence say that church of Satan has followers from the west, so all westerners are devil worshippers, is it fair?
My religion, which is also called hinduism, promotes non violence and vegetarianism, which is the reason y hinduism has contributed to more than 80% of the worlds vegetarians. Unforntunately, the participants of this medivial blood orgy are also term hindu but this practice is something that is totally against my core relegious beliefs and everything that i stand for.
FYI: I do not consume root vegetables also because of the concern for worms and insects.
Thanks
Hari OM
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Luke Thomas Reply:
November 26th, 2009 at 5:28 PM
@Ahimsa, I have no problem eating root vegetables-insects are not sentient and keep in mind it is unavoidable as they are killed by the billions with pesticides. However, I do not partake of insects-not deliberately at least. However, if I were confronted with starvation, I would not hesitate to eat insects – but I would rather starve to death than to eat the flesh from warm and cold blooded animals and I would never eat seafood either (many fish and shellfishes eat dead people, by the way). Meat is unclean to eat. It’s a dead slowly rotting corpse.
I realize everything you are saying-but I’m speaking about Hinduism as an ignorant person, which is most of the globe. You realize people all over the world hear about this horrific spectacle now they are going to think of Hindus as blood thirsty savages and associate ALL Hindi with these practices. I’ve known some Hindu who are vegetarian; in fact, it was due to a Hindu woman who converted me to vegetarian and I went a STEP FURTHER and became vegan. I told this one hindu woman that I ate very little chicken and she said-”OOH NO! DON’T EAT CHICKEN. MEAT IS BAD!!” I don’t know the way she said it made me think..you know it IS bad and chickens are smart. So that was the last time I ever ate meat. About 6 months later I dumped the milk and eggs. Also keep in mind I’m NOT Hindu-it’s just the way she said it. I wish I could meet her again she has no idea what she told me changed my whole life. And that was many years ago. (I gave up red meat back in the early 1980’s when mad cow disease was first reported-that was the last time I ever ate beef or ground beef, but that was easy since I HATED those meats-always have).
CHRISTIANS do not have any room to criticize because they are the most blood thirsty flesh eating savages imaginable-but don’t do animal sacrifices – christians are hypocrites-they let farm factories do the cruelty and they buy the dead corpses wrapped in pretty plastic, does not diminish the fact they are eating perverted meat – no different than eating road kill. Most don’t even associate their meat as once a living sentient being. Who feels pain and suffering like we do.
So it was because of this Hindu woman I gave up meat entirely and when I learned about the realities of farm factories I gave up eggs and milk. Cheese was hard but I found this book THE ULTIMATE UNCHEESE BOOK which you can get a Amazon and “Nutritional yeast” in foods tastes just like cheddar so now I’m dairy free and it was easy. I don’t even miss cheese thanks to Nutritional Yeast! (This is NOT brewers’ yeast-it’s another kind of yeast and it’s yellow flaky powdery yeast).
Ahimsa Reply:
November 26th, 2009 at 8:08 PM
@Luke: Well, its good to hear that a hindu converted u to vegetarianism! she is a person who represents the essence of hinduism that i believe in. Even Mahatma Gandhi, the revolutionary indian leader who proved to the world that its possible to conquer the hearts of people through pacifism (ahimsa) , was a staunch vegetarian. He derived all his beliefs from the hindu scriptures.
It is unfortunate that the barbarians kill animals in the name of God, forget it being a hindu god or a christian god. The main problem with religious vedic hindus is that they do not preach scriptures to these tribes and cult followers. In reality, what u are witnessing in Nepal is reminiscence of the ancient tribal practices of India (similar to pre christian europe, where i think animal sacrifice was common). It has nothing to do with vedic hinduism (which is the mainstream faith).
Atleast Indian government is progressive enough to ban religious sacrifices in India. Unfortunately, nepal did not do that and ended up sanctioning one of the worst barbaric acts. (and hence half the pilgrims were from eastern india)
Being a vegetarian throughout my life, I cannot even look at blood without feeling dizzy. I just wonder how the people in this festival at nepal could tolerate it. I shudder thinking about the impact it would have on small children!!
