For 30 Years, These Tamil Nadu Villages Have Celebrated a Silent Diwali — for the Sake of Birds

For 30 Years, These Tamil Nadu Villages Have Celebrated a Silent Diwali — for the Sake of Birds

Every year, as India explodes into colour and sound during Diwali, a cluster of villages in Tamil Nadu lights up in silence. In Kollukudipatti, S Maampatti, and Vettangudipatti, nestled near the serene Vettangudi Bird Sanctuary in Sivaganga district, the festival of lights is celebrated not with the noise of firecrackers, but with quiet reverence.  For over three decades, the people here have consciously avoided bursting crackers, not just durin…