Before the heavy machinery grinds in the granite hub of Kuppam in Chittoor district, a different kind of echo pierces the dawn. In Kuppam – where Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu meet in a jagged border – the scrape of granite quarrying is increasingly being drowned out by spectacular sightings. The peacocks have claimed the quarries, turning a landscape of blasted rock into an improbable sanctuary of iridescent blue and loud cries.
Event Context
From Gudupalle to Ramakuppam to the granite hills of Shantipuram to the scrub forests of Kuppam, home to the flocks of peacocks, has become the hub of conserving the National Bird.
On the outskirts of many villages like Gudupalle, Cheldiganipalle, Nadimut, Dasegowniyur, Kothapalle, and others around Kuppam constituency, peacocks are often sighted moving closer to human habitation, as they sometimes perch on trees, fanning out their iridescent blue and green elongated tail, which the residents claim to be a “striking visual”.
P. Murali Krishna Reddy, Professor of English at Dravidian University in Kuppam, says that nothing captures the imagination quite like peacock dances witnessed before and during the southwest monsoon. “Our campus has an umpteen number of peacocks. Seeing them from a distance, flying from tree to tree and rock to rock, is an experience that strengthens a feeling of love for nature among both faculty and students,” he said.
Despite being the National Bird with religious significance, peacocks are not always welcomed with enthusiasm. Farmers complain that they cause crop damage. Groundnut, ragi, horse gram, sunflower, pulses, maize, and vegetable crops are particularly vulnerable. Newly sown fields attract large numbers of birds. “Peacocks are notorious for uprooting tender seedlings and feeding on emerging crops. We spend hours guarding fields during the sowing season,” said Bhupati, a vegetable farmer in Ramakuppam.
However, on the contrary, some farmers hail peacocks as protectors of crops, as they consume large numbers of insects, termites, beetles, small rodents, and even snakes, crediting the birds with keeping pest populations under control.
An advocate and a social activist, A. Narendra, 31, says the increasing presence of peacocks in the region should not be viewed as a routine movement of birds. It clearly indicates mounting pressure on natural habitats due to water scarcity, reduced food availability, habitat fragmentation, quarry blasting, dust and noise pollution, and changing land use in and around Kuppam, he adds.
“We have reports of snares, country-made guns, illegal electric fencing, and poisoned bait in border villages. These require urgent verification, as they are a threat to the National Bird. A scientific, multi-departmental field study and a transparent conservation plan are essential to protect peacocks,” Mr. Narendra says.
Forest Range Officer (Kuppam) R. Jaya Shankar says that peacocks enjoy the best protection in the Kuppam region. “There has been absolutely no incidence of poaching. Though some peacocks die in agricultural fields due to exposure to chemical fertilisers, they are promptly reported to the department. Along with us, farmers also play a vital role in rescuing peacocks from stray dog bites. Unfortunately, there is no plan of action to mitigate the peacock population. Unlike elephants, they are airborne, and we cannot clip their wings. Except for reports of peacocks damaging crops, there is no scientific evidence to prove the claim. We constantly educate farmers about the status of peacocks as Schedule-I animals just like a tiger or elephant,” Mr. Shankar clarifies.
Hazarath Pir Syed Alisha Quadri Chishti Saheb, Chief Pontiff of Qudrathi Chaman Trust Dargah in Chittoor, welcomes the teeming population of peacocks in the district.
“When we bless a person with peacock feathers, it reflects a living tradition of faith, prayer, and compassion. Peacock feathers carry the message of peace, protection, and goodwill. In our country, where cultures have long intertwined, these feathers are a reminder that spirituality can rise above religious boundaries – uniting people through hope, healing, and humanity,” the Hazarath adds.
Player Focus
The Kuppam residents point out various reasons for the rise in the count of birds, such as suitable climatic conditions and the protective nature of local farmers, over the past few years. The birds have become an integral part of the landscape in every nook and corner of rural and semi-urban areas, say the locals, while the elderly of the villages observe the development to be an exceptional feat achieved by the people of Kuppam.
