These villagers gave up crackers for winged visitors

Officials said hundreds of local and other country birds, including the Australian Pelican, visit the sanctuary from October, lay eggs, hatch them and leave in December.

Continuing with its tradition, five villages near the Vellode Birds Sanctuary, 15 km from Erode, did not burst crackers during Diwali fearing it might scare away the winged visitors.

This is the 15th successive year that residents of Mettupalayam, Thatchenkattuvazhi, Pungambady, Meenakshipuram and Semmandampalayam villages celebrated Diwali without bursting crackers.

Officials said hundreds of local and other country birds visit the sanctuary from October, lay eggs, hatch them and leave in December. This year Australian Pelicans and other local birds had arrived.

Villagers said they decided not to burst crackers during the festival as it would scare the birds away. They allowed their children and others to use sparklers.

More than 5,000 people in the five villages celebrated a ‘silent’ Diwali without bursting crackers, they said.