Dhangadi, October 24 Despite wide spread protest against animal sacrifice in the name of religion and god, animal slaughter went unabated at various shrines of Sudurpaschim Province during Dashain and this year it was even more than last year. According to local mediaperson Basanta Bista, some 550 buffaloes and around 300 goats were slaughtered at Ninglashaini temple of Baitadi by the last day of Dashain this year. “The sacrifices made this year were more than last year. While the buffaloes sacrificed this year were more than 200, by the same token the number of goats offered to the goddess in sacrifice this year exceeded the last year’s number,” he said. Similarly, while 60 buffaloes and as many goats were offered in sacrifice at Melauli Bhagawati shrine, almost the same number of animals were sacrificed at Udayadev shrine as well. In Doti, ritual sacrifices were made at various temples, including Kalika and Bhadikalika temples. Lokendra Bahadur Chand, a local of Kailali, informed that around 317 goats and buffaloes were sacrificed at Okhkhare Bhagawati shrine on the eighth and tenth day of Dashain, and over 200 sacrifices were made at Nainadevi temple in Kailali itself. In Achham, over 100 goats and buffaloes are sacrificed at Shantikot of Achham every year. “As buffaloes are hard to come by, many sacrificed goats and chicken this year,” said a local Dev Bahadur Khadka of Achham, Dauthegada, adding, “More buffaloes would be sacrificed if they were easily available.” Another local wondered how people manage to continue this ritual sacrifice despite the increasing price of buffaloes and goats. Brahmakumari Janaki of Brahma Kumari Ishworiya University, Dhangadi, said the trend of animal sacrifice would not go down until all the people realised that there was soul in every living being. “If we have to sacrifice anything, it’s our bad habits, not innocent animals and birds,” she argued. With the view to bringing down ritual sacrifices during this festival season, the university had staged various programmes, including a rally in Dhangadi on the eve of the festival.