Sambalpur: Brahma Mandap Pandit Mahasabha Members Protest Animal Sacrifice Near Ashwatatha Tree in Samleiswari Temple; Know Why?

Sambalpur: On Monday morning around 9:30 a.m., members of the Brahma Mandap Pandit Mahasabha (a group of Hindu priests) protested against the practice of animal sacrifice under the sacred Ashwatatha tree in the temple of Maa Samaleiswari.

The pandits (priests) believe that the Ashwatatha tree is considered holy because it is believed that Lord Narayana (another name for Lord Vishnu) resides within such trees.

Therefore, they have issued a demand letter to the president of the Samaleiswari Trust Board, which manages the temple. In the letter, they stated that it is highly inappropriate and disrespectful to sacrifice animals near this sacred tree.

The pandits have demanded that the practice of animal sacrifice under the Ashwatatha tree should be stopped immediately. They consider it to be a reprehensible act and against the religious beliefs associated with the holy tree.

The protest by the pandits highlights the differing views and practices within Hinduism. While some consider animal sacrifice as a part of certain rituals, others condemn it, especially in the presence of sacred elements like the Ashwatatha tree.