AHMEDABAD: In their last abode Saurashtra, Asiatic lions
have lent their name to humans with many communities using the suffix
'sinh'. For the first time, however, villagers in Sasan will hold a
grand ceremony - naamkaran vidhi - to name five cubs born to lioness
Laxmi on May 17 this year.
Following a traditional Gujarati
ritual observed by villagers, the names of the five cubs — all of whom
have survived the first four months and weigh around 11 kg — will be
decided by picking up chits.
Foresters and villagers alike are
busy preparing for the naming ceremony to be held on October 2. The
state forest department has decided to kick start the Wild Life Week
with this ceremony. This will be followed up by a series of events
including rallies and seminars on the issue of conservation. It is rare
for a lioness to give birth to five cubs and their survival is equally
significant . "We want to spread the word about our conservation efforts
using this event," says C N Pandey, Gujarat's chief wildlife warden.
Laxmi's mother Shyama too gave birth to five cubs on May 3, 2010, at
Sakkarbaug Zoo in Junagadh but could raise only three.
Like traditional Gujarati families, this ceremony will be officiated by 'foibas' or 'buas' - elderly women from Sasan village. These women will pick up a chit with name written for each cub.
Gir has seen a substantial increase growth in the number of tourists triggered by an aggressive campaign led by superstar Amitabh Bachchan.
The number of tourists was 1.29 lakh in 2010 has increased to 4.60 lakh
in 2012-13 . The forest department has also increased the number of
permit per day in Sasan from 90 to 115 per day.
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