A butcher holding his blade stands among sacrificed buffaloes inside an enclosed compound during the sacrificial ceremony of the "Gadhimai Mela" festival held in Bariyapur November 28, 2014. Sword-wielding Hindu devotees in Nepal began slaughtering thousands of animals and birds in a ritual sacrifice, ignoring calls by animal rights activists to halt what they described as the world's largest such exercise. 

A butcher prepares to slaughter a buffalo inside an enclosed compound during the sacrificial ceremony of the "Gadhimai Mela" festival in Bariyapur November 28, 2014. Sword-wielding Hindu devotees in Nepal began slaughtering thousands of animals and birds in the ritual sacrifice on Friday, ignoring calls by animal rights activists to halt what they described as the world's largest such exercise. REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar (NEPAL - Tags: RELIGION SOCIETY ANIMALS) 

A buffalo about to be sacrificed sits inside an enclosed compound November 28, 2014. 

A butcher holds his blade high as he looks for a buffalo to be sacrificed November 28, 2014. 

A butcher prepares to slaughter a buffalo November 28, 2014. 

A butcher holding his blade walks inside an enclosed compound November 28, 2014. 

A sick buffalo calf lies in an enclosure on the eve of the sacrificial ceremony November 27, 2014. 

A butcher holds his sword high as he looks for a buffalo to be sacrificed inside an enclosed compound during the sacrificial ceremony of the "Gadhimai Mela" festival in Bariyapur November 28, 2014. Sword-wielding Hindu devotees in Nepal began slaughtering thousands of animals and birds in the ritual sacrifice on Friday, ignoring calls by animal rights activists to halt what they described as the world's largest such exercise. REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar (NEPAL - Tags: RELIGION SOCIETY TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY ANIMALS) 

Sacrificed buffaloes lie on the ground of an enclosed compound during the sacrificial ceremony November 28, 2014. 

A man removes the tongue from the head of a sacrificed buffalo a day after the sacrificial ceremony of the "Gadhimai Mela" festival held in Bariyapur November 29, 2014. Sword-wielding Hindu devotees in Nepal began slaughtering thousands of animals and birds in a ritual sacrifice on Friday, ignoring calls by animal rights activists to halt what they described as the world's largest such exercise. REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar (NEPAL - Tags: ANIMALS SOCIETY RELIGION) 

Sacrificial blades are displayed for sale on the eve of the sacrificial ceremony November 27, 2014. 

A butcher holding his blade takes part in the rituals before the sacrificial ceremony November 28, 2014. 

A herder sits inside an enclosure for buffaloes awaiting sacrifice November 27, 2014. 

A boy collects the skin of the sacrificed buffalos, which will be used to make leather goods, the day after the sacrificial ceremony of the "Gadhimai Mela" festival held in Bariyapur November 29, 2014. Sword-wielding Hindu devotees in Nepal began slaughtering thousands of animals and birds in a ritual sacrifice on Friday, ignoring calls by animal rights activists to halt what they described as the world's largest such exercise. REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar (NEPAL - Tags: ANIMALS ENVIRONMENT SOCIETY RELIGION) 

A man removes the tongue from the head of a sacrificed buffalo the day after the sacrificial ceremony of the "Gadhimai Mela" festival held in Bariyapur November 29, 2014. Sword-wielding Hindu devotees in Nepal began slaughtering thousands of animals and birds in a ritual sacrifice on Friday, ignoring calls by animal rights activists to halt what they described as the world's largest such exercise. REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar (NEPAL - Tags: ANIMALS SOCIETY RELIGION) 

A man cuts the meat of a sacrificed buffalo a day after the sacrificial ceremony of the "Gadhimai Mela" festival held in Bariyapur November 29, 2014. Sword-wielding Hindu devotees in Nepal began slaughtering thousands of animals and birds in a ritual sacrifice on Friday, ignoring calls by animal rights activists to halt what they described as the world's largest such exercise. REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar (NEPAL - Tags: ANIMALS SOCIETY RELIGION) 

