The intervention of the Chamarajanagar district administration, the local police, and Vishwa Prani Kalyana Mandali helped prevent large-scale animal sacrifices that otherwise takes place during jathra in rural hinterland.
Dayananda Swami, president of the Mandali, said that Chikkallur jathra in Kollegal taluk of Chamarajanagar district was celebrated without animal sacrifice on a scale that used to be witnessed earlier. He said this was possible due to mass awareness programmes conducted urging the people to eschew violence and cruelty towards animals and celebrate the festivals in a non-violent manner.
Besides, the attention of the local authorities and the Chamarajanagar district administration was also brought to the existing law and the court orders that prohibits animal sacrifice in public.
Dayanadaswami said the event should be considered “historic” as the people were convinced of our arguments and desisted from animal sacrifice within the temple precints. There was large-scale deployment of the police to thwart people from bringing live animals to the jathra venue, he added.
Similarly, animal sacrifices were foiled during the Biligiranganathaswamy jathra in Yelandur and Yeludande Muneshwaraswami jathra in Kadluru in Chamarajanagar distrct.
Dayanandaswami has also urged the authorities to ensure similar compliance with the law in other jathras that will take place in the region.
He said the focus will now shift to Kappadi jathra which will be held from Shivaratri to Ugadi in K.R. Nagar and the authorities will be prevailed upon to prevent animal sacrifice in public and around the places of worship.
