When Goddess Kali lives, and drinks blood

ANKIT ADHIKARI

KATHMANDU, OCT 22
 

On the first full moon of Dashain, natives of Lalitpur sacrificed two buffaloes and two sheep in a bizarre fashion on Friday. As part of their culture since times immemorial, the ritual is observed each year in the courtyard of Kali's temple located in the main palace of Patan Durbar Square.

Unlike other instances of animal sacrifice in Hindu religion, the animals are not beheaded in this ritual. Here, after tying all its legs, an animal is laid down in front of the idol of goddess Kali in the middle of the courtyard. A selected person, then, starts slicing the skin of the animal until he finds a raw nerve. After this, the nerve is stretched and offered to the 11 incarnations of Kali - traditionally decorated with masks and religious dresses - who suck blood from it. According to locals, a team of 14 people representing the Newar community of Thencho VDC have been performing the ritual. Apart from the 11 who represent Kali's incarnations, three others are deployed to play traditional music with drums and other Newari instruments. Those who help in carving up the animal and cooking food for everyone are also commissioned from Thencho.

“The sacrifice is dedicated solely to Kali and this is how she sucks the blood from animals,” said Panchbhai Mali, a representative from Thencho. “It is believed that it gives mokshya (deliverance) to the animals and they won't have to return to the perpetual circle of life and death,” he added.

The one-day ritual observes sacrifice in two different stages. After the staging of the traditional Lakhey dance done by all eleven incarnations, a sheep and a buffalo each are carved up. Later, a long break is taken and again, following similar Lakhey dances, the remaining two animals are sacrificed.

On Friday, while the first stage of sacrifice was held at around 10 a.m., another was completed at around 5 p.m. “Breaks are taken in order to give rest to Kali,” said Mali. According to him, the spirit of Kali enters all the identical incarnations as soon as they start dancing in traditional dress. “This gives them the strength to imbibe blood from a living animal,” he added. “Guthi Sansthan gives us the animals each year.”

Jujubhakta Maharjan, 86, of Patan said, “I have been observing this ritual every year since my childhood. I found it strange at first, but now I am used to it. I can't say if this is right or wrong,” he added.

Published in The Kathmandu Post -- October 23