Just Walking Around

Kabootar Khana & The Wings of Peace

It was few days before Holi , I was returning home and alighted at one of  the most busiest station in Mumbai , “Dadar”. The sun had just set in the sky making the skyline a mix of red and orange as if someone up there was playing Holi with the sunbeams .It was a mesmerizing sight . As I made my way thorugh all teeming world of Dadar and its street vendors , right through the flower market , on to the road leading to Jain Temple filled with vendors selling headphones to mobile covers to fruit sellers selling Kiwi’s , Dragon fruits to plastic vendors selling mugs, buckets , containers big & small to vendors selling brass and steel items required for pooja’s and Hindu rituals. As I reached the end of the road to the main junction I was awestruck with an unusual sight. The sight of hundreds of pigeons taking off from the Dadar Kabutar Khana into the colored sky in a huge flock. The scene looked as if frames were unraveled in slow motion in front of my eyes . It was a great feeling standing there in the middle of the busy traffic junction , surrounded by the noise and chaos around and still be transported to a different world all together right there at the Dadar Kabutar Khana.

The Dadar Kabutar Khana , has been around since 1933, i.e about 82 years now when this structure was built. About 3000 to 4000 pigeons are fed with about 1500 to 1700 Kilogram of grains as regular diet like Chana (Roasted Chickpea), Jowar (Sorghum, Durra, Milo), Bajara (Maize), Moong etc. Located exactly near wholesale and retail markets adjacent to Dadar Railway station in West on Javale road, This Kabutar khaana (Also Refered as “Kabootarkhana”) is considered a holy peaceful place as a location as is surrounded by a Shantinath Jain temple, Hindu god Hanuman temple, and a Mosque. It has been listed as a Grade 2 heritage structure of Mumbai giving importance to the structure, makings and materials inside like cast iron grill, A water fountain which is not operational as of now and the old looking granary.

Its an iconic old structure which brings smile on senior citizens wrinkled faces, now in their 50’s, 60’s and above who had seen the then looking Dadar with slow moving life. Not just them, but the current generation youth  and even kids enjoy feeding those birdies inside. “Dadar Kabutarkhana Trust” takes care of this heritage structure by collecting funds from near by shops since last 5 to 7 decades famously called ‘Dadar Market’. Veterinarians from famous Bombay vets college and BSPCA visit kabutar khana to vaccinate and give required dose of vitamins so that the flocking pigeons keep fit, immunized and be away from diseases which can affect the locals and markets around this structure. More over this location was one of the choice of shooting by Bollywood directors.Remember that famous shoot out scene in Parinda in which a sharpshooter from the mafia don Anna’s gang , sinisterly played by Nana Patekar shoots down the honest and upright cop played by Anupam Kher and Anil Kapoor the rebel rushing toward his best friend trying his best to save him but losing the battle of time . Finally the cop breathing his last in his friends arms. What an explosive scene from an iconic movie at an iconic location.

Mumbai is home to lakhs of pigeons at its 200 odd Kabutar khana. The history of kabutar khanas dates back to the Mughal era,when Emperor Akbar introduced pigeon post. The kabutar khana situated next to the General Post Office (GPO) at Fort dates back to to the 18th century.

The other famous one are located at Laminghton Road near Novelty Cinema , one across Navjeevan Society at Grant Road , then there’s the oldest one across Khar station and even one in the high society area of Lokhandwala . Most of these Kabutar khana’s have always been patronized by the Jain community feeding them and their trusts taking care of the sick birds during monsoon providing them with medicines and special supplements. At these kabutat khana’s you can see grain vendors with sacks of Bengal gram or Channa , jowar  and corn who do brisk business throughout the day and even more on special festive occasion when the Gujarati / Jain community people turn up in large numbers to feed these birds. As per Hindu scripture feeding pigeons is as holy as feeding a Brahmin. At these Kabutarkhanas you can see senior citizens , women with small children who run enthusiastically across the street to sprinkle food at the gurgling, flapping birds; traders and shopkeepers with businesses in the area who stop by as part of their daily routine, having developed a neat, practiced right-arm, medium slow pace action.

Around 2009 Mumbai newspapers were splashed with the news of freak accident at the Grant Road kabutar khana. A Junior Engineer Eknath Jondhale, 35, who worked in the BMC's disaster management control room died in a freak accident on June 30. He was riding his two-wheeler when a flock of pigeons from the Grant Road kabutar khana flew in his direction. One of the birds hit him and he lost his balance. As his bike hit the median, Jondhale was thrown on to the road and was run down by a car. 

The then Municipal Law committee chairman Makrand Narvekar, moved the notice of motion for permanent removal of all kaburtar khanas in Mumbai. He said that in an increasingly congested city, the pigeon feeding centers were a nuisance to local residents and a health hazard.Overnight the Kabutar khana’s at Minerva-Novelty Cinema and across Navjeen Society were demolished. There were voices in support and against this ban. Some of the local resident organizations were of the view that these piegons brought with them diseases especially respiratory issues due to the dust and feathers that blew in the air in the locality when they flew. But there was a backlash from animal lovers and NGO’s against cruelty to animals. With concentrated efforts to educate the Municipality and general public at large , they have stalled the total ban and demolishing of these iconic structures which is part of the character of the city of Mumbai. Going to the extent that now the Mumbai Municipality is planning of overhaul of few selected Kabutra khana to give them a face lift . The Dadar and GPO kabutar khana will be the first to receive these financial aid of 2 Crores.

BMC has raised funds and at this stage are ready to get final approval from heritage committee to begin the work. The new looks of this place will be clean and beautiful, keeping the heritage important old things which are used inside like water fountain, cast iron grills intact. The trigger point of this renovation is the traffic at this circle junction, It will further give easy movements for buses, taxis and will help pedestrians too for ease in crossing. It will also attract more tourist to visit this place and hope BMC and other committee has plans to take care of tourism industry and the upcoming movements which can further be a problem next after face lift.

Beautification steps be taken where this Pigeon house will be illuminated at night to be seen by passersby and those travelling via buses and taxi. Hope the lightning’s will not disturb the birds inside the structure. The old water fountain will be seen operational and for cleanliness and hygiene purpose water pipes will be installed with all new flooring properly planned that will take care of cleaning the bird droppings etc. It is also proposed to reduce the circle structure by a meter which will help the vehicles like buses turn with ease and move faster. The granary will be seen shifted inside the structure due to cut of a meter in new plans. The work will begin post rainy season and will take about 8 to 10 months more.

The pigeons especially the Dove’s have always been a symbol of peace. Standing there just near Dadar station, pigeons, flapping around the high iron fences of an old three-cornered enclosure,  which block out the sun. The air is thick with feathers and the sweetness of the grains stored. Standing there you are engulfed by a state of peace and tranquility.

Looking at those birds fly un-inhibited I got a feeling that the spirit of freedom and independence is hopefully still alive and kicking  and in sync with winds of change blowing across India.