# Talks for Mithila
Podcast Series

By [Aprajita Jha](https://dylit.info/user/aprajita_1736)

[𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗵 𝗨𝗦𝗔](https://dylit.info/pr/%25F0%259D%2597%25A6%25F0%259D%2597%25AE%25F0%259D%2597%25B9%25F0%259D%2597%25B5%25F0%259D%2597%25B2%25F0%259D%2598%2580%25F0%259D%2597%25B5-%25F0%259D%2597%25A8%25F0%259D%2597%25A6%25F0%259D%2597%2594/6a5137da25b94158fd8674bd) > [Talks for Mithila
Podcast Series](https://dylit.info/ch/talks-for-mithila-podcast-series/6a5137e525b94158fd8674da)

𝐄𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐝𝐞 2 | 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐚 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: 𝐃𝐞𝐯 𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐥 — Relearning Our Bond with Nature 𝑻𝒂𝒍𝒌 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝑴𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒂 𝑷𝒐𝒅𝒄𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝑺𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 | 𝑬𝒑𝒊𝒔𝒐𝒅𝒆 2 Dev Narayan Mandal Founder, Mithila Wildlife Trust Dhanusha, Nepal In the second episode of Talk for Mithila, we sat down with Dev Narayan Mandal and found ourselves learning and unlearning many things about how we relate to nature in Mithila. Since 2013, he has been working closely with local communities on wildlife rescue, reducing snakebite related deaths, restoring forests and riverbeds, and building awareness around coexistence outside protected areas. During the conversation, he spoke about the contradictions that shape our society today. Animals and birds are worshipped through rituals and festivals, yet are often harmed or displaced in everyday life due to fear, habitat loss, and human expansion. Drawing from years of hands-on field experience, he reflected on the ecological role of snakes, why they are widely misunderstood, and how loss of habitat and excessive pesticide use has pushed them into human spaces, especially during the monsoon. The discussion widened to the gradual disappearance of migratory birds and small animals from Mithila. Once rich in ponds, greenery, and open spaces, the region has changed with drying water bodies, deforestation, and unchecked construction. He emphasized that return is still possible if water sources are revived and if regions are made safe again, and if communities choose awareness over fear. It was one of those conversations that did not end when the microphones were turned off. It asked us to look at festivals not only as rituals, but as reminders of an older ecological wisdom. To question what it means when animals symbolically present in our culture are no longer present in our surroundings. This episode is not only about wildlife. It is about culture, actual practices, and how coexistence was once an everyday way of life in Mithila. Watch the full episode on Salhesh’s YouTube channel. Link in bio. Vision: Aprajita Jha, Founder, Salhesh_USA Direction: @mithilacinema https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwCjQz1wqpw