UP: Community offers blood to Goddess Durga in centuries-old ritual

Gorakhpur (UP), Oct 1 (PTI) In Gorakhpur's Bansgaon, devotion and tradition merged on Wednesday as members of the "Shrinet Kshatriya" clan offered their own blood to Goddess Durga, continuing a ritual believed to be over 300 years old that replaced animal sacrifice.

In the centuries-old practice, men, women, and even children made cuts on their bodies with barbers' razors. The blood was collected on bel leaves and offered at the deity's feet. Married devotees made incisions on nine body parts, including the forehead, chest, arms, hands, and thighs, while unmarried youths cut only their foreheads. Devotees firmly believe that wishes sought during this ritual are always fulfilled.

Hundreds gathered at the temple premises, where chants of "Jai Mata Di" echoed alongside the sounds of conch shells, bells and gongs. After the cuts, participants smeared sacred ash from the yajna fire on their wounds, which they say instantly stops bleeding.

Devotees claim that in three centuries of this ritual, no one has ever required medical aid or suffered serious illness.

The event drew several prominent figures, including block chief representative Shivaji Singh, municipal representatives Vijay Kumar Singh Bablu and Ved Prakash Shahi, former district panchayat member Jitendra Singh, and social workers Amarjeet Singh and Manoj Singh.

"It is an age-old practice, and we believe that Ma Durga will become happy with our blood offerings. I have been following the sacred practice since I was a baby," Ravi Srinet, a middle-aged practitioner of the belief, said.

The custom originated after reformer Pandit Ramchandra Sharma, also known as 'Veer,' opposed animal sacrifice at the temple. Until then, buffaloes, goats, rams, and piglets were sacrificed on Navami.

"Declaring animal killing a sin, Sharma went on a fast under a neem tree until the Kshatriya community agreed to replace animal sacrifice with blood offerings from their own bodies, a tradition that continues to this day," Salil Singh Srinet, an educationist, explained. PTI COR KIS AMJ AMJ