During the 15-day Dashain festival in Nepal, the goddess Durga is celebrated for killing the demon Mahisasur, who terrorized the Earth in the form of a water buffalo.

In government-sanctioned rituals, the slaughter is reenacted in hundreds of temples by the decapitation of live buffalo, goat and sheep.

As a humane alternative, the Animal Welfare Network Nepal (AWNN) has started a campaign to sacrifice fruits and vegetables instead of live animals. A swami suggests sacrificing one's inner demons, such as anger and greed, in lieu of killing an animal.

Durga is worshipped throughout Nepal as the "divine mother goddess." In her honor, life should be nurtured, not destroyed.

Tell the government of Nepal to ban the cruel ritual of sacrificing live animals during Dashain.