Village celebrates birth of wild elephant calf

Bhubaneswar: In a heartwarming display of human-wildlife harmony, residents of Gurang village in Angul district celebrated the birth of a wild elephant calf with traditional ceremonies, marking a unique milestone in community-led conservation efforts.The villagers organised a yajna and feast Tuesday evening to commemorate the 21st day of the calf's birth, naming it ‘Budha Aditya'. This celebration, known as ‘Ekoisia' in Odia culture is traditionally reserved for human newborns. But it was extended to the elephant calf born on March 12. "We worship elephants as Gajalaxmi," said Sarika Sahu, a villager. "When the elephant chose our village to give birth, we decided to honour this moment with traditional ceremonies," she said.The celebration is more than just a ceremonial gesture — it represents decades of conservation efforts by the remarkable community. For 45 years, the villagers have transformed what was once barren land into a thriving forest and protected it. Men and women take turns patrolling the area every night to ward off poachers and protect wildlife. "An elephant is like our family member," explains Babu Kumar, another villager. "While other villages might view elephants as a threat, we celebrate their presence and ensure their protection," said Babu.The initiative has caught the attention of forest officials. Divisional forest officer (Angul), Nitish Kumar, praised the village's efforts, calling it "the best example of peaceful coexistence between humans and elephants". He said while elephant worship is common in Odisha, such elaborate celebrations for wild elephants is uncommon.