Kendrapara: The roads to Jagulai Temple of Osangara village in the Pattamundai block of this district turned red as devotees sacrificed around 60 goats to appease their deity on the occasion of Mahashtami late Tuesday night.
The animals were sacrificed during the Sandhi Puja of Mahashtami, a secret ritual. This sparked concern among observers and social activists as they described the move as an act of superstition.
The temple is a famous shrine in the Osangara village of Pattamundai block where the presiding deity Goddess Jagulai is worshipped by women priests of the barber community. Men are not allowed to perform rituals at the temple.
The activists said the animals were sacrificed in spite of a Orissa HC bench comprising the then Chief Justice V Gopal Gouda and Justice Indrajit Mohanty directing Collectors to stop animal sacrifices in their areas after a petition was filed by the People For Animals (PFA) in October, 2009.
The HC order helped to stop animal sacrifice in many shrines in the state including the Panchubarahi shrine in Satabhaya where buffalo sacrifice was stopped and replaced with a symbolic sacrifice of pumpkins before the deity.
However, some devotees strongly supported animal sacrifice as it gives them a sense of satisfaction. Social activist Pratap Kumar Padhi said there is no need for animal sacrifice at the Jagulai temple as the deity who was earlier worshipped as per tantric traditions is now worshipped according to Vaishnavite traditions.
A temple committee member said that animal sacrifice is a traditional practice on which the SC has refused to impose restrictions.
Sub-Collector Sanjay Kumar Mishra denied having any information about the animal sacrifice. He, however, said the police have been directed to take action after holding a probe.
PNN