Team Analysis
In an extension to what Mr. Subburaj commented, 76-year-old Gunaswami, a Kuppam resident who was a luggage porter at Coimbatore railway station in Tamil Nadu earlier, said that the “Vanga Nari Jallikattu” ritual in north-western districts of Tamil Nadu, particularly in Salem, Namakkal, and Dharmapuri areas, had disrupted the Bengal fox species, which became a boon for peacocks.
“The slender fox species, though not directly hunting peacocks, is crucial in shattering the homes of the birds in forests, preying on eggs and their young ones. As part of the rural ritual, held to invoke divine blessings for rain and agricultural prosperity, youth go in search of foxes, scour the countryside, and return with the animals. The ritual involves pujas and garlanding of the foxes. Though the foxes are later released into the forests, they hardly survive due to severe injuries and exhaustion,” Gunaswami explains.
With reports of El Niño predictions, the residents say that peacocks seem to have known in advance about the present weather patterns.
“Generally, we are accustomed to the calls of peacocks from the last week of May. This year, their screams are louder, with a note of despair. Unlike in previous years, Kuppam saw high temperatures from March onwards. As we travel along dusty roads, the peacocks’ mew-like calls are laced with agony, showing their desperate wait for rain,” a resident said.
Match Outlook
Although the poaching of peacocks in the region was next to nothing, the hunting of the small foxes, a prime predator of the National Bird, in neighbouring Tamil Nadu has led to an uptick in the peacock population in Kuppam.
“Another important reason why peacocks are thriving in Kuppam is the ruthless poaching of the small fox, or Bengal fox, by some forest-dwellers in the north-western part of Tamil Nadu for its teeth and bones, which are believed to bring prosperity. This fox species is the prime predator of the peacocks that destroy the eggs, peachick, and even injure them,” The district forest official said, adding that dwindling numbers of foxes had resulted in peacocks becoming a teeming species in Kuppam, which borders Tamil Nadu.
source
Referring to the teeming population of the species, youth, on a lighter note, say, “There are villages where peacocks outnumber humans”. Although there is no official census of the peacock population, the count of the National Bird has increased significantly, nowhere else in the Rayalaseema region but in Kuppam, according to forest officials.
During the peak summer, peacocks were often seen congregating near village tanks, farm ponds, irrigation sources, and Kuppam branch canal areas. The Kangundi area, the erstwhile zamindari headquarters of the region, a few kilometres from Kuppam, remains the best spot to witness peacocks.
“Their [peacocks’] presence is particularly mesmerising during the breeding season, when males occupy elevated rocky outcrops and display their magnificent trains,” said Lakshminarayana, a senior journalist in Kuppam.
In recent years, all four mandals of the Kuppam Assembly constituency, Kuppam, Ramakuppam, Gudupalle, and Shantipuram, have become ideal habitats for peacocks to breed. Kangundi Reserve Forest, the Madanapalle Road stretch, Bairupalle border tracts, the Kuppam-Mallanur route, and rural roads towards the Kolar Gold Fields (KGF) in Karnataka are dominated by peacock sightings.
“Though it is difficult to fix any figure, we can say that peacocks are everywhere. One thing is sure, Kuppam’s landscape is definitely a very safe haven for the National Bird. There is no record of poaching cases. The farmers don’t harm the birds,” District Forest Officer (Chittoor) G. Subburaj says.
Linking the development to mythology, Mr. Subburaj says, “The religious sentiment attached to the peacock, as the bird, according to Indian mythology, was the sacred vehicle of Lord Muruga, who is named as Subramanya Swami by the people of Andhra Pradesh, shields them from falling prey to poaching practices. To substantiate the importance of these birds, there are some notable Murugan temples in the region, including the Gudivanka temple.”
Temples in the Kuppam and nearby Tamil-speaking settlements maintain strong Muruga traditions. Pilgrims travelling between Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu often stop at these shrines. Several elders narrate stories of peacocks appearing mysteriously near temple premises during festivals dedicated to Muruga. Whether viewed as faith or folklore, such beliefs have played a crucial role in protecting the birds.
Lord Muruga temple at Gudivanka near Kuppam. | Photo Credit: Special arrangement
