When with the onset of winter the nomads of Merak in northern Trashigang move to the warmer valleys, they set up camp at the picturesque village of Chaling in Shongphu gewog.

The village, of more than 95 houses dotting a gently sloping hillside, is also home to legendary Buddhist figures like Lhachey Kintu Zangpo and Gyalsey Ganapati.

Chaling’s history is rooted in religious endeavours but the livelihood of its people is, in stark contradiction, cattle slaughter. For more than two decades, the Chalingpas have thrived on what they refer to as toka tsong (ox business).

“Except for a couple of houses, most of the village is into the slaughtering business,� said a village elder. “That was their main, in fact, only source of income.�

Now they want to hang up their knives and turn over a new leaf.

Chalingpas pledged to renounce slaughtering completely, coinciding with the Descending Day of Lord Buddha on November 1. Henceforth not a single household in the village will get involved in the trade. To give weight to their pledge, the villagers are expected to submit an agreement, signed by each representative to the Trashigang district court.

According to villagers, slaughtering had just become simply too rampant in the village. They estimate that more than a hundred cattle were slaughtered every month, and at times the number exceeded three hundred a month. For Thrue (Blessed Rainy Day), more than 50 cattle were slaughtered on a day in Chaling.

Fifty-one year old Norbu, who initiated the idea to renounce slaughtering and contributed Nu 0.1 million towards the cause, said the number of butchers was growing rapidly. “Forget about the elders, children aged eleven to twelve are also engaged in slaughtering,� he told Kuensel.

The animals they slaughtered were either their own or brought to slaughter from Lhuentse, Mongar, Trashigang and, as far afield as Shar and Tawang in the neighbouring Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. “We killed everywhere, anytime possible,� said Norbu, who was the only one to give up the business eight years ago.

Last month, representatives from every household met and came to a consensus to renounce slaughter.

More than a month’s time was given to those, who needed to ponder over the idea, and also to sell off any meat or cattle meant for slaughter. “We did not force anyone. It was voluntary,� said Norbu.

But how did Chaling become the abattoir of the east? According to villagers, there used to be one or two people engaged in the business two decades ago. Over time, more people got into it because it was more lucrative than farm work.

Phurpa Tshering, 36, said that butchery was his only option as he had neither schooling nor any other source of income. “I got into it when a kg of beef sold for Nu 35. The price kept rising and business became very profitable,� said Phurpa, who first went into toka tsong with friends when he was eighteen.

But Phurpa believes that even though it earned him hard cash, it would never bring him happiness or long-term prosperity. “The money earned is at a cost of somebody’s life,� he said. Many others agree that money earned out of slaughter could never really sustain them or pay off their debts.

“Our grandparents made a living without having to kill animals,� said Phurpa, who regrets the days when he used to be drenched in the blood of slaughtered animals.

The villagers are aware that without slaughter a source of income would dry up but they seem determined to work on the land and focus on agriculture.

“Unlike the other neighbouring villages, most of our farm lands are uncultivated,� said Tshering, 46. “Our women shall weave and the men will work on the fields and also as construction workers during the off-season.�

The village tsozin (religious in-charge), Lobzang Pelden, who has been discouraging slaughter for years, said that village elders skilled at traditional paintings, other arts and crafts, could also pass on their skills to the younger generation and preserve traditional skills.

“Most were concerned about their livelihood in the present life and did not take into consideration the impact their actions would have on their next life,� said Lobzang Pelden. “Now they can spend the rest of their lives doing good deeds and purifying the acts they committed until now.�

As for consuming meat, some said they would give it up altogether, while others would buy it from other places, if necessary. Source: Kuenselonline