My friend Dr. Preeti Singh led me to this portal and since we share an interest in poetry, social causes, gardens and travelling, I read her blog and that of other wonderful contributors to this site. Let me add my own story.

I am in the pink city of Jaipur now, after being hemmed into urban Delhi during the long months of the pandemic. Here, the desert conditions create a golden sky of sparkling sunshine and clear nights of a smiling moon. Yesterday a peacock visited my garden, resplendent with a flowing tail and a proud, upheld neck. He sat on the fence and called “mayur-mayur” which is the Hindi word for peacock and matches its call. At eight in the morning, it was my breakfast time and I thought the peacock may be asking for some food. I put a fistful of millet on the ground and left the garden to watch from the window so I would not disturb this grand bird. He walked to the grains scattered on the driveway, nodding its neck in rhythm with the gait of his steps. He was hungry but he only pecked at a few grains and flew away.

I was disappointed and wondered if I should have laid out a different grain. Suddenly I saw the peacock was back, along with two waddling baby peacocks who had just learnt to fly. They looked cautiously around and walked one step at a time behind their father. I was glad to be indoors so as not to cause any alarm to my charming visitors. As the family came close to the pool of grain, the father dipped his neck and pecked at the grain, gobbled a few as though to teach by example. Sure enough the babies followed suit, one doing so more confidently than the other. They ate their fill in the mellow sunshine of the early spring in Jaipur.

Soon they flew away and I was left wondering as to which tree top was their home. Maybe the answer to that will make another story. For the present I am grateful for this communion with the peacock family and the peace it brings to be in harmony with Nature’s creations.