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Photos: Flying pigeons for sport in Lucknow’s Old city

Kabootar bazi or pigeon flying is an endangered sport that still thrives on the rooftops of Lucknow's Old City. Arguably dating back to the era of the Nawabs, who were also considered patrons, a love for beauty draws enthusiasts to the careful building and maintenance of prized breeds in flocks that can number in the thousands. A sport that comes with the awareness that birds may not come back once set loose, kabootar bazi appears to still have takers who dote over pigeons and continue in the footsteps of generations before them.

Updated on: Apr 07, 2018 4:46 PM IST

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Birder Ram Krishna Sahu’s pigeons take flight during a kabootar bazi (pigeon sporting) demonstration at Sarai Mali Khan in Lucknow’s Old City. While takers for this once popular spectator sport have diminished, enthusiasts like Sahu are poised to carry on this tradition maintained in his family for over 90 years. (Subhankar Chakraborty / HT Photo)

Updated on Apr 07, 2018 4:46 PM

Birder Ram Krishna Sahu’s pigeons take flight during a kabootar bazi (pigeon sporting) demonstration at Sarai Mali Khan in Lucknow’s Old City. While takers for this once popular spectator sport have diminished, enthusiasts like Sahu are poised to carry on this tradition maintained in his family for over 90 years. (Subhankar Chakraborty / HT Photo)

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To a crowd of spectators and enthusiasts gathered on rooftops, a flock of 75 pigeons took off, circling a 6km area covering Medical College, Golaganj and Aminabad, and returning within a few minutes. With this display Sahu bagged the title of ‘khalifa’, sealing eligibility for participation in national level pigeon sporting events. (HT Photo)

Updated on Apr 07, 2018 4:46 PM

To a crowd of spectators and enthusiasts gathered on rooftops, a flock of 75 pigeons took off, circling a 6km area covering Medical College, Golaganj and Aminabad, and returning within a few minutes. With this display Sahu bagged the title of ‘khalifa’, sealing eligibility for participation in national level pigeon sporting events. (HT Photo)

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Within kabootar bazi one finds various contests. There is ‘Ladaiya’, a game of luring the opponent’s birds from a distance; ‘Hakaiya’, which is a race between two pigeon parties and ‘Daud’, a timed individual race. Each comes with its own skill on the trainer’s part and has pigeon species preferred for it. (Subhankar Chakraborty / HT Photo)

Updated on Apr 07, 2018 4:46 PM

Within kabootar bazi one finds various contests. There is ‘Ladaiya’, a game of luring the opponent’s birds from a distance; ‘Hakaiya’, which is a race between two pigeon parties and ‘Daud’, a timed individual race. Each comes with its own skill on the trainer’s part and has pigeon species preferred for it. (Subhankar Chakraborty / HT Photo)

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A sport that harkens to older times, a joy for kabootar bazi has been a family heirloom. Sahu says he keeps around 1,400 birds in his collection which includes top varieties like the ‘Jangla’, ‘Lalband’, ‘Sirji’, ‘Zard’ and ‘Sendhey’ among others. (Subhankar Chakraborty / HT Photo)

Updated on Apr 07, 2018 4:46 PM

A sport that harkens to older times, a joy for kabootar bazi has been a family heirloom. Sahu says he keeps around 1,400 birds in his collection which includes top varieties like the ‘Jangla’, ‘Lalband’, ‘Sirji’, ‘Zard’ and ‘Sendhey’ among others. (Subhankar Chakraborty / HT Photo)

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As with all athletes, the pigeons also maintain a special diet. They’re fed an assortment of cashews, raisins, milk poppy seeds and chironji seeds along with a supplement of herbs to keep them in top shape. (Subhankar Chakraborty / HT Photo)

Updated on Apr 07, 2018 4:46 PM

As with all athletes, the pigeons also maintain a special diet. They’re fed an assortment of cashews, raisins, milk poppy seeds and chironji seeds along with a supplement of herbs to keep them in top shape. (Subhankar Chakraborty / HT Photo)

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With each species of pigeon demanding its own care, Sahu admits that maintain such a large flock can get difficult. But a passion for the sport’s maintenance and revival makes the job worthwhile. No harm done to the birds in the contests, he goes as far as calling kabootar bazi better than even football or cricket. (Subhankar Chakraborty / HT Photo)

Updated on Apr 07, 2018 4:46 PM

With each species of pigeon demanding its own care, Sahu admits that maintain such a large flock can get difficult. But a passion for the sport’s maintenance and revival makes the job worthwhile. No harm done to the birds in the contests, he goes as far as calling kabootar bazi better than even football or cricket. (Subhankar Chakraborty / HT Photo)

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