Gadhimai Temple, Bariyarpur

Gadhimai is a goddess worshipped as a form of Shakti, and her temple at Bariyarpur in Bara district is a quiet rural shrine for most of the year. Every five years, it becomes the site of one of the largest religious gatherings in South Asia.

The mela

The Gadhimai Mela runs for about a month in Mangsir. Devotees — many from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh across the border — come to make vows and offerings, and a huge fair of stalls and camps grows around the temple.

The sacrifice controversy

The festival became internationally known for the mass sacrifice of animals, especially buffalo, on its main days. Animal-welfare groups in Nepal and India have campaigned for decades to end it; Nepal's Supreme Court and national authorities have called for the practice to be discouraged, and numbers have fallen sharply compared with the past. The debate between faith, tradition and animal welfare continues, and visitors should approach the festival with awareness and respect.

Visiting

Outside mela years the temple is peaceful and easy to reach from Kalaiya or Birgunj, and can be combined with the ruins of Simraungadh.