Friendship with Birds and Insects

Debi Mukherjee (India, 04/07/07)

In my childhood I used to observe my Grandmother offering grains to the birds as a daily ritual. A pot of water used to be kept in the lawn by the side of which grains were scattered. After nibbling the grains the birds used to drink, take bath and dance with ecstasy especially during the hot summer season. It was a sight worth enjoying!

She also gave me the exposure to be acquainted with tunes of chirping made by different species of birds. These are nostalgic sweet calls of “Kuh-oo” made by Cuckoos; “Bau- Katha- Kao” (as if urging brides to speak out)” sung by Indian Nightingales; “Chokh Gelo (Eyes are gone) etc. apart from regular chirpings of sparrows. There were also brightly coloured birds like “King fishers” whose job was to gaze at the water of a lake or river at a stretch to dive for a fish.

This caring for birds remained embedded in me till date. I continue to feed the birds as a daily ritual and love to observe their liking/disliking.

On the wall of my balcony, a pot of water is kept. Early morning I scatter pieces of biscuits by the side of the water pot. Sparrows and Nightingales are regular visitors. The day I happen to get up late they will start chirping loudly by the side of the window of my bedroom as if demanding their daily quota. They enjoy eating “Glucose biscuits” but not so fond of other brands as indicated by their speed of eating.

Our lunchtime is in between 1 to 1-30 pm. Before partaking meals my husband offers portions of his meals to our late ancestors and afterwards the same are given to these birds. The day we are late for lunch beyond 1-30 pm, they are invariably seen loitering on the window panes of our dining room chattering incessantly as if asking for their share of lunch. I wonder as to how do they come to know of the lunch timing by which clock or watch! They have also preference about the lunch menu. While they enjoy pieces of Chapatti (hand made baked bread) very much but reluctant to eat rice or broken wheat preparations.

One more class of friends I have recently come across is large species of black ants. Whatever sweet candies are offered to our Deity as a daily ritual of our worship in the morning, these ants come from nowhere, cover the plates and nibble the same. After sometime when I try to pick up these sweet candies, strangely enough they will go away with my slightest touch but never make an attempt to bite me. Sometimes even when by mistake one or two ants are hurt by my accidental touch, these ants are seen to remain harmless as if they have collectively taken a vow not to hurt me. Such a behavior on their part not only enhances my guilt feeling but also reemphasizes the principles of “Non-Violence”.

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