Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Agartala: The Durgabari temple in Agartala performed animal sacrifices on Tuesday for Maha Nabami. One buffalo and several goats were killed during the rites. Temple staff conducted the acts behind screens. This keeps the ritual hidden from the public eye. The move follows strict Supreme Court directives.
This tradition is 149 years old. It remains a core part of the temple schedule. "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," said temple priest Jayanta Bhattacharjee. The event is managed by the West Tripura district administration on behalf of the Manikya dynasty.
A legal battle haunts the practice. A 2019 Tripura High Court bench, led by former Chief Justice Sanjoy Karol, previously banned such sacrifices at state temples. This included the Maa Tripura Sundari temple. The Supreme Court later issued a stay on that order. It imposed specific conditions on how temples perform these rites.
Temple in-charge Pradip Debnath says menus remain flexible. He notes that the deity receives whatever devotees donate. "We offer Goddess Durga whatever devotees donate or sacrifice at the temple. There is no bar on meat and fish here," Debnath stated. The facility does not mandate a strictly vegetarian diet.
Attention shifts to Dashami. Police will provide a guard of honour for the goddess early Wednesday morning. A holy pitcher will then head to Ujjayanta Palace. Members of the former royal family will oversee the final farewell to the deity.
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