The Tamil Nadu Forest Department arrested seven Kili Josiyars (fortune-tellers using parakeets) based on a complaint by PETA India, an organization that claims to work for animal rights.
PETA India had filed a complaint after one stand-up comedian Sunil Grover posted a reel on his Instagram in which he listens to a fortune-teller using a parakeet to predict his future.
Acting on PETA India’s complaint, the Tamil Nadu Forest Department swung into action taking the fortune-tellers into custody.
The fortune-tellers have been booked under Sections 9, 39, and 51 of the Wildlife Protection Act (WPA), 1972.
Kili Josiyam is an ancient practice of fortune-telling using parrots. The astrologer asks a person’s name, date and place of birth and then opens the cage requesting the parrot to pick a card that suits the person. The parrot walks out of the cage, selects a card with its beak, and goes back to the cage. The astrologer then goes on to read out the message in the card.
While parakeets are a protected species under Schedule IV of the WPA, it is common sight in Tamil Nadu to see a Kili Josiyar outside temples, at popular beaches and other places where tourists frequent. In the olden days, a Kili Josiyar used to earn his bread by going village after village for fortune-telling.
Several communities like the Malai Veduvar (tribal) and Kambalathu Naicker (Other Backward Caste) communities have been carrying on the ancient tradition of Kili Josiyam for ages.
With time and lack of patronage, the tradition has been dwindling with several generations of the community moving on to do other things.
This is not the first time that PETA has gone after indigenous communities and their practices. PETA India tried to meddle with the breeding of indigenous cow and bull breeds by seeking a ban on Jallikattu. Similarly, in Karnataka they moved the court to ban the Kambala buffalo race. They have also been going after temple elephants. Very recently they were instrumental in taking away Lakshmi the elephant from her home in Manakula Vinayagar Temple in Puducherry by the forest department saying that she was being ‘ill treated’. PETA India had also filed a petition at the Rajasthan High Court to ban elephant rides in Amber fort.
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