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Feed birds for pleasure and luck: The Pioneer
New Delhi, Feb 04: Khichan in Jodhpur district is a small sleepy village. Every year towards the end of August, just after the monsoon rains have ceased, migrating Demoiselle Cranes fly in from their breeding grounds on the plains and the steppes of Eurasia and Mongolia to pass their winter months in India.
New Delhi, Feb 04: Khichan in Jodhpur district is a small sleepy village. Every year towards the end of August, just after the monsoon rains have ceased, migrating Demoiselle Cranes fly in from their breeding grounds on the plains and the steppes of Eurasia and Mongolia to pass their winter months in India. All of a sudden the sleepy village of Khichan is transformed into a noisy crowded place, as "cork-krok" calls fill the air, and the sky is darkened by thousands of cranes. Many years ago, when the first few cranes arrived, the village took a decision to feed them. Now, because the cranes have a secure food source, they have increased over the years and this year 6,000 birds have come in.
Since the cranes were often disturbed by dogs and passing villagers, a small feeding place (50 x 60m) was set up at the edge of the village. Ratan Lal, a volunteer, continues his early morning and afternoon activity, and throughout the high season (November to February) provides up to five quintal (500 kg) of grain per day for the birds. For many years, the money for the grain has been sent by Jain traders who had migrated from this village to the cities. Now it is supplemented by monetary donations from local people and visitors, administered by Kuraj Sanrakshan Vikas Sansthan, the village made society for crane protection and care.
After the cranes complete their early morning feeding, they depart in small family flocks. Their destination is a large area of barren land near Khichan where feeding continues on seeds found in the soil. In the middle of the day all the cranes assemble around the nadis and ponds dug near the village to collect rainwater for domestic and animal use.
Here the birds drink and occasionally bathe. Short dance displays of affection take place. Towards three pm suddenly the entire flock takes wing and returns to crowd into the feeding area, the later birds having to wait outside the fence until they find some free space.
Ratan Lal does his best to satisfy all the hungry flock, distributing the day's fourth bag of grain. The feeding cranes come within only a few metres and accompanying them are jungle fowls, peacocks, sparrows, crows, doves all participating in a free meal. Khichan has benefited economically. It has been put on the tourist map by the State Government and hundreds of tourists come by to watch the generosity of the village.
Many villages in Gujarat have a similar tradition, specially in the drier areas. Naranbhai, a poor illiterate villager from Jamnagar, walks miles every day to fill water from a small pond and takes it in pitchers for peacocks. He started this at the height of the drought and today this is the only place in Saurashtra where peacocks can still be found. When I wrote about him 10 years ago, people sent him money and the Maharaja of Jamnagar gave him grain. Now he finds himself broke again and called me last week to ask if I could help him.
Kanpura village in Palanpur has a chabutara that has been maintained for 40 years by one family who owns a local shop. The chabutara is a platform with a 12 feet high column and an open pan on top on which the grain is kept everyday. Birds from all the surrounding villages come to the chabutara every mowing where they are fed wheat and maize.
The tradition of feeding birds should be maintained in every household. It costs very little and is very good for your health. It has a calming effect on the mind. It is also very good ecologically: You tend to take birds for granted but few know that millions die every year because there are no fruit and seed trees left in the cities. They have no water sources either. The rivers are polluted, the lakes have been filled in by contractors, the small water bodies have disappeared and the wetlands are being converted into roads. They have no nestling sites left. So where do they go and what do they survive on? Even the pleasing little sparrow has gradually been forced out of existence.
When you wake up in the morning, do this as your first act. Put grain and small fruit pieces in the same place and at the same time. Also put shallow earthenware pots of fresh water at different places in the same area. It will take a few days for the birds to come. But once they start coming, make sure you do it every day at the same time as the birds will arrive on the dot. In fact, you can set your watch by them. Do not stand there otherwise they will never come. They need security and your presence frightens them. You can do this even if you have a flat. All you need is a small balcony or a flat roof.
Since the cranes were often disturbed by dogs and passing villagers, a small feeding place (50 x 60m) was set up at the edge of the village. Ratan Lal, a volunteer, continues his early morning and afternoon activity, and throughout the high season (November to February) provides up to five quintal (500 kg) of grain per day for the birds. For many years, the money for the grain has been sent by Jain traders who had migrated from this village to the cities. Now it is supplemented by monetary donations from local people and visitors, administered by Kuraj Sanrakshan Vikas Sansthan, the village made society for crane protection and care.
After the cranes complete their early morning feeding, they depart in small family flocks. Their destination is a large area of barren land near Khichan where feeding continues on seeds found in the soil. In the middle of the day all the cranes assemble around the nadis and ponds dug near the village to collect rainwater for domestic and animal use.
Here the birds drink and occasionally bathe. Short dance displays of affection take place. Towards three pm suddenly the entire flock takes wing and returns to crowd into the feeding area, the later birds having to wait outside the fence until they find some free space.
Ratan Lal does his best to satisfy all the hungry flock, distributing the day's fourth bag of grain. The feeding cranes come within only a few metres and accompanying them are jungle fowls, peacocks, sparrows, crows, doves all participating in a free meal. Khichan has benefited economically. It has been put on the tourist map by the State Government and hundreds of tourists come by to watch the generosity of the village.
Many villages in Gujarat have a similar tradition, specially in the drier areas. Naranbhai, a poor illiterate villager from Jamnagar, walks miles every day to fill water from a small pond and takes it in pitchers for peacocks. He started this at the height of the drought and today this is the only place in Saurashtra where peacocks can still be found. When I wrote about him 10 years ago, people sent him money and the Maharaja of Jamnagar gave him grain. Now he finds himself broke again and called me last week to ask if I could help him.
Kanpura village in Palanpur has a chabutara that has been maintained for 40 years by one family who owns a local shop. The chabutara is a platform with a 12 feet high column and an open pan on top on which the grain is kept everyday. Birds from all the surrounding villages come to the chabutara every mowing where they are fed wheat and maize.
The tradition of feeding birds should be maintained in every household. It costs very little and is very good for your health. It has a calming effect on the mind. It is also very good ecologically: You tend to take birds for granted but few know that millions die every year because there are no fruit and seed trees left in the cities. They have no water sources either. The rivers are polluted, the lakes have been filled in by contractors, the small water bodies have disappeared and the wetlands are being converted into roads. They have no nestling sites left. So where do they go and what do they survive on? Even the pleasing little sparrow has gradually been forced out of existence.
When you wake up in the morning, do this as your first act. Put grain and small fruit pieces in the same place and at the same time. Also put shallow earthenware pots of fresh water at different places in the same area. It will take a few days for the birds to come. But once they start coming, make sure you do it every day at the same time as the birds will arrive on the dot. In fact, you can set your watch by them. Do not stand there otherwise they will never come. They need security and your presence frightens them. You can do this even if you have a flat. All you need is a small balcony or a flat roof.