Dr Purnima Devi and the Hargila Army

Dadara is a village located on the northern shores of the mighty Brahmaputra. The village is home to several large trees allowing the greater adjutant Stork to nest. In Assam, the scavenger is called ‘hargila’, which means ‘bone swallower’, which is why their protectors are called ‘Hargila Army’.

Dr. Purnima Devi Barman has dedicated her life to the preservation of the bird and has managed to enlist hundreds of villagers in her hargila army. The army focuses on protecting large trees because the big bird needs large trees to nest. As part of the conservation program, these women use their looms to represent endangered birds as a pattern on stoles and saris. They also protect nests by putting nets under trees to prevent young from falling and injuring themselves. The conservation project of the Greater Adjutant Stork has been extended in 2019 for two years, with a budget of about 75,000 euros.

Visiting Dadara is a great way to encourage the efforts of the villagers and to defend such acts of conservation.