Kendrapara,October22 ( Odisha.in ) Animal sacrifice or ritual killing of the animals was held before the Goddesses Panchabarahi in Satbhaya, under Rajnagar block of Kendrapara district , Orissa.
Though such animal sacrifices were a common phenomenon in different parts of the district, due to severe condemnation by many Hindus, and N.G.O.s , calling this as a barbaric act, and restrictions imposed by Orissa High Court, such sacrifices are quickly disappearing from different parts of the State.
During the Dusserra festival a number of goats,rams and a buffalo were sacrificed to appease the Goddesses, Panchabarahi, the presiding deities of the village, since over past 700 years.
The Goddesses are believed to be protecting the villagers of the locality against natural calamities and diseases.
Before the animals are sacrificed, those are given a sacred bath, put vermilion on its forehead and garland round the neck and then those are sacrificed one after another.
The Hindu way of slaughtering the animal may be less painful than others, as it involves an immediate severing of the whole neck of the animal by one quick stroke of a sword or an axe (otherwise great calamities are believed to befall the sacrificer), rather than slitting of the throat.
The people use to promise for offering goats, rams, buffaloes etc. if their desires are fulfilled by the Goddess. The desires include cure from diseases, getting jobs, marriage of sons or daughters,victory in litigations, panchayat and other elections etc.
The villagers informed Odisha.in , that the first goat offered every year was
supplied by the local police while subsequent goats and rams were offerred by the local people. Earlier according to the tradition the first goat and the buffalowere supplied by the King of Kanika, as Satbhaya village was under his zamindari.
Odisha.in