Where Peacocks Come To Dine

If you are looking for a quick getaway from Bhubaneswar, away from the beaten circuit, then why not head to Naraj, a small village about 30km away by road Not far from the banks of the Mahanadi River, the village has earned the epaulet of being the &lsquopeacock village of Odisha&rsquo. Many people also refer to as the 'peacock valley'.

At a time when we often read about poaching of wildlife, especially birds, here is an example how compassion for a fellow creature can go a long way in putting a remote village on the tourism and wildlife map of the country.

At first glance, there is nothing striking about the place. Off the motorable road, you will find red earth paths running into the green fields beyond. There is a lone hut. On the near side are some tall trees screening parts of the field. Then, a man comes and calls out to the peacocks, who appear slowly. Some perch on the high branches, some loiter along the ground. Then they merrily start eating the food offered by the man. He is Kanhu Behera, the grandson of the man who started it all.

According to local people, way back in 1999, when Odisha was struck by a super cyclone, Panu Behera (since deceased) found a few peacocks in distress. He attended to them but did not cage them. He continued to feed the peacocks and soon the birds befriended him. Over the years, more peacocks joined force and Pannu fed them all, digging into his salary (and later his pension) he earned as an employee of the state police. Soon everyone began to call him the &lsquopeacock man&rsquo.

Now his grandson continues with the legacy.

The best time to visit the peacock village is around 5.30am or around 3pm. Usually, the birds can be seen on the trees or on the ground. You may see a group of birds, or may be a couple of them, or just a peahen or two. Visitors are not allowed to go beyond a certain distance lest the birds get frightened. It is also advisable to stay as quiet as possible. Usually, the birds are there for a couple of hours. But, warned Behera, they are wild creatures and sighting of the birds or their numbers cannot be guaranteed. Although the peacocks are the main birds that draw attention here, it is not unusual to find other small birds and animals gathering here to share the food.

You may conclude your trip with a visit to the ancient pilgrimage centre, Siddheshwar. According to local belief, the Pandavas had lived here for some time during their days in exile.