Animal Cruelty and Sacrifice in Religious and Mythological Tourism: Perspective and Challenges in South Asia

Introduction

It has been common in almost all communities and cultures for companion animals, or pets, to share living quarters with people around the world (Savishinsky, 1983; Serpell, 1987, 1996; Gray &Young, 2011). While attachment theory exhibits emotional relationships between the infant and caregiver (Bowlby, 1958; Ainsworth &Bowlby, 1991), social support theory exhibits evidence that humans with good social connections are healthier and that there are significant medical outcomes of loneliness (Lynch, 1977; 2000). The concept of animal sacrifice in any religion is believed to have been inhibited bythe pain of sacrificing the nearest and dear ones (Batabyal et al., 2022; Batabyal et al., 2023). On the other hand, social support theory suggests and strengthens a human-animal bonding of coexistence since the primitive age.

In Islam, the sacrifice of animals is accepted as complete obedience and demonstration of submission from the morning of the 10th to the sunset of the 13th Dhual-Hijjah, the 12th lunar month of the Islamic calendar. In Hinduism, animal killing on specific occasions in most of the Shakti temples is based on faith and belief that it stimulates her violent vengeance against the buffalo demon. Unlike in Islam, different types of animals or birds are sacrificed or, as inBaliYatra,the slaying of goats, chickens, pigeons, ducks, fishes, male Water buffalos, and such other animals is performed(Fuller, C.J,2004). In Bhutan and remote Sikkim Himalaya as a whole, Bonismand shamanism, pre-Buddhist religions of Tibet and its adjacent regions, animals are sacrificed to local deities (YulLhas). As winter spreads across the country, people move from their residences to mountains, caves, ruined houses, streams, and giant trees to worship their local deities, mostly associated with animal sacrifice. With the acceptance of Buddhism, the practice of killing animals is now replaced by offerings of joints and cuts of meat (ShaNga-not a fresh or sacrificed meat but naturally dead animal’s meat).

The23^rd Tirthankara Parswanath accelerated Jainism and Ahimshain in the 9^th century BC which raised voices in favor of animal rights in religious practices on theIndian subcontinent. Also, the Dravidian philosopher Valluvar in his Tirukkural emphasized and invokedAhimsha(tolerance) and moral vegetarianism at the individual level. Interestingly, the Parsees or Parsis, one of the oldest extant ethnic religious groups of the Asian sub-continent practicing Zoroastrianism, perform their funerals dedicated mostly to birds and animals. A dog is essential in the funeral process because it can see death and the body is taken to the tower of death where the vultures feed on it.

Residents generally show interestto portray local culture, traditions, and heritage to tourists (Rakitovac et al., 2021). Religious and pilgrimage treks are one of the most popular tourist activities on the Indian subcontinent but killing animals for rituals, catching birds, fishing, and cutting trees is a matter of concern (Gupta, 1999). In ritual slaughter, animal suffering is very likely so this kind of act can never be morally justified on the grounds of tradition, involvement of culture, religiously required practice, or a source of income from tourism. Domestic animals which make the most noise while dying are mostly offered as a part of tradition(Behrens,2009).

Figure 1.

Places of mythological and religious interest in South Asia associated with animal sacrifice in Hinduism

(Purana, Purana, & Tantra, n.d.)