A buffalo and several goats were sacrificed at the Durgabari temple in Agartala on Tuesday during Maha Nabami rituals. The 149-year-old tradition continued privately under Supreme Court restrictions. Priest Jayanta Bhattacharjee said, "Worshipping of Goddess Durga will remain incomplete without animal sacrifice." The site remained hidden from public view throughout.
A buffalo and several goats were sacrificed during Maha Nabami rituals at Durgabari temple. The longstanding tradition continued privately under restrictions imposed by the Supreme Court.
A buffalo and several goats were sacrificed at the Durgabari temple in Agartala on Tuesday as part of the Maha Nabami rituals of Durga Puja, news agency Press Trust of India reported, citing a temple priest.
The 149-year-old tradition was observed amid the chanting of mantras. The site of the sacrifice was concealed from public view in accordance with a Supreme Court directive.
Temple priest Jayanta Bhattacharjee told PTI, "We have a century-old tradition of sacrificing animals to Goddess Durga on the day of Maha Nabami as part of the worship. The ritual was conducted at a site concealed from public view. In fact, worshipping of Goddess Durga will remain incomplete without animal sacrifice."
In 2019, a division bench of the Tripura High Court, headed by then Chief Justice Sanjoy Karol, banned the sacrifice of animals and birds in temples across the state, including the Maa Tripura Sundari temple.
The Supreme Court later stayed the High Court order following a petition, while imposing certain restrictions on animal sacrifices at temples.
Bhattacharjee said the police would present a guard of honour to Goddess Durga at the temple early on Dashami. The holy pitcher would then be escorted to Ujjayanta Palace, where members of the former royal family would bid farewell to the goddess.
Temple in-charge Pradip Debnath told PTI that there was no specific vegetarian or non-vegetarian menu for Goddess Durga at the temple. "We offer Goddess Durga whatever devotees donate or sacrifice at the temple. There is no bar on meat and fish here," he said.
The Durga Puja celebrations at the temple are organised by the West Tripura district administration on behalf of the Manikya dynasty. The Maha Nabami rituals followed the temple's long-standing tradition, with the sacrifice conducted away from public view under the restrictions imposed by the Supreme Court.