House Sparrow, The State Bird Of Delhi, Has Been Driven Away By Pigeons ?
Has anyone seen a sparrow of late? I have not! And I am not surprised !!
Our homes and the surrounding environment are infested with rock pigeons! Pigeon feeding is the latest fad which apparently wards off all evils and failures from our lives! How incredulous can we be! Where have our common sense and education gone? Are we now supposed to feed pigeons to make or break our careers and education? No marks are given to efforts or hard work – all credits go to the rock pigeons! Should I laugh or cry or get angry? I am going through all the three emotions now thinking, is this how progressive society functions!
Anyway, coming back to the sparrow- the whole infestation of pigeons has driven the demure, chirpy and cute sparrow away from the neighbourhood and our houses. We had studied in our childhood that sparrows live in the houses- on the balconies, roofs, cornices, hence are called house sparrows. However, I suppose the term has changed or has become extinct since it is no longer used. So, are we a witness to another species going extinct? If so, then it is very sad.
I fondly remember the sparrow coming and sitting on the window sill of my bedroom when I used to study with the window open. The high-pitched chirping would take my attention away from my books and I would look up to see how exactly the sparrow would chirp. I would slowly inch closer to it, in a vain attempt to catch it – but as always it would be faster than me and would immediately fly away as soon as I would reach the window. I would try and look into the trees to find out the sparrow's nest, but alas, could never see it! My wish to make it my pet, always remained a wish!
Summer holidays would mean waking up to the incessant chirping of the sparrows sitting on the big lemon tree in the garden overlooking my bedroom. I would get angry at the birds then – why did they wake me up so soon! I could have slept some more! Waking up would mean going back to morning study, which I would hate – that too in summer holidays! How insensitive can teachers be! I would have preferred chasing the sparrows in my garden, befriending them and bringing them into my room secretly, without my mother knowing what I brought in!
But now, my ears crave to listen to the pleasant chirpings which do not seem audible any more! My son has never seen a sparrow. I tell him stories about our childhood and show him pictures of what a sparrow looked like. He looks at the photos and tells me that these birds look very cute..and listens to my stories with amazement. His generation has never chased birds in the garden - it doesnt know the simple pleasures of seeing a bird stting on the window sill and observing its mannerisms, the swift as lightening movements and quick pecking of food from the grounds.
But I still hope against hope that the sparrow will not die such an early death and will be around for some more time. I still hope I will be able to sight it sometime…and hear the chirp once…before it leaves the face of the earth.
But I still hope against hope that the sparrow will not die such an early death and will be around for some more time. I still hope I will be able to sight it sometime…and hear the chirp once…before it leaves the face of the earth.
I sincerely hope that, the Delhi Government would take some measures to save its ‘State Bird’ from extinction!!
By Jaya Ray (rayjaya72@gmail.com) 9871718921
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