ENJOY PRIDE OF PEARCH
The highway from Pune to Ahmednagar is an interesting one. Farmers in traditional white peaked caps zip past you, some in fancy news cars. Signs of prosperity are apparent, although the region battled with severe drought just a couple of years ago. A few kilometers down the highway, beyond the small town of Chikrapur, a left turn reveals the road that leads to our destination – the village of Chincholi Morachi. Loosely translated, it means the abode of peacocks and tamarind trees, both of which are in abundance here. For, this quaint little village, almost 60 km from Pune, is home to a population of 2,000 people, as well as an equal number of peacocks.
As you interact with people here, it’s quite evident why the national bird enjoys special status Chincholi Morachi. In this village, the peacock Is not just protected, but also revered – so much so that this is one place where its numbers have steadily increased over the years. “Ten years ago, there were almost 600 peacocks in our village. Now, the number is more than three times,” says Maheshrao Gorde, the village sarpanch. For most of the villagers, the peacock is not just a bird, it is also a symbol associated with the village deity Khandoba. “The peacock is the vahan (vehicle) of Khandoba, and is therefore special for us,” says Gorde. Perhaps it’s a reflection of this special relationship that even when the region was reeling under drought and there was not a drop of water to drink, the villagers ensured that there was still some available for the peacocks, recalls S H Phalke, who teaches at the local agricultural institute. “Most people here treat peacocks like their children,” he adds. “Which is why you’ll find that during sowing time, extra grain is planted in the fields, so that the peacocks too can have their fill.”
No one in the village remembers if ever a peacock was harmed in Chincholi Morachi. The only instance that a few villagers can recall happened almost 25-30 years ago, when a boy from a neighboring village, who had come as a part of a marriage party, threw a stone at a peacock and injured it. The peacock died soon after. The incensed villagers filed a case with the district administration against the boy’s family. Only when the family apologized saying that the boy was a minor, were matters sorted out, says P S Gawade, the principal of the local school.
The peacocks, too, have repaid the villagers in their own way. Not only do they help in keeping snakes at bay, they also act as a natural biological control by eating the insects on the crops. In addition, the village has now become something of a tourist attraction, thanks to the peacocks. Last year, for instance, the Maharashtra tourism department gave Chincholi Morachi the status of a tourist village. Work has been completed on a tourist bungalow and already, say villagers, there have been a few tourists from abroad. People from nearby areas, especially schoolchildren, are regular visitors too.
However, there is a flip side to this rising tourist interest, says Phalke. “People come at all hours to see the peacocks and many are disappointed when they do not get a glimpse of the birds. This is because peacocks come out of their habitats only in early morning and evening. But in their enthusiasm to watch the peacocks, sometimes tourists encroach on their habitats also. Which is why, recently, there have been instances of peacocks moving away from the village.”
Hopefully, this is a situation that will be rectified soon, as an NGO has chipped in with plans to create a peacock sanctuary near the village. And if all goes well, the national bird can continue to enjoy its pride of place in Chincholi Morachi.
Atul Sethi
No comments:
Post a Comment