Nature Diary
Sundays can be pretty boring at times. Especially when you are alone at home.The heat wave prevents any outdoor movement for a greater part of the day though late evenings are pleasant.
In my early morning walks, I find large number of peacocks and peahens in the colony. Generally I find them perched atop lamp posts with their beautiful tails hanging down or spread fan like. Looking at those brilliant colors I wonder at the artist sitting upstairs.What a difference it makes to our dry and dusty brown,yellow,mud color surroundings.
The pigeons of course take the cake, as far as their population goes here. Rajasthanis firmly believe that putting up bird seeds of all kind daily for our feathered friends adds to the 'punya'. I observe people regularly doing it besides filling the multiple water pots placed strategically. These birds being restless types rarely feed at long stretches and seem to be continuously moving in droves; taking a short circular path above the house,school and again settling down to feed.
As I sit on my porch with my tea, the red bottomed and yellow bottomed hoopees alight near me and start trilling; they are waiting for the biscuit crumbs. I like to think that its the same pair and they kind of recognize me.
I also watch some fellow walkers put sweets or sugar or molasses near ant hills. This ritual is followed by many in other states also. When I first came to Rajasthan I found one quaint custom.Housewives, on starting to cook first thing in the morning, would bake one chappati for the dog/cow/crow/any cattle and keep it aside. Thereafter food is cooked for the rest of the family.
The ideology of "Vasudeva Kutumbakam" encompasses not only the world and his family but also the other creatures in it.
Sundays can be pretty boring at times. Especially when you are alone at home.The heat wave prevents any outdoor movement for a greater part of the day though late evenings are pleasant.
In my early morning walks, I find large number of peacocks and peahens in the colony. Generally I find them perched atop lamp posts with their beautiful tails hanging down or spread fan like. Looking at those brilliant colors I wonder at the artist sitting upstairs.What a difference it makes to our dry and dusty brown,yellow,mud color surroundings.
The pigeons of course take the cake, as far as their population goes here. Rajasthanis firmly believe that putting up bird seeds of all kind daily for our feathered friends adds to the 'punya'. I observe people regularly doing it besides filling the multiple water pots placed strategically. These birds being restless types rarely feed at long stretches and seem to be continuously moving in droves; taking a short circular path above the house,school and again settling down to feed.
As I sit on my porch with my tea, the red bottomed and yellow bottomed hoopees alight near me and start trilling; they are waiting for the biscuit crumbs. I like to think that its the same pair and they kind of recognize me.
I also watch some fellow walkers put sweets or sugar or molasses near ant hills. This ritual is followed by many in other states also. When I first came to Rajasthan I found one quaint custom.Housewives, on starting to cook first thing in the morning, would bake one chappati for the dog/cow/crow/any cattle and keep it aside. Thereafter food is cooked for the rest of the family.
The ideology of "Vasudeva Kutumbakam" encompasses not only the world and his family but also the other creatures in it.
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