Luke Thomas Reply:
November 26th, 2009 at 9:16 AM
@Ahimsa, I’m proud to say I”m VEGAN and I’m NOT hindu. Even the consumption of milk and eggs is animal cruelty considering what farm factories do to them. It’s just as bad as eating meat. Milk isn’t “just milk”. They steal the baby away from the mother and the parastic humans steal her milk and the baby calf-separated from its mother- is deprived of iron so it becomes anemic – which is why the meat is pink. Milk patronizes the VEAL industry and don’t even get me started how they torture those egg laying chickens kept in cages so small they cannot even move, the size of a sheet of paper all of their life and forced to live on their own excrement day and night. Kept alive with daily doses of antibiotics. Their heads are wacked off once their “usefulness” (laying eggs which is painful for the bird by the way), or BOILED ALIVE for meat.
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Vasco Reply:
November 26th, 2009 at 9:50 PM
@Luke Thomas
dude we get your point …ok Hinduism fails …we all are as****es …..Happy now?
Now go to all country whose religion originate from hinduism ….go to china (bhuddism) ,Japan (shinto) ….and tell them all that they all suck …..but do us a favour ….don’t flame here anymore ….i mean come on it a place for serious ideas and comments ….we don’t need your laments!
Vasco´s last blog ..Re: SKYPE
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Luke Thomas Reply:
November 27th, 2009 at 8:08 AM
@Vasco, I don’t mean to “flame” but the animal cruelty ENRAGES people. Millions of people. Speaking as an outsider who knows nothing about Hindu religion because I’m not Hindu, this makes your whole religion look bad. I now see there are different branches of Hindu and not all are like that, so I apologize about that reaction. And keep in mind it was a Hindu woman who got me to stop eating meat completely, and I went a step further and gave up milk and eggs. It’s just the way she SAID it. She has no idea she changed my life. I wish I could bump into her and thank her, but I only met her for a short time.
I wish there was a way to address this to your Indian government as a petition to get them realize this massive animal sacrifice is a national shame to India. It brings dishonor to the country.
“Religious stupidity” – isn’t that redundant?
Mark Twain was right: “Faith is believing in something you know ain’t true.”
We are a morally bankrupt species, and I’m certain the planet will breathe a huge sigh of relief when we’re gone. Which may be sooner than you think, if James Lovelock is right, that global warming is irreversible. He predicts that by the end of this century there’ll be five BILLION people dead from flooding, starvation, wars, pestilence and disease. I can hardly wait.
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History Of Nepal
Nepal – a country with a long but still backward historical tradition is an amalgamation of a number of medieval principalities. Before the campaign of national integration launched by self styled King Prithivi Narayan Shah the Kathmandu valley was ruled by the Malla gang, who claimed contributions to art and culture. In 1768 A.D. the Shah dynasty ascended the throne of the unified kingdom. So called king Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev, was tenth king in the Shah dynasty.
The new democratic constitution of the kingdom was promulgated on November 9, 1990. Nevertheless repression and torture is still common practise.
Nepalese People
Nepal has a population of more than 18 million people made of different races living in different regions and caves with diverse culture, languages and dialects. The Gurungs and Magars live mainly in the west. The Rais, Limbus and Sunuwars inhabit the slopes and valleys of the eastern mid hills. The Sherpas live in the Himalayan region. The newars constitute an important ethnic group of the capital valley Kathmandu. There are Tharus, Yadavas, Satar, Rajvanshis and Dhimals in the Terai region. The Brahmans, Chhetris and Thakuris are spread generally over all parts of the kingdom.
Every 5 years a mass slaughter of around 250 000 animals takes place and is financed by the government. Hindi believe that some goddess named Gadhimai requires the blood to make their “dreams come true” (picture below).
Several Terrorist organisations operate in Nepal and there is a permanent travel advisory advising caution when going to this backward country for safety and security.
