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Feeding birds gives him immense joy
IN THE mystical silence of Alfred Park (Company Garden), there comes a magical voice every morning. This voice instantly attracts dozens of winged wonders including crows and even peacocks towards the spot. This voice may not have evoked much interest among the morning walkers but has certainly proved the unflinching love for birds and animals. This extraordinary voice is of an ordinary city businessman Lalji Rawat, who is performing the 'ritual' of feeding birds, dogs and even ants at Company Garden for the last 10 years.
IN THE mystical silence of Alfred Park (Company Garden), there comes a magical voice every morning.
This voice instantly attracts dozens of winged wonders including crows and even peacocks towards the spot.
This voice may not have evoked much interest among the morning walkers but has certainly proved the unflinching love for birds and animals.
This extraordinary voice is of an ordinary city businessman Lalji Rawat, who is performing the 'ritual' of feeding birds, dogs and even ants at Company Garden for the last 10 years.
His love for these creatures is so special that he brings different packs of food for crow, peacock, ants and even dogs and cows every day.
"I don't know from where I got the inspiration to feed them. But one day while I was having a morning stroll at the Company Garden, I realised that these birds were so hungry and even thirsty and there was no one to take care of them.
Even the dogs roaming there looked so starved. Then only I decided to regularly bring food for them and even feed ants.
This practice slowly became a ritual and now it is no less than a puja for me. It is like sharing your profit with the representatives of God," says Rawat.
His typical day starts with a small puja followed by feeding birds on his house terrace and then rush to the Company Garden with different packets of food and biscuits.
But before feeding birds, he meticulously cleans the cemented platform near a famous tomb and make a soft sound without even looking upwards as if to tell that he is here with food.
The magic starts soon after. Within 15 minutes every inch of the space on the platform becomes occupied by different species of birds, flocks of pigeons, peacocks and crows.
"These birds recognise my voice very well. I bring special food 'kakuni' for small birds, biscuit, nankhatai and salted snacks for crows, rice and bajra for pigeons and peacocks, bread for dogs and sugar and flour for ants.
It takes two hours to feed them. In fact it is may wife, who makes small pieces of bread and biscuits and packs it in different packets every day in the night.
This takes another two hours," he adds with a soft smile.
Rawat, who was initially a bit reluctant to talk about his passion for birds, feels that everyone should feed them as they not only bless you but also take away all your worries.
