Sacred animals & living traditions
Dr Jyotismita Das & Tonmoyee Bhuyan
(Department of Zoology, Nagaon University)
Durga Puja, celebrated in the autumn month of Ashwin, is one of India’s most vibrant festivals, during which millions of devotees bow before Goddess Durga, whose lion embodies strength and whose victory over Mahishasura celebrates the triumph of good over evil. Yet, beyond the dazzling pandals and sacred rituals lies a question we rarely ask: what does it mean to revere animals as divine symbols while their real-life counterparts struggle to survive? In Assam, where the rhinoceros roams the grasslands of Kaziranga and the river dolphin inhabits the Brahmaputra, this question carries an urgency that extends far beyond the festive season. Durga Puja offers a powerful opportunity to bridge faith and science, transforming cultural admiration for animals into a practical commitment to biodiversity conservation.
In Hindu tradition, the lion accompanies Goddess Durga, while Mahishasura assumes the form of a buffalo. The wider divine family is associated with an equally fascinating range of animals: Lakshmi with the owl, Ganesha with the mouse, Kartikeya with the peacock, and Saraswati with the swan. These associations carry spiritual and cultural meanings, but they can also open a window into the extraordinary diversity of the natural world. It is important, however, to distinguish mythology from zoology.
A sacred association does not automatically ensure an animal’s protection, nor does mythological symbolism explain its ecological needs. The buffalo in the Mahishasura legend, for instance, should not be confused with the wild water buffalo (Bubalus arnee), a threatened species protected under Indian wildlife law. The real animals behind these symbols have specific habitat requirements and ecological roles. Predators help regulate prey populations, birds contribute to seed dispersal and other ecosystem processes, and aquatic mammals depend on healthy rivers. Understanding these relationships can deepen, rather than diminish, the meaning of our cultural traditions.
The significance of this connection is especially clear in the Northeast, a region of exceptional biological richness. According to UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre, Kaziranga National Park supports the world’s largest population of greater one-horned rhinoceroses, alongside tigers, elephants, wild water buffaloes, and numerous bird species. These animals are not merely emblems of strength or grace; they are integral to functioning ecosystems.
Yet wildlife faces mounting pressures from habitat loss, fragmentation, pollution, poaching, and human–wildlife conflict. Protecting animals therefore requires more than celebrating their images. It demands the preservation of forests, grasslands, and wetlands, the maintenance of wildlife corridors, and the involvement of communities living alongside protected areas.
The Brahmaputra offers another compelling connection between devotion and conservation. According to the Wildlife Institute of India’s Population Status of River Dolphins in India, 2021–23, Assam supports an estimated 635 Gangetic river dolphins. Their survival depends on healthy aquatic habitats, adequate prey, and suitable river conditions.
This makes environmentally responsible celebrations essential. Idol immersion is an important religious ritual, but practices involving synthetic paints, plaster, and plastic waste can pollute water bodies. Eco-friendly idols made from natural materials, non-toxic colours, designated immersion facilities, and effective waste management can help protect rivers without compromising the spirit of the festival.
Assam also demonstrates how cultural attitudes can become a force for conservation. The greater adjutant stork, locally known as hargila, was once regarded by many as an ill omen. Conservation biologist Dr Purnima Devi Barman challenged this perception by building the Hargila Army, a community movement that mobilised women to protect nesting birds and spread awareness. The initiative illustrates a crucial lesson: conservation becomes more effective when people recognise wildlife as part of their shared heritage rather than as a nuisance.
Sacred groves in Meghalaya offer another example of how cultural traditions can help preserve natural habitats. Durga Puja committees could build on these lessons by featuring local wildlife in pandal artwork, organising biodiversity exhibitions, and inviting conservationists to engage with visitors. Schools and nature clubs could use the festival to discuss the rhinoceroses of Kaziranga, the elephants and tigers of Manas, and the dolphins of the Brahmaputra. Such initiatives could connect celebration with scientific understanding and encourage lasting environmental responsibility.
Animal sacrifice forms part of worship in certain Shakta traditions, including at some temples in Assam. The practice carries religious and cultural significance for its adherents, and any discussion must approach it with sensitivity. At the same time, respectful dialogue among devotees, temple authorities, veterinarians, and animal-welfare advocates could encourage voluntary alternatives, such as symbolic offerings, for those who wish to adopt them.
It is equally important to recognise that ritual practices involving domesticated animals are distinct from the principal threats to wild species. Habitat destruction, pollution, poaching, and human–wildlife conflict demand targeted conservation measures. Cultural reverence must therefore complement, not substitute for, scientific evidence and practical action.
Ultimately, Durga Puja celebrates Shakti, the power associated with the divine feminine, and the victory of good over evil. That spirit can extend beyond the altar to the forests, wetlands, and rivers that sustain life. A lion beside the Goddess can remind us of the importance of predators, a buffalo can prompt awareness of threatened wild populations, and a dolphin depicted in a pandal can inspire action to protect the Brahmaputra.
The true measure of our reverence lies not only in how beautifully we depict animals but also in whether we protect them where they live. When faith inspires habitat restoration, responsible celebrations, and community-led conservation, Durga Puja can become more than a festival of divine power. It can become a powerful reminder that safeguarding biodiversity is a shared responsibility and that the triumph of good must extend to the protection of the natural world.