Local villagers of Vetangudipatti and Periya Kollukudipatti village near Tirupattur celebrate Diwali without burning firecrackers from last many years purposely, as they dont want to hurt the birds in Vettangudi birds sanctuary, Sivagangai district.
The Vettangudi birds' sanctuary is a natural habitat of winter migratory birds which fly from as far as Switzerland, Russia, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka. A safe place for roosting, breeding and feeding, the sanctuary attracts 15,000 birds a year.
The sanctuary has been considered one of the safe and protected breeding grounds for over 200 species of migratory birds for almost half a century, which flocked the irrigation tanks in Vettangudi, Periya Kollukudi Patti and Chinna Kollukudi Patti ever since the local villagers had been celebrating crackerless Diwali.
Birds live peacefully here. Not only that we don't burst crackers on Diwali but we also don't burst crackers during festivals. "I am 59 years old and I have never celebrated Diwali with crackers. We refrained from bursting firecrackers as they disturb the birds"learned.
As a mark of appreciation for the villagers' decision, the Forest Department has been distributing half-kg sweets to all residents of the three villages on every Diwali. Not just Diwali. The villagers do not burst crackers even during marriages and temple festivals.
"We do not burst firecrackers in this village for birds. Birds are like our pet so we avoid bursting crackers altogether. Our children were also kept away from bursting crackers for the sake of bird. It's been twenty years since I came to this town but till now I have never celebrated Diwali with crackers," Maheshwari, a resident of Vettangudipatti, told ANI.
Another local resident, said that "I am 75 years old and have never celebrated Diwali. We see the birds that come here as our home children. So we don't celebrate Diwali for birds" he added.
( With inputs from ANI )
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