Mutthiganj
Kalibari Temple
attracts thousands of devotees during Diwali. The puja of Goddess Kali on
Diwali day is very important in the temple. Earlier goats were sacrificed on
the day. But from 2014, the temple committee stopped the practice of goat
sacrifice. Instead of goats, the goddess was offered sugarcane, pumpkin and
coconuts – sugarcane with roots were cut and offered to Goddess.
Times of India reports
Allahabad Kalibari Maintenance Society secretary Arun Kumar
Bannerjee said, "A decade back, mass sacrifice of goats was an integral
part of Kalibari ritual. Rituals cannot be changed overnight in any religion
and the sacrifice tradition was no exception. It took a few years to stop mass
sacrifice."
"Following consultations with renowned and noted
priests, the animal sacrifice was replaced with sugarcane as part of the
tradition," he said.
"The offering of sugarcanes with roots and leaves, pumpkin and coconuts
are offered as sacrifice on the night," added Bannerjee, which is regarded
as 'symbolic' sacrifice.