(IN): Farewell to winged angels - More than a thousand people gather for storks’ funeral

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Link: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080922/jsp/northeast/story_9867218.jsp

 

*Farewell to winged angels*

* - More than a thousand people gather for storks' funeral*

 

A STAFF REPORTER

 

*Link: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080922/jsp/northeast/story_9867218.jsp

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*Guwahati, Sept. 21:* It was on the complex of a Buddhist temple in Karbi

Anglong that a century-old banyan came crashing down on Monday night,

crushing under it some 800 Asian openbill storks.

 

Last night, more than a thousand villagers of Banglung gathered at the

temple to pray for their " guardian angels " , as five *bhikshus* (monks) from

various parts of the state sat performing a *shradh* for the storks.

 

Hands folded, the villagers prayed for " eternal peace " while the

*bhikshus *chanted

*shlokas *for two hours to ward off the evil eye that had triggered the

" accident " .

 

" The century-old banyan tree and the birds nesting on it were sacred to us

and we have been offering prayers to the tree since ages now. The incident

is being considered as unholy by our people and hence the religious ceremony

was organised, " Dibyadhar Shyam, a forest official from the village, said.

 

Three banyan trees stood on the Buddhist temple premises and were home to

about 1,500 openbill storks.

 

" It is still a mystery how one of the trees fell that day. Probably, it

could not bear the weight of the birds anymore, " Shyam said over phone from

the village.

 

Wildlife warden Arup Ballab Goswami, who was a special invitee to the

ceremony, said the Buddhist community should be lauded for protecting the

endangered birds.

 

 

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