Binda Mela or fair is held in East Singhbhum district of Jharkhand in India in the month of Ashwin (October) every year at Ghatshila proper for fifteen days. This mela was initiated from time immemorial by the fore fathers of the Raja of former Dhalbhum Estate. According to Colonel Dalton, "At the shrine of this goddess (Rankini) a very cruel scene was enacted every year till 1865 when with the concurrence of the Zamindar, it was put a stop to. It was called the Binda Parab. At this Parab two male buffalo's are driven into a small enclosure, and on a raised stage, adjoining and over looking it, the Raja and the suit take up their position. After some ceremony's the Raja and his Purohit, or family priest, discharge arrows at the buffalo's; others follow their example and the tormented and the enraged beasts fall to and gore each other, whilst arrow after arrow is discharged. When the animals are passed doing very much mischief, the people rush in and hack them with battle-axes till they are dead." This practice is now abandoned. It is a very popular mela particularly for the Santals. Human sacrifice to Rankini Devi here was also stopped around 1856.