Blood-blemish tradition.

Ajit nayak, sambalpur (Orissa)

And animal sacrifice continues, Year after years despite the protest of individuals and various social-cultural bodies. Superstition and faith on religious kill thousands of animals every year. The sacred temple becomes red with the blood. When such an inhuman link was established between the deity and blood, no one can say, but it becomes a tradition in our society even today. Sulia Jatra, a festival of Bolangir district of Orissa state celebrates by the tribal people, is an example of such tradition. When other states have banned on this tradition there is no such law in Orissa to end this heinous tradition.

Sulia Jatra, a tribals' festival in Bolangir district is named after their god Sulia. Surrounded with natural beauty and forest the Sulia hillock is just 30 Km from Bolangir head quarter. The remote village Khairguda is located just under the hillock. The village that was quite unknown to the outer world becomes quite famous with in just couple of years only for the Sulia Jatra. Thousands of innocent animals are hacked in the village during festival in the name of tradition. The issue has become a point of debate because of the conflict between the supporters and against groups of the animal sacrifice.

The animal sacrifice during Sulia Jatra in Khairguda is result of a long tradition and faith of the Kandha tribal who offer blood to their presiding deity Sulia for their success and prosperity. 'The tradition is 500 years old tradition' opined Naveen Jagabandhu. Doing research on the cultural tradition of the Kandha tradition of Western Orissa Mr. Jagabandhu said the animal sacrifice is associated with their religious faith. According to him 8 sub castes of Kandha tribal worship Sulia as their presiding deity and on 2nd Tuesday of 'Pousa' month of every year they sacrifice thousands of animals and birds to appease their god. "So this can not be stooped by force" he contented. Only creating awareness among the tribal the bad-tradition can be slowly prevented, he added.

The Bolangir district administration, Sulia Sanskar manch and animal lovers of Orissa have attempted to stop the animal sacrifice since last couple of years. Last year by deploying armed police the administration was partly successful in the efforts. This year also police force was deployed in the spot (Bad Khala) to discourage the tradition but could not save the animals and birds from killing. The devotees and tribal gathered in San Khala (Kumuria village near to Bad khala) and continued their tradition. Thousands of chickens, goats, parrots and buffalos were hacked in the San Khala just in front of the police. The Sulia Sanskar manch, created to give a reformation to the festival was also failed to stop flowing blood during the festival.

But Sulia is not the only example of animal sacrifice in the state of Orissa. There are several temples of goddess (Pitha) in the state where animal sacrifice becomes a tradition to appease the goddess (deity). The Manikeswari pitha in Kalahandi, DakhinKali of puri, Charchika of Banki (Cuttack), Panchu Baraha of Kendrapara, Samaleswari of Sambalpur are few examples where such tradition prevails even today and innocent animals end their lives in the name of religious tradition. Even during Dusheera people and devotees take lives of several animals to appease their god and goddess.

But a number of NGOs have come forward to bring to an end to this age old tradition. According to a survey of a leading NGO 'People for Animal' around 10,000 animals and birds are sacrificed every year in the Orissa and Manikeswari pitha of Kalahandi leads in list with about 5000 followed by The Bhagwati pitha of Banpur, Dakhin Kali of Puri and Charchika pitha of Banki where numbers of animal sacrificed this year. On the other hand though Law is silent over this issue in Orissa, rule 28 of prevention of cruelty to animals act encourages the tradition. According to the act killing of animal for religious purpose is not a crime.

It is only the human being who kills an innocent animal in the name of god and offers blood to the deity basing on superstition and blind faith, but how long. 'When we belief god as creator of universe how he/she be appeased with the blood of its own creation' said Bhagwat Nanda eminent social worker of Sambalpur.