A family poses for a picture in front of the carcasses of sacrificed buffalos a day after the sacrificial ceremony of the "Gadhimai Mela" festival held in Bariyapur November 29, 2014. Sword-wielding Hindu devotees in Nepal began slaughtering thousands of animals and birds in a ritual sacrifice on Friday, ignoring calls by animal rights activists to halt what they described as the world's largest such exercise. REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar (NEPAL - Tags: ANIMALS ENVIRONMENT SOCIETY RELIGION) 

Women sit outside their tent during the "Gadhimai Mela" festival held in Bariyapur November 29, 2014. Sword-wielding Hindu devotees in Nepal began slaughtering thousands of animals and birds in a ritual sacrifice on Friday, ignoring calls by animal rights activists to halt what they described as the world's largest such exercise. REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar (NEPAL - Tags: RELIGION SOCIETY) 

A girl eats her lunch inside a tent during the "Gadhimai Mela" festival held in Bariyapur November 29, 2014. Sword-wielding Hindu devotees in Nepal began slaughtering thousands of animals and birds in a ritual sacrifice on Friday, ignoring calls by animal rights activists to halt what they described as the world's largest such exercise. REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar (NEPAL - Tags: FOOD SOCIETY RELIGION) ANIMALS) 

A street vendor makes sweets along the street to sell them to devotees during the "Gadhimai Mela" festival held in Bariyapur November 29, 2014. Sword-wielding Hindu devotees in Nepal began slaughtering thousands of animals and birds in a ritual sacrifice on Friday, ignoring calls by animal rights activists to halt what they described as the world's largest such exercise. REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar (NEPAL - Tags: FOOD SOCIETY RELIGION) 

People return after attending the "Gadhimai Mela" festival held in Bariyapur November 29, 2014. Sword-wielding Hindu devotees in Nepal began slaughtering thousands of animals and birds in a ritual sacrifice on Friday, ignoring calls by animal rights activists to halt what they described as the world's largest such exercise. REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar (NEPAL - Tags: RELIGION SOCIETY ENVIRONMENT) 

An overloaded vehicle transports people returning from the "Gadhimai Mela" festival held in Bariyapur November 29, 2014. Sword-wielding Hindu devotees in Nepal began slaughtering thousands of animals and birds in a ritual sacrifice on Friday, ignoring calls by animal rights activists to halt what they described as the world's largest such exercise. REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar (NEPAL - Tags: ENVIRONMENT SOCIETY RELIGION TRANSPORT TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) 

A man sits in a tractor to load the sacrificed buffalos a day after the sacrificial ceremony of the "Gadhimai Mela" festival held in Bariyapur November 29, 2014. Sword-wielding Hindu devotees in Nepal began slaughtering thousands of animals and birds in a ritual sacrifice on Friday, ignoring calls by animal rights activists to halt what they described as the world's largest such exercise. REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar (NEPAL - Tags: ANIMALS ENVIRONMENT SOCIETY RELIGION) 

A devotee looks up during a ritual before the sacrificial ceremony of the "Gadhimai Mela" festival held in Bariyapur November 28, 2014. Sword-wielding Hindu devotees in Nepal began slaughtering thousands of animals and birds in a ritual sacrifice on Friday, ignoring calls by animal rights activists to halt what they described as the world's largest such exercise. REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar (NEPAL - Tags: RELIGION SOCIETY) ANIMALS) 

Devotee gather in front of a pig brought to sacrifice during a ritual before the sacrificial ceremony of the "Gadhimai Mela" festival held in Bariyapur November 28, 2014. Sword-wielding Hindu devotees in Nepal began slaughtering thousands of animals and birds in a ritual sacrifice on Friday, ignoring calls by animal rights activists to halt what they described as the world's largest such exercise. REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar (NEPAL - Tags: ANIMALS SOCIETY RELIGION) 

