For these temple turtles in Kanpur, paneer is the top pick | India News

KANPUR: Like Jerry the mouse drawn irresistibly to cheese, turtles in a Kanpur temple pond floor eagerly for cubes of paneer – a weird twist in their dietary story that has each devotees and conservationists doing a double take.Roughly 150 turtles reside in a 2-bigha pond beside Panki Dham, a temple advanced often known as Panki Nageshwar temple. Each Wednesday, heads bob above water as softshell turtles paddle swiftly to snag chunks of cottage cheese provided by visiting devotees. Temple administrator Devi Dayal Pathak, whose household has managed the shrine for greater than 350 years, recalled when this peculiar feeding behavior started to emerge. “A visiting professor was apparently the first to introduce paneer to the reptiles,” Pathak stated. “They once ate atta balls offered by devotees, but now clearly prefer paneer. Why they developed this taste, no one really knows.”Turtles are largely averse to dairy, however this shift has turn out to be a constant function of temple life. Religious lore additionally performs a job – turtles are related to planet Mercury, encouraging crowds to assemble midweek to feed them in hopes of astrological goodwill.Rajeev Chauhan, secretary basic of Society for Conservation of Nature, known as the paneer-loving behaviour uncommon and research-worthy. “These Indian softshell turtles – Nilssonia gangetica – are carnivores and scavengers. Because of that, they can easily digest cheese,” he stated.Found primarily in rivers corresponding to Ganga, Indus, and Mahanadi, the softshell turtles often feast on fish, amphibians, carrion, and aquatic vegetation. Despite their adaptability, they continue to be protected underneath Schedule I, Part II of India’s Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 – making it unlawful to seize or hurt them.Pathak stated the temple grounds have grown right into a sanctuary. An synthetic island in the centre gives nesting area, whereas embankments assist curb erosion. Local shopkeepers now inventory accredited feeding objects, and municipal boards present ecological steering to guests.For now, paneer stays top pick on the turtle menu. And each Wednesday, as cubes hit water, heads rise like clockwork – a scene half sacred ritual, half ecological marvel.