Villagers worship crocodiles to save themselves from attack

Kendrapada: Many villagers, mostly unmarried girls living in riverside villages around Bhitarkanika National Park, have recently started worshipping earthen images of salt-water crocodiles near river ghats to protect themselves from crocodile attack.The rituals were organised in Eakamania, Nalapahi, Dakhinadia and other riverside villages recently. “We offered flowers, milk, bananas and sugar to appease the crocodile god to save our lives,” said Baisakhi Behera (17) of Eakamania.“My father, Sibaram Behera, was killed by a crocodile on May 4, 2022 while he was taking a bath in the Brahmani. I garlanded the earthen idol of crocodile,” said Manasi Behera (16) of Nalapahi village.

“We revere crocodiles and view them as objects of worship,”, said Santosh Behera (45), a villager of Dakhinadiha.Locals often catch crabs and fish in the crocodile-infested rivers and creeks to sell those and earn some money. But every year, around 12 to 15 persons die due to crocodile attack in the park’s water bodies and its nearby areas, sources said.“Human beings and saltwater crocodiles are locked in a grim battle in Bhitarkanika.

Frustrated with crocodile attacks, people have started worshipping crocodiles since last five years to protect themselves. They are mostly engaged in fishing, crab catching, honey collection, farming and wood collectiong. But the land and resources at the disposal of the people are not adequate to support them. They have to venture into the river which is a source of livelihood for them ,” said Alekha Jena, the former MLA of Rajnagar.The poor of our society have traditionally depended on the mangrove forest and river for their survival in Bhitarkanika. But their interests are often suppressed for the greater cause of preserving the ecosystem. Three persons of our gram panchayat were killed by crocodiles in three years,” said Ahalya Biswal, sarpanch of Eakanania gram panchayat.Locals should not fish in the rivers and creeks in Bhitarkanika as it is too dangerous, said Dr Sudhakar Kar a noted herpetologist.“Worshiping crocodiles will not save their lives. To ward off crocodiles, we fenced about 120 river ghats and ponds around Bhitarkanika and instructed villagers not to enter the waterbodies and advised villagers to use water only in the barricaded area,” said Manas Das, the assistant conservator of forest (ACF), Bhitarkanika.