Awareness Exhibition on Vultures at Siriyur Mariamman Temple Festival
Vultures play a vital role in keeping our environment disease-free by consuming animal carcasses. Currently, they are on the brink of extinction. In Tamil Nadu, four species of vultures are found: the White-rumped Vulture, Long-billed Vulture (Indian Vulture), Red-headed Vulture, and Egyptian Vulture. These birds primarily inhabit the Sathyamangalam and Mudumalai Tiger Reserve areas, especially the forests along the Moyar River.
Conservation Efforts
As vulture populations are dwindling rapidly, their protection has become a matter of urgency. Recognizing this, Arulagam, a nature conservation organization, has been working with local communities to raise awareness about vulture conservation and the dangers of using banned veterinary drugs on cattle. As part of these efforts, an awareness exhibition on vulture protection was organized during the Siriyur Mariamman Temple Festival on 9th and 10th, March, 2026.
Cultural Significance of the Festival
The Siriyur Mariamman Temple Festival is a major annual event for the local Tribal and Badaga communities. Historically, it is said that the temple was entrusted to the Tribal community. To this day, they take full responsibility for maintaining the temple and organizing the festivities. The temple rituals are performed by a priest belonging to the Tribal community.
A unique tradition of this festival involves:
- Traditional Dance: Performed using wooden dolls known as "Patti Thatha". These wooden dolls are crafted by artisans from the Anaikatti village.
- Rituals: Devotees carry Maavilakku (flour lamps) as an offering.
The Awareness Exhibition
Since the Siriyur region is a critical habitat for vultures, it was essential to educate the visiting public about these birds. Most of the visitors are from pastrolists. The exhibition featured 24 informative slides explaining vulture species, their habitats, the threats they face, and the necessity of their conservation. More than 10,000 people attended the exhibition and gained valuable insights into the world of vultures.
The exhibition at the Siriyur Mariamman Temple festival was conducted successfully in collaboration with the Tamil Nadu Forest Department. The members of the Siriyur Temple Committee provided their full cooperation in organizing this event.
Mr. Kirubakaran, Deputy Conservator of Forests, SQUAD visited the exhibition and expressed his appreciation. The support and assistance provided by the Forest Department and the committee were instrumental in making this awareness program a grand success.
