Depukhu
depukhu nepali द्यःपुखू also de pukhu dyo pukhu newar language deopokhari festival english deopokhari jatra nepali festival celebrated august year newar community khokana central nepal involves ritual sacrifice virgin shegoat often kid deopokhari pond situated premise rudrayani temple khokana process described inhumane barbaric animal right activist taken matter cultural pride international outcry criticism led local attempt reform festival recent year tradition festival believed begun around th century according folklore number death slipping falling pond rose belief angry supernatural inhabited pond began take hold consequently festival begun sacrifice virgin shegoat year demon angry god resides pond people using pond spared rest year festival celebrated annually day gaijatra midaugust newar community around ancient village khokana lalitpur district huge crowd gather around pond rooftop watch ritual young man jump pond live young female goat shoulder attempt drown goat young men various community around khokana join work together prevent goat escaping group try drown goat youth also bite teeth attempt rip apart bare hand goat reported struggle long forty minute dy goat dead competition ensues possession carcass youth different community struggle win community earns privilege leading religious procession follows struggle tugofwar possession carcass reported last long minute youth win lead procession pond concluding ritual sacrifice recent year animal right activist opposed festival causing unnecessary suffering innocent animal calling barbaric inhumane organising committee repeatedly appealed bring festival controversy old tradition part local community cultural heritage community advocated continuing festival traditional form terming khokanas pride others advocated change arguing festival tarnished khokanas reputation world stage year attempt reportedly made replace goat sacrifice symbolic sacrifice pumpkin brought rudrayani temple minimal impact tradition continued unchanged setopati reported sacrifice ritual different year kid still drowned group youth additional violence done upon death