Thousands of Hindu sacrificial Fires to the gods flare up In India
Pastor Dale Morgan
Thousands of Hindu sacrificial Fires to the gods flare up In India*
An Indian Hindu woman takes part in an Aswamedh Yagya - (horse
sacrifice) - offering in front of Kundas - (holy fire place) - in
Kolkata, 20 November 2006. Photo courtesy of Deshakalyan Chowdhury and AFP.
by Staff Writers
Kolkata (AFP) India, Nov 21, 2006
Hindus in eastern India started several thousand fires in a mass ancient
mystic ritual that organisers said would help "fight diseases", but
activists warned of environmental damage. Hundreds of priests chanted
verses from Hindu scriptures and tonnes of wood and herbs were poured
into more than a thousand pits for the mass "yagna" or a fire ceremony
to please gods on the outskirts of eastern Kolkata city.
"The sacred fire and smoke from the burnt wood will strengthen the ozone
layer and ward off diseases like malaria and dengue," said Pashupatinath
Mishra, secretary of Gayatri Janakalyan Kendra group, which organised
the ceremony.
Mishra said more than six tonnes of sandalwood and herbs would be burnt
in 2000 pits in three days beginning Friday amid the chanting of sacred
verses.
"The smoke will kill mosquitoes and other harmful insects and cure
people suffering from dengue and malaria," Mishra said.
Environmentalists said the smoke would further damage the ozone layer
and asked the High Court of West Bengal state, of which Kolkata is the
capital, to stop the ceremony.
The court, however, said there was no law to prevent such a ceremony.
"Such foolish acts will weaken the ozone layer," said activist Subhas
Dutta, who filed the court petition. "The madness must be stopped."
Mosquito-borne malaria and dengue fevers are prevalent during the
country's rainy season. An outbreak of dengue has claimed 175 lives this
year and nearly 10,000 people were afflicted with the virus.
Source: Agence France-Presse