Vedanthangal village celebrates noise free Deepavali to protect migratory birds

CHENNAI: Owing to Deepavali coinciding with the breeding season every year, for the past several decades, residents of Vedanthangal village in Chengalpattu district, have celebrated the festival of lights without any firecrackers.

Aware of the disturbance caused by loud noises, for many years, the villagers have followed this compassionate tradition to protect the birds in the nearby Vedanthangal Lake Bird Sanctuary.

"The loud noise of firecrackers could disturb the migratory birds that come here for nesting. So this year too we encouraged everyone to celebrate a 'quiet' Deepavali with children lighting sparklers instead of loud firecrackers," said the residents.

Located near Madurandhagam, the Vedanthangal Lake spans about 100 acres, though it has now reduced to around 70 acres.

Every year, the lake doubles up as a sanctuary and attracts rare migratory birds from over 20 countries, including Australia, Sweden, Indonesia, and China.

From the beginning of October, birds like pelicans, storks, herons etc build nests and breed in the sanctuary until May after which they return to their native countries with their young ones.

The sanctuary was officially recognized in 1797 during British rule when the local district collector declared it a protected area.

Since then, hunting has been restricted, allowing bird populations to grow. As of now, around 40,000 birds visit the lake during peak migratory season.

Experts said that this year, the migratory process has already commenced with over 4,000 birds already present at the sanctuary and more are expected to arrive as the season progresses.

The villagers expressed pride in preserving the sanctuary and said that during Deepavali, as well as during temple festivals, weddings, and other events from October to April, the village remains committed to limiting noise.