Devotees climb a tree to observe the sacrificial ceremony of the "Gadhimai Mela" festival held in Bariyapur November 28, 2014. Sword-wielding Hindu devotees in Nepal began slaughtering thousands of animals and birds in a ritual sacrifice on Friday, ignoring calls by animal rights activists to halt what they described as the world's largest such exercise. REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar (NEPAL - Tags: ANIMALS ENVIRONMENT SOCIETY RELIGION TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) 

Girls look inside the enclosure for buffalos awaiting sacrifice on the eve of the sacrificial ceremony for the "Gadhimai Mela" festival in Bariyapur November 27, 2014. The festival, renowned for its large number of animal sacrifices, is held every five years at the Gadhimai Temple where devotees from Nepal and bordering India will sacrifice buffaloes, goats and birds while offering prayers to Gadhimai, the goddess of power. Picture taken November 27. REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar (NEPAL - Tags: RELIGION SOCIETY) 

A volunteer controls a crowd using a stick during the ritual before the sacrificial ceremony of the "Gadhimai Mela" festival in Bariyapur November 28, 2014. Sword-wielding Hindu devotees in Nepal began slaughtering thousands of animals and birds in the ritual sacrifice on Friday, ignoring calls by animal rights activists to halt what they described as the world's largest such exercise. REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar (NEPAL - Tags: RELIGION SOCIETY) 

Devotees gather during the ritual before the sacrificial ceremony of the "Gadhimai Mela" festival in Bariyapur November 28, 2014. Sword-wielding Hindu devotees in Nepal began slaughtering thousands of animals and birds in the ritual sacrifice on Friday, ignoring calls by animal rights activists to halt what they described as the world's largest such exercise. REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar (NEPAL - Tags: RELIGION SOCIETY) 

A man and his daughter sleep on the eve of the sacrificial ceremony November 27, 2014. 

Family and friends sit in a vehicle trailer, where they will spend the night, on the eve of the sacrificial ceremony November 27, 2014. 

A sacrificial goat is tied to a vehicle trailer on the eve of the sacrificial ceremony November 27, 2014. 

Stuntmen perform on the eve of the sacrificial ceremony November 27, 2014. 

A security personnel stands on the wall of an enclosed compound where buffaloes are kept November 28, 2014. 

A man leads a buffalo inside an enclosure on the eve of the sacrificial ceremony November 27, 2014. 

People climb on the walls of the enclosure for buffaloes November 27, 2014. 

People gather near the enclosure for buffaloes awaiting sacrifice November 27, 2014. 

People walk along a field near the enclosure for buffalos awaiting sacrifice before the sacrificial ceremony of the "Gadhimai Mela" festival in Bariyapur November 28, 2014. Sword-wielding Hindu devotees in Nepal began slaughtering thousands of animals and birds in the ritual sacrifice on Friday, ignoring calls by animal rights activists to halt what they described as the world's largest such exercise. REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar (NEPAL - Tags: RELIGION SOCIETY) 

A girl cries while calling for her mother on a microphone at the lost and found camp after getting lost in the crowd during the "Gadhimai Mela" festival held in Bariyapur November 29, 2014. Sword-wielding Hindu devotees in Nepal began slaughtering thousands of animals and birds in a ritual sacrifice on Friday, ignoring calls by animal rights activists to halt what they described as the world's largest such exercise. REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar (NEPAL - Tags: RELIGION SOCIETY) 

Bina Devi Kalwar cries while she calls for her lost nine-year-old daughter Komal Kumari Kalwar on a microphone at the lost and found camp after getting separated in the crowd during the "Gadhimai Mela" festival held in Bariyapur November 29, 2014.She was separated from her daughter last night and the whereabouts of her daughter is still unknown. Sword-wielding Hindu devotees in Nepal began slaughtering thousands of animals and birds in a ritual sacrifice on Friday, ignoring calls by animal rights activists to halt what they described as the world's largest such exercise. REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar (NEPAL - Tags: RELIGION SOCIETY)