कासव महोत्सव - वेळास

Turtle Festival - Velas

Velas, situated near Bankot Bay of Ratnagiri, is one of the  tranquil villages on the Konkan coast and is the native place of the great  diplomat, the late Nana Phadnavis.

The Olive Ridley Turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) are the smallest of the sea  turtles and they get their name because of their olive colored shells. Every  year they migrate across thousands of kilometers and visit several shores in  Western India to lay their eggs, along the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal.  Large scale nesting of these turtles take place along the Konkan sea shore and  Velas has always topped the list with the highest number of nests amongst all  these villages.

Every year locals and social volunteers collect and relocate the freshly laid  turtle eggs to preserve them from becoming prey to birds, small animals, crabs,  snakes, etc. Extreme care is taken of these nests till the hatchings are  released to the sea. Witnessing a baby turtle finding its way to the sea and  starting a journey of life is an unforgettable moment. Usually, from mid  January to March is the time when this huge ‘festival’ is celebrated on the  shores of Velas and a couple of other villages where the beach stretches.

NGOs named Sahyadri Nisarga Mitra and Kasav Mitra Mandal have taken a huge  initiative to conserve these turtles by providing protection to their eggs and  by arranging awareness campaigns under the marine turtle conservation project.