Owl Festival – Pune 29 and 30 November 2018 घुबड महोत्सव २०१८

Owl Festival Pune 29 and 30 November 2018 घुबड महोत्सव २०१८ पिंगोरी, जेजुरी जवळ पुणे 

Owl Festival Dates :

29 and 30 November 2018

You will be able to participate in interactions and discussions with the orinthologists, researchers, photographers and filmmakers around the world.

Schools will make posters, flyers, sketches, caricatures, poems, songs and acts and display during the two-day festival.

You will be able to see wildlife-themed pendant collections, owl-based stamp and coin collections.

Location : Pingori near Jejuri – Pune, Maharashtra

Ela Habitat – Pingori

It houses the “Ela Center for Ornithology”, the “Center for Education and Research” and Administrative Office.

The Ela Habitat harbors indigenous flora, water harvesting system, and other habitat conservation initiatives. Tree plantation activities, community education, and citizen participation initiatives are promoted.

Organizer :

Ela Foundation — Visit their official website here

Satish Pande, ornithologist and co-founder of the Ela Foundation

info@elafoundation.org

C-9, Bhosale Park,Sahakarnagar-2 Pune 411009, India

Who will participate ?

— Around 40 countries will attend the conference

— School children coming from both urban and rural institutes

Owl Festival Purpose :

Visit this festival to wipe-out the myths about owls! Learn, understand and participate in conservation of Owls in India.

A report by the NGO TRAFFIC shows that 78,000 owls were killed in a year, to smuggle their feathers and beaks that are used in traditional medicines and other unscientific practices.

Use of owls in black magic and sorcery driven by superstition, totems and taboos is one of the prime drivers of the covert owl trade, finds a TRAFFIC India investigation into the illegal trade, trapping and utilization of owls in India.

The sacrifice of owls on auspicious occasions appears to be a regular practice which peaks around festival of Diwali in India !

Unfortunately black magic practitioners (aka tantriks in India) use owls and their body parts such as skull, feathers, ear tuffs, claws, heart, liver, kidney, blood, eyes, fat, beak, tears, eggshells, meat and bones for ceremonial pujas and rituals !!

The main illicit trade centers are located in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Bihar.

Live owls are also used as decoys to catch other bird species !! Ohh God !!!

Why Owls are important in Eco system?

Owls are beneficial particularly to farmers through their predation of rodents and other crop pests.

By the year 2010, about 30 owl species were recorded in India. Large (e.g. Rock Eagle-Owl) & small (e.g. Spotted Owlet) owl species inhabiting areas as varied as urban settings and forest or riverine tracts.

Some of the species to mention about in India are Spotted Owlet, Barn Owl, Rock-Eagle Owl, Jungle Owlet, Collared Scops-owl, Brown Fish-owl, Dusky Eagle-owl, Mottled Wood-owl, Asian Barred Owlet, Collared Owlet, Brown Wood-owl, Oriental Scops-owl, Spot-bellied Eagle-owl, Tawny Fish-owl and the Eastern Grass-owl.

Read the Owl story by TRFFIC here ….

TRAFFIC report on Owls in India — “Imperilled Custodians of the Night”

Download complete OWL report (PDF – 7 MB)

LEGAL WARNING : 

Hunting of and trade in all Indian owl species is banned under the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 of India.

International Owl festivals organized in USA which will be held on March 1-3, 2019 – Houston, MN, USA

Visit their official website to know more – Visit here

History of Pingori Village of Maharashra (पिंगोरी)

Most of the residents are Maratha with surname Shinde in this village.

The village carries history of forefathers being soldiers or group leaders of warriors of great Maratha warrior Mahadaji Shinde

Shindes ancestors were part of army of Maratha emperor Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj

As on date agriculture is the main source of livelihood for the villagers.

Vagheshwari devi (Godess) is worshiped as kulswamini in this village.

There is a beautiful temple of Vagheshwari mata built by Bapuji Vithoji Shinde in 1812 A.D.

Festivals : Navratri and Dashara festivals are prime festivals here. And annual festival celebrated on Vaishakh Shudh Pournima.

Best time to Visit : Monsoon June till September.

What to see in village ? Samadhi built in Peshwa style and similar to the 17 century buildings.

How to reach Owl Festival of Pingori (Jejuri) from Mumbai ?

By Road 

—  Mumbai to Pingori distance is 216 kms via Jejuri

—  Mumbai >> Expressway >> Pune >> Sasvad or Jejuri >> Pingori

By Train

— Daundaj Rail Way Station (near to Jejuri) OR Valha Rail Way Station >> Pingori.

— Pune Junction Rail Way Station 46 KM from town Pingori