Gadhimai (Where More Than Hundered Thousand Animals Are Sacrified In A Single Day)

The sacred place which looks like a hell. Don't forget to visit there in 2011.


Bariyarpur, Bara: The offering of animal sacrifice at the Gadhimai Temple in Bariyarpur of Bara began from this morning. Thousands of buffaloes, goats, pigs and birds are sacrificed at the temple during the Gadhimai Festival that occurs every five years. The animal sacrifice is considered the biggest animal sacrifice at a single place on a single occasion in the whole Asia.

The offering of animals to the Goddess Gadhimai began after chief priest Mangal Chaudhary and shaman Dukha Kachhadiya performed tantric rituals and offered sacrifice of five different animals including a white mouse to the goddess at midnight.

On the first day of the festival, only buffaloes are sacrificed. The sacrifice of goats and birds will be carried out from Wednesday to Monday, according to Gadhimai Festival Management Committee.

Coordinator of a sub-committee formed to manage the committee Dhiraj Mahato said 18,000 buffaloes are expected to be sacrificed at the temple this time.

The offering of buffalo sacrifice begins after a oil-fed lamp lits up automatically after the tantric rituals at midnight. The sacrifice continues till the lamp puts out. The buffalos that cannot be sacrificed before the lamp puts out are abandoned after cutting off their ears.

The he-buffalo brought from Baneras remains the centre of attraction for all.

Thise devotees who can not offer the sacrifice as per the promise during the festival offer the sacrifices in Maghe Sankranti and Fagu Purnima.






Gadhimai Festival is Nepal’s biggest festival, which is attended by over 7 million people. This year, over 8 million peiple are expected to observe the festival and over 40,000 animals and birds are expected to be sacrificed.






A human sea was present in Bariyarpur today to observe the festival. Festival management committee estimated that over 5 million people observed the festival tuesday alone.

The uniqueness of the festival is that no housefly is seen around the area, despite the fact that thousands of animals are sacrificed here and the ground at the sacrifice site is full with blood. Devotees believe it is because of the power of the goddess. The heads of the sacrificed buffaloes are buried near the temple.