Hayagriva Madhava Temple in the Hajo pilgrimage centre in
Assam has provided a safe haven to the softshell turtles. Hindus consider them
as sacred, the incarnations of Lord Maha Vishnu, so they believe it is
their duty to protect them from harm.
The black softshell turtle is officially extinct in the
wild, but the centuries-old Hindu temple and its nature-loving caretaker are
helping them back to life.
Recently 35 turtle hatchlings, including 16 black softshells
hand-reared at the temple, was released into a nearby wildlife sanctuary.
According to an AFP report, a key figure is the caretaker of
the temple pond, Pranab Malakar, who long before environmentalists became
involved took a keen interest in the turtles' wellbeing. Malakar collects eggs
laid by the turtles on the banks of the pond and hatch them into an incubator.
The initiative has become a successful model so that they have
identified 18 other temple ponds in the area which could be used for the same
purpose.
Popularly known as Hayagriva Madhab Mandir in Assamese, the
6th century AD temple belongs to the Pala Dynasty and is located
atop the Manikuta Hill which is around 24 km from Guwahati. the capital of
Assam.
The temple is dedicated to the Hayagriva manifestation of Lord Vishnu. In this form Vishnu is with the horse head.