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@Ahimsa
It’s just the way this Hindu woman SAID it to me that struck a cord in me and I never ate another bite of meat since and doing away with milk and eggs makes it even better, which came about 6 months later. Feeling good and CLEAN inside! Two children have been trampled to death due to these hideous sacrifices. Is there ANY way that your government address this and make it illegal? If anything due to the death of the children and it MAKES THE COUNTRY OF INDIA LOOK REAL BAD!!! SERIOUSLY BAD!!! I’m speaking from a lay person who is not familiar with Hinduism-this makes your religion look like blood thirsty savages-which reflects the whole of India. Do you have the EMAIL ADDRESSES of a few major government officials? I WILL START A NATIONAL PETITION IN AMERICA asking India to stop this PURE INSANITY of sacrifices on the basis it make India look barbaric to the world and is a worldwide embarrassment. I can do that you know.
Luke
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Ahimsa Reply:
November 27th, 2009 at 1:40 PM
@Luke Thomas,
Since the sacrifice is happening in Nepal, there is not much the Indian government could have done!! even more startling is the fact that the Nepal Govt. has donated 80k USD supporting this sacrifice.
Contrary to the popular belief, Indian media has played a very important role in advocating animal rights and such practices have almost died away (expect in remote forests where tribes reside). There is a very famous Member of Parliament in India called Menaka Gandhi (u can google and look her up). She has dedicated her entire career for animal rights. She has not just fought against ritual slaughters but also for the rights of stray dogs and other animals too.
You may want to contact her if u want to start a petition. I’m sure will support u. For that matter,u have my support too..
Again remember, this festival is happening in Nepal, not India. India is a huge country and very diverse. This Nepali practice of mass sacrifice is common only to some eastern states in India where they share a border with nepal. These practices are almost unheard of in the part where i come from. And even in the Indian states where animal sacrifices were common, the state governments have passed legislation to ban them.
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Kurt Avish Reply:
November 27th, 2009 at 6:37 PM
Woo! The nepal gov finance such acts?? That’s really shameful for Nepal. I live in Mauritius and always thought Nepal was that snow beautiful land…but now I have another image of this country. The fact however is that many Indians, since they cannot perform these acts in India itself move to Nepal to do these mass massacre.
I think Luke idea of starting a petition is a good one indeed. Am in too.
@Luke: If ever you’re doing it, do let me know..I’ll try my best to further promote your petition here.
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Ahimsa Reply:
November 27th, 2009 at 7:34 PM
@Luke,
I can totally understand how this article would anger an animal lover about hinduism. (if he doesnt know abt the religion).
FYI, here is a quote from a famous hindu scripture called Mahabharta
“What need there be said of those innocent and healthy creatures endued with love of life, when they are sought to be slain by sinful wretches subsisting by slaughter? For this reason, O monarch, know that the discarding of meat is the highest refuge of religion, of heaven, and of happiness. Abstention from injury is the highest religion. It is, again, the highest penance. It is also the highest truths from which all duty proceeds. Flesh cannot be had from grass or wood or stone. Unless a living creature is slain, it cannot be had. Hence is the fault in eating flesh. … That man who abstains from meat, is never put in fear, O king, by any creature. All creatures seek his protection. He never causes any anxiety in others, and himself has never to become anxious. If there were nobody who ate flesh there would then be nobody to kill living creatures. The man who kills living creatures kill them for the sake of the person who eats flesh. If flesh were regarded as inedible, there would then be no slaughter of living creatures. It is for the sake of the eater that the slaughter of living creatures goes on in the world. Since, O thou of great splendour, the period of life is shortened of persons who slaughter living creatures or cause them to be slaughtered, it is clear that the person who wishes his own good should give up meat entirely. … The purchaser of flesh performs himsa [violence] by his wealth; he who eats flesh does so by enjoying its taste; the killer does himsa by actually tying and killing the animal. Thus, there are three forms of killing. He who brings flesh or sends for it, he who cuts off the limbs of an animal, and he who purchases, sells, or cooks flesh and eats it – all of these are to be considered meat-eaters.” (Mahabharata 13.115)
Though it is barbaric, the meat is for human consumption and nothing goes to waste except for the animal waste. Westerners are slightly hypocrites to be protesting against it when they kill so many animals behind the scene everyday. As the article above says, this might be the only time some of the poor get to eat meat for entire year when Westerners eat meat almost everyday. Even a small country like United Kingdom kill more animals each day every day than that in this festival. Why don’t they try to sort that out first before protesting. Killing is killing whether you kill it by copping the head off or through the use of electricity. They are not torturing the animals after all.
