The Blood Drinking Festival was conducted for five days from 02-06 March 2009; there were 205 people involved. All these people are from around the villages of Nangi, Paudwar, Ramche, Shikha , Narchyang, and Pulachour. During the festival, 11 yak was killed and sold for meat. Blood was sold @ Rs. 60 per cup. A minimum of 12 to maximum of 21 cups of blood were taken from each yak. Blood is drunk as a medicine for intestinal problems and to get energy. Another festival will be conducted at Khopra Hill in mid-July. The total profit was Rs.141,000, which was alloted Rs. 70,500- for each school of Nangi and Paudwar .
Another aspect of the Yak Fundraising Program is the development of yak herds at Mohare Danda. Two male yaks were taken to Danda for the cross breeding project. It took a couple days from Paudwar to Mohare Danda. The villagers and members of committee of Nangi village did hard job to bring yak.
Chitra Pun, Program Officer
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1 Animal Welfare Network Nepal // Mar 8, 2010 at 11:52 am
The Animal Welfare Network Nepal AWNN is shocked to hear about yak festivals where hundreds of visitors drink raw yak blood. Can you stop for a moment and think how painful it must be for these innocent creatures to have their necks and bodies pierced and to be drained of blood? This festival or whatever you want to call it is nothing but a show of barbarism. We are astounded that such a great man as Magsaysay award winner Mahabir Pun is promoting such cruel acts in the name of culture.
Humanity as a whole must speak out against cruelty against living beings in the name of religion, culture or health. Mass slaughter of animals in the name of appeasing the gods has been banned in almost every other country in the world but ours. Drinking blood of live animals must be banned. It is not only cruel but also dangerous for health as zoonotic diseases can easily be transmitted, with potentially fatal effects. We call for the authorities to take immediate action.
Pramada Shah
Chair Animal Welfare Network Nepal
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