Indian Peafowl (Pavo cristatus) in Sanskrit literature and The Role of Indian Culture in its Conservation

Sanskrit literature (chronologically going 5000 years back to Vedic literature) and Indian culture have paid significant attention to birds and their relation to human beings. Indian culture still is an existing, a vibrant and a living culture, having a peculiar structure of ideas, sensitivity, symbols, beliefs, sentiments and values that are passed on from one generation to another.

I present my finding on our National bird - Indian Peafowl (Pavo cristatus) in relation to Sanskrit literature and how the Indian culture has offered a unique respectful place for the Indian Peafowl. The observations cover various aspects such as the oldest references, mythology, religion, traditions, augury, etymology, lexicons, descriptive references correlating recent ornithological information, aesthetic appreciation, philosophical context, paintings, sculpture, music, dance, yogic postures and the reference in the Ayurveda (Indian system of medicine).

To support this data, I have discussed the present status of Indian Peafowl; have given concrete examples of its conservation prevalent in the Indian community, to prove how the Indian culture has played an important, active and educative role in conservation.