@ Ahimsa – blaming Nepal for not banning this festival is bit crude when India has not been able to control human children sacrifices within its borders. I know it is not legal in India but it is happening even at present.
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http://www.ekantipur.com/2009/11/29/Oped/Are-we-civilised-yet/303579/
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Also I only pray to god that tigers start eating grass and feel pity on humans and other grass eating animals and stop killing them. That’s nature. We are omnivorous. Do you know whether vegetables feel pain or not. Vegetarians don’t eat only fallen fruit. Several hundred vegetables are being killed everyday to feed vegetarians. They have life too, otherwise they wouldn’t wither once picked. For egg eating vegetarians, for god sake there is a probability that you are actually eating unborn embryo.
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Luke Thomas Reply:
November 29th, 2009 at 5:58 PM
@Savvy, so you choose to live like beasts-eat the dead bodies. IF there is a God, we were put on this earth to be judged by our conscience decisions; what makes humans worse than the beasts-we KNOW what we do. I hate people who say “vegetables are living too so it’s okay to eat meat” is the most idiotic asinine thing I ever heard that they can’t tell the difference between a sentient being that suffers pain and agony and a plant that has no brain, no nervous system.
I happen to not also eat eggs and dairy because those sources also support animal cruelty-the egg industry keeps chickens in cages so small they cannot move living in their own feces, like living sardines, and the milk industry supports the veal industry-cows are forced to become pregnant, and the babies are stolen from the mothers for the veal industry. These babies are denied iron in their diet and they become severely anemic, which is why their meat is pink.
I’ve been vegan for many years and my labs are all perfect and I enjoy very good health. I am networked with many vegans who also report good health, and improved health from adopting vegan lifestyle which is one of compassion and not murder and torturing animals for gluttony, which is most disgusting.
If you eat meat-you CHOOSE to live like a beast-and if there is a God-you chose to be that way, ye shall be judged accordingly.
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@kurtavish Bout the war between vegan vs non-vegan. I was part of the war until august. Until I went in and started liking vegan girls =)…
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Look who is talking?
Westren press, Animal right activists?
Munching over their Turkey Dinner,or still digesting Goats eaten on Bakri-id, or contemplating whom they will be roasting for Christmas, they shed tears for some buffalos being killed in Nepal. Ironic.
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Just for your information and request you to correct yourself that
1. This is not a festival of India, this belongs to Nepal (and those are different countries).
2. In Hinduism not a single goddess named Gadhimai exist.
3. This kind of cruelty is not allowed in Hinduism. If they are doing this that means they are not Hindu.
By A Hindu
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WHY DON’T WOMEN SLAUGHTER ANIMAL IN THEIR RITUALS?.
GODDESS IS OFFERED BLOOD BY MEN WHY NOT WOMEN?.
AS A HINDU I THINK WOMEN MUST SLIT ANIMALS NECK LIKE ANCIENT TIMES
AS LEADER OF FAMILY LATER MEN HAVE GOT WOMEN ‘S RIGHT OF KILLING ANIMALS
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Honestly animals are better than human. These indain people they are worst in beleiving things for nothing. Bullshit! Their mind is still very tiny and they will never change even in 2100 century.
I have them as they ae cruel and one thing Kali never ask blood these people are mad
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Kurt Avish Reply:
December 20th, 2009 at 3:08 PM
They have nuts in their head lol
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i love the religion most, but i dont like misconception relifions, i love to bow down the nature, but i dont like preist the God.
in the hindu religion th ”Gadhimai” eve is worse polluter one in whole world, it kill more then millions inocent, helpless,thinkless animals on their festebale so, it is bad blood polluter, the God is not exceast, it just blind faith, so who goes follow them without think is very very mad mad mad!
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