For over 15 years, residents of Kittampalayam, a village in Coimbatore district, have chosen not to set off fireworks. This is to protect the 3,700 bats that have made their permanent home in the banyan and tamarind trees of the village, where 4,383 people reside.
“Fifteen years ago, we woke up to a loud screeching noise from a banyan tree in the village. When we visited the spot, we saw around 50 bats rushing to the tree to perch on comfortably,” says R. Rajadurai, a four-decade-long resident of the village.
The people quickly grew fond of their new neighbours as such events were a rarity in the village. However, when another colony of 70 bats arrived a year later, both the panchayat and the villagers collectively decided to protect them by declaring Deepavali a cracker-free occasion.
Though it started as an unspoken agreement to avoid bursting only loud fireworks, by 2006, the residents had resolved to completely refrain from bursting any kind of crackers. K. Deepan, a 12-year-old animal enthusiast, said: “Our celebration involves distributing sweets and wearing new clothes. We also watch the bats take flight on Deepavali and cheer them on.”
From a young age, children are taught not to disturb or feed the bats. A teacher from Kittampalayam Panchayat Union Middle School said: “We emphasise that bats are proficient fruit foragers and can manage on their own. We take students on silent field trips to observe them.”
These fruit-eating mammals, with wingspans ranging from 1-1.5 meters, take flight every evening around 6:30 pm. Their nightly journeys begin with the sunset and conclude just before the sunrise. Besides the bats’ presence, the commitment of the village towards celebrating festivals in an eco-friendly manner has attracted other wildlife such as cranes, parrots, and peacocks, making it a haven for nature.
