The 562-year-old historical Purani Tangla Habigaon Sarvajanik Durga Devalaya located in the outskirts of Tangla town in Udalguri district of Assam has been following the age-old ritual of sacrificing animals as an offering to Goddess Durga (during Durga Puja) since its inception.
In keeping with its tradition, Mahasthami day on Wednesday saw the sacrifice of goats, pigeons, ducks and buffaloes in the shrine. Thousands of devotees throng the devalaya every year on the day of Mahasthami to witness the ritual of animal sacrifice and this year it was no exception.
The devotion of the believers is palpable as six buffaloes, hundreds of goats and huge numbers of pigeons and ducks were sacrificed before Godesss Durga. “Devotees from places as far as Dhekiajuli, Bajali and Guwahati flocked to the devalaya on Wednesday,” president of Purani Tangla Habigaon Sarvajanik Durga Utsav Committee, Santi Ram Rabha, informed.
Rabha further stated that the animals were offered to Goddess Durga by the devotees “for fulfillment of their wishes”. It is said that one’s prayers never go unanswered in this devalaya whose origin can be traced back to the Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati.