I’m an avid bird lover. Owl is one of my favourite for his cuteness, its
qualities of hearing, strategies for hunting in an efficient way, its way of
being absolutely silent and doing its work alone silently, with full
concentration. I also like Owls for their wisdom. They know when to hunt and
when to rest. You will never find an Owl roaming without purpose.
In India Diwali lights are meant to represent the victory of good over
evil, as well as a welcoming beacon for Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, the five
day festival is the most deadly time of all for the owls.
Owl is considered a symbol of wealth, prosperity, wisdom, good luck and
Fortune. This is the reason why Owl is seen with Goddess Lakshmi, who is also
the goddess of fortune, wealth and prosperity.
Some illiterate and superstitious people believe is that if an owl is sacrificed
in a house during Lakshmi puja (God of wealth), the goddess will be forced
to “stay” with the family. This superstition is deadly for owls.
India is home to 32 species out of 200 owl species. Most, if not all,
are included on International Union for Conservation of Nature's “Red List” of
threatened species, while at least one, the forest owlet, is critically
endangered, according to “Imperilled Custodians of the Night,” a report Abrar wrote for Traffic in 2010.
The most common species sold is the spotted owlet, which has adapted to
living in cities and is therefore in little danger of dying out. But threatened
species like the brown fish owl can also be found for sale, and the threatened
rock eagle owl is the “most preferred” by tantric (witch doctors), a bad omen
for its future survival.
The Indian (rock) eagle owl, brown fish owl, dusky eagle owl Indian
scops owl and mottled wood owl are five of the most traded owl species in
illegal wildlife market.
People need to get educated and work hard to attract wealth, good fortune,
prosperity and wellbeing – superstitions will not help in getting wealth. One
has to work smart and be strategic in its actions. One has to think and act
like an “Owl” to attract Lakshmi.
Awareness is the only solution which can save this bird.
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