Basaha Mandali Temple in Dhola VDC at Dhading in Nepal is
famous for goat sacrifice. Although sacrifice of living animals is against the
teachings of Hinduism, it is practiced in many temples in Nepal and India.
Goats are sacrificed at the shrine for wish fulfilment and
for good luck and prosperity.
Basaha Mandali Temple is also infamous for other practices
like not allowing women to worship and not allowing them to consume the meat of
the goat.
E Kantipur reports
People who throng the temple located about 10 kilometres west of the district headquarters Dhading Bensi sacrifice around 20,000 female goats every year, according to the Temple Management Committee (TMC).
Temple authorities said devotees who come to celebrate “religious feasts” on the banks of the local Dhola River sacrifice goats. A local teacher, Keshav Duwadi, said tradition dictates that women be barred from entering the temple premises and are also not allowed to consume the meat of the goat sacrificed at the temple.
A boy under 12 years of age and belonging to Magar community is appointed the ‘temple priest’ once every two years. But once he reaches puberty, he is not allowed to perform religious duties at the temple and another boy is chosen as the temple priest.