Sparrows symbolise joy. Of the many species of this little bird found in the world, five are commonly seen in India, both house and tree sparrows. Anthropogenic activities have led to a loss of habitat affecting the population growth of the tiny flying beauties. It indeed is a rare sight to see a sparrow these days, let alone a flock.
My ancestral house was a palatial bungalow with a splendid garden. The village was a haven for sparrows and other birds. As a child, how much enthused I was in counting intricately woven nests perched atop the walls and tree branches in and around the house! I think sparrows are highly adept at using available resources in building their nests. Bird droppings were a very common sight at home. Chirping was constantly heard from all corners. Never did I find anyone in the house treat chirps as a cacophony. The mantra of the people of the erstwhile era was, "Be in sync with nature in order to be happy."
My grandma repeatedly used to warn us kids about the shy nature of sparrows. She would make us stand at a distance or rather hidden, as the birds fed on two or three types of grains spread over a plantain leaf kept atop a open-well stair in the backyard. That was the only occasion we were her obedient pupils for we used to be awestuck seeing birds from close quarters. It appeared as though sparrows knew that they were in a safe place to be totally engrossed in eating. Of the many pleasant childhood memories, this particular one is deeply etched in my mind to crop up even to this day whenever I see a flock of sparrows.
Things took a drastic turn when a big banyan tree off the compound of the house was felled to widen a road to create an exclusive transport corridor to ease movement of lorries carrying iron ore to the railway station. Speeding trucks zooming past our home making huge noise day and night made life miserable for residents and the sparrows alike. No wonder, sparrows disappeared over time. One fine morning, grandma took ill and never recovered. Maybe, she worried too much about her missing chirping friends. Elders moved away with their families to towns and cities in search of greener pastures.
Now I recall those good old days every morning when I feed sparrows and other birds at my residence. I make sure that my wife and grown-up sons join this most fulfilling chore of the day; after all, it is payback time. We are fortunate to see a sizeable increase in the number of sparrows and other birds living around the house. It is quite a nice feeling to rejoice now that life has come full circle, for I have come to sense that sparrows that I feed now are the kin of those that mesmerised me back in my village home.
