The 29th day of August 2007, 6.30 PM witnessed an unusual event at IIC Annex–“Peafowl Nesting,” second in a series of events on the Peafowl organized by the newly formed Nature Group of IIC.
A brief update of developments leading up to this event is in order. It was that time of the year when peahens lay their eggs and incubate them for about 29 days before the eggs hatch. The chicks are timed to come out just as the monsoon arrives in North India. The peahens in Delhi’s Lodi Park, finding the Lodi lawns lacking in the privacy and security needed for egg hatching, started looking around for safer ground. The nearest large green space happened to be the IIC Lawns! But here again the lawns are manicured and tended to by the ‘Malis’ all the time. So, where next?
A smart one flew right onto one of the ledges provided on each floor of IIC for planting of asparagus grass, laid the eggs one by one and started incubating them.
The ledge happened to be next to the dining hall of IIC. But the peahen was lucky. The waiters at the dining hall ensured that the curtains were drawn all the time so that curious diners did not distract the peahen.
The nature group at IIC was informed. Mr.Samar Singh President of World Pheasant Association and founder of the nature group, called a meeting of the group. A slide presentation on the Blue peafowl by Hemant Misra and a screening of Sarang the Peacock by Dr.Susan Sharma was organized on 27 May 2007. This was the first of the two events organized on the Peafowl by the Nature Group. Rajesh Bedi (of Bedi Brothers fame) installed a close circuit TV in the dining hall so that the activities of the peahen, aptly called Matari, could be monitored.
By August, the chicks hatched and were busy eating and playing under the watchful eye of the peahen who gathered them under her wings at the slightest sign of disturbance. It was time to meet and take stock and also to spread the story.
On the 29th of August 2007 Mr. Samar Singh welcomed the gathering emphasizing the event of the year--a peahen nesting 30 feet above ground, a phenomenon not yet recorded in ornithology books. Is it an act of desperation or a graceful adaptation to reality where green cover and safety are both scarce to come by for the peahen? Telling the group how peacocks were seen in China during the Ming Dynasty rule while the bird occupied pride of place in the Mughal dynasty in India, Mr. Singh said the peacock richly deserved to be the National Bird of India. The Pharaohs loved the peacock and peafowls are now seen all around the world. Once widely seen in India, the peafowl is now limited to certain pockets in India.
Prof. M.G.K Menon, President IIC in his keynote address reminisced about his days with the legendary Salim Ali. With the rapid warming of the globe, will Man survive the 21st century? is a question on the mind of many thinking individuals. Mahatma Gandhi’s prophetic words “Nature gives enough for man’s needs but not enough for man’s greed,” ring truer than ever now.
The nesting of the peafowl might have been an insignificant event but for the nature group’s efforts to bring it to focus and put it in perspective. Prof. Menon was happy to see the group of nature lovers present in the hall, who braved the pulls of competing events around the neighborhood, to understand the problems faced by our National Bird. The hatching of the chicks in a precarious perch and the subsequent care by the IIC staff on a call beyond duty shows the interdependence of man and nature. He also recalled the sacrifice of the Bishnoi’s and the Chipko women to protect trees in the 1740s. Taking inspiration from such nature warriors, the time has come for each one of us to become a nature warrior in the situation he or she is placed in.
After the larger picture given by Prof. Menon, it was time to watch the story of Matari being documented as it is unfolding in the IIC lawns. The story so far was superbly scripted and edited by the Bedi brothers in a short yet powerful film, Matari–Story of a Peahen. The delicate interaction of man and bird–the former wanting to protect and the latter accepting with grace help offered–was touching and thought provoking. The future of our wildlife especially urban wildlife is dependent on man’s dispensations more and more. As Mr. Naresh Bedi recalled in his address, a peahen appearing on the terrace of one’s house is becoming more and more rare in the NCR. The common peafowl is not so common any more!
Mr. P.C. Sen, Director, proposed a Vote of Thanks. He reminded the audience how it was the enthusiasm and dedication of one man, Mr. Samar Singh, that transformed a seemingly insignificant event to its true significance. His genuine concern for the Bird is infectious; he managed to transmit that concern to the staff of IIC who have gone beyond the call of duty to protect Matari.
Matari’s chicks are growing on the lawns of IIC. It will be interesting to watch them grow and attain adulthood through Mr. Bedi’s poignant camera!