Hindustan Times report on Gadhimai: theft and general lawlessness exacerbated situation

[Guest guest]

The press has kept the issue in focus. However I reiterate please do write

to the Reader's Editors(where they exist), from my experience it makes a

huge difference. The biggest media firms are taking this seriously and it is

a very positive development : never underestimate the intelligence of your

audience or the public. Every single letter will count.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/The-killing-fields-of-Gadhimai/H1-Article1-480275.\

aspx

Sacrifices

of another kind at Gadhimai ‘killing field’ Do buffaloes jump like headless

chickens once their heads are severed?

 

Well, they don’t. They just fall on the ground as jets of blood rush out

with their last remaining breaths. But the scene is as gory if not gorier.

 

I am not fainthearted. I have seen scenes of ruthless murders by ‘criminal

tribes’ and witnessed dozens of ‘sleeping bodies’ after lives were snuffed

out from them at a New Delhi movie hall and many more.

 

But nothing could have prepared my strong eyes to what I witnessed at the

Gadhimai Mela in Nepal.

 

Nearly 300 authorised slaughterers — some in high ‘sprits’ — swinging

khukhris, machetes and scimitars sacrificing nearly 25,000 buffaloes right

in front of my eyes in less than two hours on a foggy Tuesday morning.

 

I was aware that it would happen. But it was not until a tipsy slaughterer

struck down a young calf in one swing of his khukhri barely 10 feet away

from me that I fled to escape getting covered with blood.

 

And as I remained rooted in the bamboo barricade made inside the walled

enclosure where the animals were kept, the killings continued. The presence

of a large posse of photo-journalists from across the globe made the

slaughterers try the perfect swing for the cameras.

 

The smell of raw blood was nauseating and as I saw my peers clicking, I

missed my new digital camera. For the record, it was taken by an

enterprising devotee to the fair (without my permission).

 

Another braveheart had snatched my gold chain minutes earlier when I was

paying my respects to Goddess Gadhimai. Maybe I should have offered a

pumpkin or bitter gourd to the goddess to escape such personal sacrifices in

the line of duty.

 

Since I was breathing easily now, I also remembered the ‘near death’

experience courtesy a mini-stampede in the midst of a million strong sea of

humanity while I was trying to make my way to the temple in dense fog.

 

Shouts of Jai Ghadhimai Ki brought me back to my senses. In the meantime,

the slaughterers had completed nearly half of their task. It took them 30

minutes more to complete the day’s job.

 

Since people are authorised to offer sacrifice within a five-kilometre

radius of the temple, hundreds of goats were slaughtered on open fields.

 

Similar scenes were witnessed on Wednesday, but it was the turn of goats,

roosters, pigeons — some say nearly 500,000 were killed to fulfill the

wishes of millions of devotees.

 

As I made my way back, random thoughts like how much money will the temple

committee earn by selling the buffalo skins and meat to highest bidders and

what happened to the animal lovers who did their duty by writing letters to

the government cluttered my mind.

 

The blaring of loudspeakers with mothers screaming for their lost sons and

the rising dust from millions of feet added to the surreal experience. And

again for the record, headless chickens do jump around. I saw them at

Gadhimai Mela.

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

A gory slideshow was just posted here from Lucia and team who went down, in

case one needs visuals...

http://web.me.com/studiosphoenix/Animal_Nepal_Photo_Gallery/Animal_Nepal_Photo_E\

ssays/Pages/Gadhimai_Massacre_09_Album.html

Thx,

Jigs

 

 

 

 

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 11:28:56 +0530

AAPN List <aapn >

Hindustan Times report on Gadhimai: theft and general

lawlessness exacerbated situation

 

The press has kept the issue in focus. However I reiterate please do write

to the Reader's Editors(where they exist), from my experience it makes a

huge difference. The biggest media firms are taking this seriously and it is

a very positive development : never underestimate the intelligence of your

audience or the public. Every single letter will count.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/The-killing-fields-of-Gadhimai/H1-Article1-480

275.aspx

Sacrifices

of another kind at Gadhimai Œkilling field‚ Do buffaloes jump like headless

chickens once their heads are severed?

 

Well, they don‚t. They just fall on the ground as jets of blood rush out

with their last remaining breaths. But the scene is as gory if not gorier.

 

I am not fainthearted. I have seen scenes of ruthless murders by Å’criminal

tribes‚ and witnessed dozens of Œsleeping bodies‚ after lives were snuffed

out from them at a New Delhi movie hall and many more.

 

But nothing could have prepared my strong eyes to what I witnessed at the

Gadhimai Mela in Nepal.

 

Nearly 300 authorised slaughterers ˜ some in high Œsprits‚ ˜ swinging

khukhris, machetes and scimitars sacrificing nearly 25,000 buffaloes right

in front of my eyes in less than two hours on a foggy Tuesday morning.

 

I was aware that it would happen. But it was not until a tipsy slaughterer

struck down a young calf in one swing of his khukhri barely 10 feet away

from me that I fled to escape getting covered with blood.

 

And as I remained rooted in the bamboo barricade made inside the walled

enclosure where the animals were kept, the killings continued. The presence

of a large posse of photo-journalists from across the globe made the

slaughterers try the perfect swing for the cameras.

 

The smell of raw blood was nauseating and as I saw my peers clicking, I

missed my new digital camera. For the record, it was taken by an

enterprising devotee to the fair (without my permission).

 

Another braveheart had snatched my gold chain minutes earlier when I was

paying my respects to Goddess Gadhimai. Maybe I should have offered a

pumpkin or bitter gourd to the goddess to escape such personal sacrifices in

the line of duty.

 

Since I was breathing easily now, I also remembered the Œnear death‚

experience courtesy a mini-stampede in the midst of a million strong sea of

humanity while I was trying to make my way to the temple in dense fog.

 

Shouts of Jai Ghadhimai Ki brought me back to my senses. In the meantime,

the slaughterers had completed nearly half of their task. It took them 30

minutes more to complete the day‚s job.

 

Since people are authorised to offer sacrifice within a five-kilometre

radius of the temple, hundreds of goats were slaughtered on open fields.

 

Similar scenes were witnessed on Wednesday, but it was the turn of goats,

roosters, pigeons ˜ some say nearly 500,000 were killed to fulfill the

wishes of millions of devotees.

 

As I made my way back, random thoughts like how much money will the temple

committee earn by selling the buffalo skins and meat to highest bidders and

what happened to the animal lovers who did their duty by writing letters to

the government cluttered my mind.

 

The blaring of loudspeakers with mothers screaming for their lost sons and

the rising dust from millions of feet added to the surreal experience. And

again for the record, headless chickens do jump around. I saw them at

Gadhimai Mela.