For Generations, These Tamil Nadu Villages Have Gone Cracker-Free to Protect Bats

In parts of Tamil Nadu, Diwali comes with an unusual rule: leave the firecrackers out. The reason hangs upside down in the trees. Hundreds of bats roost in village banyans and tamarinds. Rather than drive them away, residents have built traditions around protecting them. In some places, the custom is tied to a sacred tree or local deity. In others, it began with families feeding the animals. The stories are different, but the relationship is striking. These villagers do not see the bats as pests

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