Seven villages in Tamil Nadu celebrated silent Diwali this year; here’s why

This Diwali, when the majority of the people came out of their homes to burst Diwali firecrackers amidst environment concerns over air and sound pollution, seven villages in Tamil Nadu’s Erode district decided to mark the festival with just diyas and electrical lights. The reason is not what you think. This gesture by the residents of these seven villages showed compassion and consideration for wildlife, especially the birdlife in the area. It’s no news that the firecrackers leave a tremendous amount of pollutants in the air, but the biggest and most immediate problem is that of sound pollution. Us humans know what to expect when we burst firecrackers, but birds and animals are always the one who suffer the most. Taken by surprise by the sudden loud bursts, several birds and animals go through a stressful time. Let’s look at what exactly happened and why it happened at these villages in Erode, Tamil Nadu.

Just 12 km from erode is the Vellode Birds Sanctuary that is spread across an area of 0.77sq km. Last year, this bird sanctuary was declared a protected Ramsar Site and ever since, the residents of this area, and also the neighbouring areas have been giving this bird sanctuary the special treatment that it deserves.

In order to protect the birds from the loud firecrackers and keep their safety in mind, the villages around this bird sanctuary decided not to burst crackers.

The villages of Sellappampalayam, Vadamugam Vellode, Semmandampalayam, Karukkankattu Valasu, Pungampadi and two other villages are the reasons why we are here today. These villages are located around the bird sanctuary. There are more than 900 families living in these villages.

This area receives thousands of local and migratory birds every year. The time between October to January is when these birds lay their eggs and later hatch them. Most of the birds in so many places in India stay from firecrackers. The villagers didn’t let that happen, and gave the birds a safe home.

For the rest of us, this may come as news, but for the residents of these villages, this is just what they do every year, for the past 22 years now. It’s two long decades of commitment to safeguard the birds and the environment and, in return, earn respect from the rest of the country.

The children of these villages are as understanding as the adults. The children gladly celebrate the festival with new clothes, good food, fun with friends and sparklers. But never crackers. It's because of their understanding that today the birds at Vellode have a peaceful existence. Don’t you think so too?

These villages have effortlessly taught us a great lesson in conservation. The reason why we are talking about them today is proof enough that they are doing something right when it comes to wildlife conservation. Diwali, for all living beings living in the vicinity of Vellode, was a peaceful and joyous festival.