Residents of Kollukudipatti in Tamil Nadu have avoided firecrackers since 1977 to protect migratory birds at the Vettangudi Bird Sanctuary. While Deepavali celebrations across India are often marked by fireworks and loud crackers, a village in Tamil Nadu has followed a different tradition for nearly five decades. Residents of Kollukudipatti in Sivaganga district have voluntarily given up firecrackers since 1977 to protect thousands of migratory birds that visit the nearby Vettangudi Bird.