The sparrow has been declared the state bird by our cousins, the Delhi folks. The humble Indian sparrow, has apparently almost disappeared from the capital. It is so rare that even environment ministry folks cannot distinguish it from its Eurasian cousin. Still, World Sparrow Day has been celebrated in Delhi on 20 th March and one hopes that this is a sign that some Delhi janta are interested in watching real birds instead of ogling and gawking at women .
So it is about time that Gurgaon got to have its own bird and even celebrate a Bird day. A brief search on the Net has revealed that the State Bird of Haryana is the Black Francolin. The Black Francolin is a kind of Partridge, a game bird belonging to the Pheasant family. It is known for its short explosive flight and loud aggressive calls during the breeding season , characteristics it has lent to some of the non feathered residents as well. However, the bird is rarely seen in our concrete jungle and does not evoke any feeling in the heart of the Gurgaonite. Besides, Black Francolin Day or Kaala Teetar Divas sounds like a sad occasion to commemorate some national tragedy , the kind that is accompanied by mournful shehnai music on Doordarshan. It just doesn’t have that ring to it.
The other contender could be the common country hen, the humble murgi, that is found in any self respecting Indian village. Gurgaon was once a thriving hub of hens, having more than 250 poultry farms. Now the poultry owners have chickened out of the business, having found it more lucrative to sell off the farms for real estate development. Is it time to bring the hen back into the city? Should the cock
crow once more on the dawn of a new era? Shall we hear the patter of tiny chicken feet again in the yard? And how shall we celebrate the Hen Day? Shall we throw a bash at the local KFC outlet? Shall we recall the virtues of a tasty platter of tandoori murg or chicken tikka? The delicious irony of Hen Day would be lost on a majority of the kukkad loving populace.
Another option is to adopt one of the migratory birds that flock to Sultanpur every winter. Maybe the Rosy pelican, or the Wagtail or Spotted sandpiper. I am personally in favor of the Northern Shoveler, a duck that is found in North America. Since Gurgaon has a significant expat population and NRIs, it would be symbolic of the global cosmopolitan culture of the place. But it would be a bird brained thing to antagonize the swadeshi pakshi lobby who would fly off the handle if we bring a phoren feather into the picture.
One of the best candidates would be the common Indian pigeon. The Indian pigeon is truly Indian-it can perform its natural body functions anywhere in public and doesn’t care about the mess it makes. Every morning, I find that my balconies have been has been blessed generously by these birds who like to leave their mark in most public places, sort of like the ‘ Pinky loves Babloo’ scratched on walls of
national monuments.
The Indian pigeon has adapted beautifully to high rise living in Gurgaon. It knows the value of real estate and chooses prime locations like tops of air conditioners and cozy alcoves above the kitchen to build its nest. It has mutated from a shy bird to a loud aggressive bully who doesn’t think twice about venturing into other peoples territories. It can handle a variety of menu options from biscuit crumbs to stale parathas. It is capable of making a loud noise when it wants without caring about its neighbors. The pigeons are quite happy congregating in their favorite pots, like the local swimming pool in summers, shady park corners and having a good time. They strut about in its attractive grey, blue, green plumage looking smarter than they actually are.
So it is about time this intelligent, adaptable bird is given the love and respect that it deserves. So let’s start a campaign to celebrate World Pigeon Day in Gurgaon and honor the Indian Pigeon that is a part of our lives.
