Hundreds of animals sacrificed in Odisha

BHUBANESWAR: Hundreds of tribals on Tuesday observed the annual “Sulia Yatra” at Khairguda village in Odisha’s Balangir district sacrificing animals despite appeals by the local administration and social activists to refrain from the gory practice.

Also, an appeal by chief Sulia priest Biranchi Kuanr to shun the ritual of animal slaughter fell on deaf ears of the tribals.

The tribals marched in a procession to the ritual site at Khairguda in the morning and performed animal sacrifice.

To “propitiate” the presiding deity, the devotees throng the Khairguda village of Kultapada panchayat under Tusura police limits of Balangir district on the second Tuesday of Pousa month every year with hens and goats for sacrifice. They believe that offering blood of animals and birds to Sulia, their traditional deity, brings good harvest resulting in prosperity and happiness to their families and the community as a whole.

Notably, there had been a tussle between the district administration and Zilla Adivasi Sangha in the past following a 2005 Odisha high court order to abolish such practice and mass killing of animals.

But after the Supreme Court’s verdict in September 2017 to respect tribal rituals and traditions, the district administration has kept itself away from opposing the animal offering.