# Reclaiming Nature: The Story of the Hargila Army | Dr. Purnima Devi Barman | TEDxAIIMSBhubaneswar

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSFVZ2DObec
Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/NSFVZ2DObec
Generated: 2026-02-25T19:05:35.578+00:00

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## Quick Overview

Dr. Purnima Devi Barman mobilized over 20,000 women into the 'Hargila Army' to transform the perception of the endangered Greater Adjutant Stork, locally called Hargila, from a bad omen to a cultural icon, resulting in the bird's local population increasing from 400-450 in 2007 to over 1800 in Assam, leading to its IUCN down-listing from Endangered to Near Threatened.

**Key Points:**
- Dr. Purnima Devi Barman founded the Hargila Army, comprising over 20,000 women, who integrate the conservation of the Hargila bird into local traditions and livelihoods.
- The Greater Adjutant Stork, or Hargila, was once treated as a 'bad omen' or 'disease carrier' in Assam, leading to persecution, but the movement successfully converted it into a 'cultural icon and pride.'
- Conservation success is quantified by the increase in nesting colonies from 27 nests in 2007 to over 300 nests in the working villages, and the bird population growing from 400-450 to over 1800 in Assam.
- A key strategy involved connecting with women through cooking competitions and celebrating the bird's breeding with a 'Baby Shower' or 'Gotbharaai' ceremony, linking the bird's life cycle to human rituals.
- The Hargila Army empowers women economically as they weave the bird's motif into traditional Assamese textiles like the Gamosa, which they sell globally, demonstrating that 'our passion becomes fashion.'
- The impact includes rescuing over 500 baby birds that fell from nests and ensuring that since 2010, 'not a single tree has been cut down' in the project areas.
- The overall message is that saving one species saves a complex ecosystem, encapsulated by the chant: 'Hargila's victory is our victory. When nature wins we win.'

**Context:** Dr. Purnima Devi Barman shares the story of her dedication to conserving the Greater Adjutant Stork, locally known as Hargila, in Assam, India. She recounts pausing her PhD to address the persecution of these majestic birds, which were feared as carriers of disease or bad luck, especially after witnessing a man cut down a nesting tree housing nine nests in 2007, an event that ignited her maternal instincts and mission to change community perception.

## Detailed Analysis

Dr. Purnima Devi Barman advocates for viewing herself as the Hargila bird, the Greater Adjutant Stork, one of the rarest storks globally, whose name in Assamese translates to 'bone swallower.' She details her shift from academic pursuit to active conservation after witnessing the destruction of a nesting tree in 2007, realizing her education was useless if she could not save the bird. She initially struggled to engage villagers until she organized cooking competitions for women, a strategy that successfully attracted large numbers and allowed her to share the concept of the 'Wave of Life'—the interconnectedness of all beings. The movement gained momentum through the creation of the 'Baby Shower' or 'Gotbharaai' ceremony for the storks, integrating the bird's breeding cycle into local motherhood rituals and traditions, which led to the formation of the 20,000-member Hargila Army. This army of women, ranging from homemakers to entrepreneurs like Jonali, now weaves the bird's design into traditional Assamese textiles, turning conservation into a livelihood where 'passion becomes fashion,' with products displayed in global venues like the Natural History Museum in London. The conservation efforts have yielded significant results: the local population of Hargila birds has surged from 400-450 in 2007 to over 1800, and no nesting tree has been cut since 2010, prompting IUCN to down-list the species from Endangered to Near Threatened.

### Hargila Army Formation and Scale

- Over 20,000 women mobilized as the Hargila Army
- Conservation and livelihood move 'hand in hand'
- Women integrate bird motif into traditional Assamese attire (Gamosa) and sell products globally.

### Shifting Community Perception

- Bird was initially treated as 'bad omen' or 'disease carrier'
- Strategy involved organizing cooking competitions to attract women
- Introduced the 'Baby Shower' (Gotbharaai) ceremony for the storks to elevate their status.

### Conservation Metrics and Success

- Nest count increased from 27 nests in 2007 to over 300 in project villages
- Population rose from 400-450 birds in 2007 to over 1800 in Assam
- Over 500 baby birds rescued and released into the wild.

### Activist Techniques and Philosophy

- Speaker used to climb 100-foot bamboo platforms to study nesting patterns
- Encourages everyone to start 'tiny actions' for species conservation
- The core belief is that 'Hargila's victory is our victory,' emphasizing co-existence.

### Bird Characteristics

- Hargila is the Greater Adjutant Stork
- They have long beaks, incredible gular pouches, and white/black bends on their feet
- They are called Adjutant Storks due to their 'military stride.'