Calm 'n Cacophony

Little did I know that this New Year would bring me an unexpected adventure, surrounded by the vibrant squawks of thousands of parrots. I usually spend some time in calm reflection every New Year, and this year was no exception. After a challenging year, both personally and professionally, I had a lot to think about.

At 4 PM on New Year's Day, I was invited to a surprise event—feeding parrots. Ugh! What?

My folks know that I love nature, animals, and photography. On any other day, I would have jumped at the chance. But today?

We parked on a cramped road near a used car and car parts market. I was already dreading it. I parked my car next to a bus stand, hoping it would still be intact when we returned. "It only takes 20 minutes for car thieves to rip a car apart," flashed through my mind at the wrong time.

We entered a modest old house, easily 50 years old, built wall to wall with the neighbouring houses. As we approached the door, there were goats all around, feeding on rice and some leaves right in front of the entrance. We were welcomed by a middle-aged lady into a poorly lit hallway, which led us into the house. There were others too, who had come to feed the parrots. About 10 of us gathered in their drawing hall.

Sudarshan, a kind-eyed man with a serene demeanour, welcomed us with a smile that seemed to have weathered many storms. He explained how he started feeding parrots after his father's demise and mentioned that it was therapeutic. He shared his Saurashtraian background, which explained his fair complexion. A quick Google check revealed he was known as Parrot Sudarshan.

We proceeded up a narrow staircase, meant for one person at a time. After two flights, we were on the terrace. Everything looked like every other terrace I had known. There were seats for visitors, but I couldn't sit. For some reason, I was excited. I volunteered to carry a couple of buckets and boxes up to the terrace.

Then it happened. A sudden wave of birds appeared from nowhere, filling the sky. It was like a beautiful wave, with thousands of them squawking simultaneously. Hundreds of pigeons, a few crows, and a couple of eagles created a loud chorus, announcing something extraordinary.

Sudarshan called us to serve the soaked rice and place fresh peanuts on wooden planks four inches wide. The arrangement resembled a wedding dining area from above. About 40 wooden planks were lined up with gaps between them, to accommodate the parrots' tails.

All the birds perched on a nearby tree, observing the terrace, while children eagerly waited to see them up close.

Once the setup was complete, we moved away and sat down on the visitor's chairs.

Then, the descent of the guests to the dining area began.

Man!! We humans could learn a bit from these birds. They started occupying the far end, filling each plank with parrots sitting on both sides.

What followed for the next 60 minutes was pure bliss. The first 15 minutes were a frantic attempt by visitors to click pictures and videos, occasionally louder than the birds and trying to get closer. Sudarshan became the strict but pleasant hostel warden, guiding us back to our seats.

Something about how parrots feed. I've observed that birds tend to feed in a frenzy. But parrots are different. They seem calm, feeding as though they were in a fine-dining Michelin-starred restaurant. They even peel the peanut skin and eat only the nut.

It was a sheer spectacle to watch thousands of parrots feed in one place. An hour of birds feeding and noisy squawking was not something I expected to do on New Year's Day.

As I was about to leave the terrace, I felt like a 5-year-old who wanted to play longer. I was filled with calm and kept smiling to myself. I held my daughter's hand and said, "It was wonderful. Thanks."

Why thanks? It was quite thoughtful, and she somehow knew I would love this.

Will I do it again? Definitely.

Will I recommend it to my guests in Chennai? 100% yes.

Watch the tribute to these beautiful birds and a great human being.