“‘The Guide says there is an art to flying,’ said Ford,
‘or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to
throw yourself at the ground and miss.’”
— Douglas Adams
At 12:15pm in the courtyard of the Shree Jain Temple in Cochin, India, a bell is rung.
I don’t see where the bell itself is hung or who struck the clapper, but what I do see is what happens as soon as metal hits metal: as the melodic sound rises towards the noonday sun, so do the hundreds – if not thousands – of pigeons who call this temple home.
The sight of the birds taking flight would be striking enough on its own, but it’s what they do next that baffles me. As though directed by an invisible conductor wielding an invisible baton, they begin to circle one of the temple’s towers. All of them, in unison, repeatedly.
For the ornithophobic, it’s a scene straight from The Birds. For me, gratefully, it’s just mesmerizing.
In one giant loop of beating wings and sweeping feathers, they circle the tower once, twice, six times, appearing and disappearing from view, before settling again on the stone ground of the courtyard.
Five minutes later, a man appears with a large silver bowl in hand, calling out what sounds like chalo – Hindi for ‘let’s go.’ Another man follows him with two bags of birdseed. They say a prayer and begin distributing the seed to those who’ve come to the feeding. Some stand with their hands cupped and full of seeds, waiting for the birds to come to them – which they certainly do – but I get rid of mine quickly with a swift toss or two, so that I’m free again to take pictures.
The more I watch them, though, the more I’m confused.
Pigeons aren’t supposed to be beautiful, I tell myself. They’re not supposed to inspire awe.
And yet I see it everywhere I look – in the outline of their wings, in the turquoise iridescence of their neck feathers, in the wind brushing my face which isn’t wind at all but the result of a hundred birds moving the air at the same time.
I’ve spent the last ten days in Cochin, working on the finish line of the January Rickshaw Run, but also reveling in the sense of home I feel here. In addition to doing my own little loop between my three favorite restaurants, I’ve done my laundry and caught up on emails and had buttons replaced on a dress from a little 1-hour tailoring shop.
Because that’s what you do when you’re at home, right?
Tomorrow I board a train for Goa, and two days later, another one for Mumbai, commencing two weeks of travel around the country that’ll have me clocking some 80 hours on its rails. No doubt any feeling of home I’ve found in Cochin will soon be a distant memory (and hopefully the same will be said of the city’s fierce mosquitos and dizzying heat).
But it’s as a thousand birds circle the tower of a temple in southern India that I realize – that’s what wings are for. They’re not meant to rest against a bird’s body forever, they’re meant to be extended and stretch forwards and back. They’re meant to fly.
And so are we, my friends. So are we. Chalo.
What a beautiful post with lovely photographs! Loved the fact that you started with a H2G2 quote.. nothing could (and I guess can ever be) more appropriate! 😀
Regarding pigeons, they are nice to see and all.. but they sure do an awful awful mess. A couple of pigeons lay some eggs (and the eggs did hatch into cute little babies) next to my windowsill. It was cute and all, but smelled awful!
Thanks, Abhijit! I for one have also never been a huge fan of pigeons – but for some reason at the temple, seeing them fly en masse like they did was suddenly much more beautiful than I’d ever given them credit for 🙂
I can imagine! 🙂
A gorgeous article. Really visceral and stunning photos!
Thanks for your kind words, Flora! They mean a lot. Hope Monday’s off to a lovely start for you 🙂
Lovely post on pigeon feeding in Cochin, India! Your writing is inspirational. We haven’t yet visited India on our travels, but do hope to do so some day…
Thanks so much for your comment and kind words! They mean a lot. I would definitely recommend visiting India – especially the south 🙂 Feel free to let me know if and when you head this way…I’d love to help in any way I can.
Once again, you see the extraordinary within the ordinary. That is what I love about you. Thank you for challenging each of us to do the same.
Thank you, Mama dearest! Love and miss you lots. xoxo
I was a bird hater until I came to Spain. But seeing the swallows in my adopted neighborhood of Triana, I suddenly remembered the cartoon about the sparrows of Capistrana and how they always knew the way. Despite a rock start, it seems just letting myself take flight a bit, I found my way, too.
Gorgeous post.
Ah, I love this, Cat…especially what you said about the sparrows “always knowing the way.” That’s a beautiful thought. Hope all is well with you! How is life in Espana?
Achingly beautiful my friend. You have such a special gift for writing, and your photography is stunning. Can’t wait to see you here in Goa, my temporary home is waiting to be yours for a couple of days!
Thank you for your kind, kind words, my friend! It was so lovely to see you last week and I simply can’t wait to be your neighbor for a little while 🙂 See you soon! xx
Candice, such a beautiful post. We are meant to stretch our wings and fly, I love that those birds roused that reminder in you. Glad your wings have brought you to Goa for a few days 🙂
Thanks so much for this, Kim! I’m so glad they brought me to Goa as well – and I can’t wait to fly back there for a while pretty soon 🙂 What do you say about a weekly Magic View writers’ group?!
Count me in!
Excellent! Can’t wait to kick this off in just a few days 🙂 xx
What a beautifully written post, Candace – and your pictures are amazing!
Thank you, Katherina! How is 2013 going for you so far? Where are you off to next? 🙂
Hello Candace. Once again I find myself reading one of your posts. I felt attracted by the interesting subject you decided to focus on. You are certainly unique. =)
Come to read my just-started blog, if and when you have time. I would love to have some feedbacks from you. http://worldtwirlingitaliana.com
Thank you and travel safe.
It’s so fun to see you here, Lavinia! Thanks for stopping by and for your kind words about this post. And thanks for the link to your blog! I look forward to following along your adventures. Will you be at Book Passage again this year? It’d be great to catch up with you there!
Just stumbled across this blog and after reading this one post, I’m hooked! Beautiful writing and photography, I almost feel like I’m there.
Hello, Charlie! Many thanks for your comment…I’m so glad to hear you’re hooked and I look forward to seeing you here again 🙂
Oh Candace! Thanks for letting my heart fly. These photos are simply stunning. I”m especially enthralled by the b&w that captures the wings with such clarity in mid-beat. It struck a chord and I heard a melodic refrain: Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest. No coincidence, I think, that pigeons and doves share the same family tree!
Thanks so much, Mrs. Gregus! It’s wonderful to hear from you here. And yes – I don’t normally post too many b&w photos, but in this case, once I played around with it I loved the effect. The pigeon-dove connection hadn’t even crossed my mind until you pointed it out…so maybe that explains why I was so drawn to this ceremony 🙂 I really hope all is well with you and your family – please tell them hello for me!
Having grown up on a farm outside the city, we didn’t have any pigeons while growing up. (I’ve heard family rumours that we did have them roosting in the barn at one stage, but when my Dad and his siblings were kids they shot them all with pellet guns!) When i was in town visiting family I was always astonished with the pigeons. Their colours, their slow and steadiness – how they flock together and blindly follow their leader (You see them changing direction midflight, right?)
Even now they capture my intrigue. Street rats or not, pigeons have beautiful colouring and are interesting to watch. You could learn a lot from their behaviour. I love this post.
I love this comment, especially the part about your dad shooting all the pigeons with pellet guns 🙂 But you’re so right – although they don’t have the best reputation, I still find there is something beautiful about them. I think you would’ve really enjoyed this temple and ceremony, Babu.