A Day in the Life of a Peacock

 

Since the days of caves, we grew up to take other animals as foes. Then thanks to our skulls full of contriving ideas, we outsmarted most of the species to take control of things. Further on, in the march of civilization, we turned indifferent to the plight of our fellow constituents in nature. And now we have accepted their fate to be extinct. But then we have to be prepared to face the extinction of lot many things we relate to as human beings.

Simple days and moments in the lives of animals are no longer the regular times. These are defined by we humans.

Pre-monsoons have been kinder this year. Just at the beginning of the rainy season, the air is humid and clouds display teasing games of surprise and showers in the sky. For the last one week there is lull period though.

It’s unbearably hot and humid. Mother is busy finishing the first-half chores of the day. The peacock lands in the courtyard with its riot of colors. It arrives with a small storm that airs the desultory weather. Unfortunately, there are no chapattis left from last night supper. This particular peacock likes chapattis more than the grains. She knows it from her experience. It hardly put its beak into the grainy offerings in the past. Chapattis, on the other hand, it relishes almost like humans. She feels sorry for it, “There are no chapattis son!” However, the feathered son follows her in the courtyard. She even tries to shoo it away so that it can reach some other door-step and beat its hunger at the earliest.

The multi-colored guest is panting in the heat and humidity. It cranes out its royal blue neck to search for the chapatti pieces. They aren’t to be found. It then follows mother to the innermost recesses of the house. It seems to have run out of its options in the wilderness. The pesticides in the surrounding farms killed the rodents, reptiles and insects in a greedy swipe. The food is gone. It’s famine for him and bumper crop for the farmers.

Hardly any option left for the poor national bird. Hunger is a terrible pusher. It changes one from what one generally is. The fear of hunger is worse than most of other fears. So the big bird, having run out of natural options, follows her. With panting beak, beating its natural instincts to be scared of the humans, it kowtows her to grab the moment of her generosity. Her heart melts, “No chapattis today! And you don’t eat grains, but still try these today.” She puts a bowl of multiple grains including wheat and pulses.

When you are really hungry, the choice and type of the food don’t matter. With quick beakfuls, even not caring to crane out its neck to ensure safety, the poor thing gulps down the grains. Mother looks sadly at it, “Poor thing isn’t cribbing about food.”

It just wants to beat hunger. Having eaten to its full, it takes some pecks in the clay water bowl left on the courtyard wall and swoops away, swooshing the air with glitter of multiple colors under the sun. It has ensured a day’s survival in a world where its next generation has almost no place. 

Guys, isn’t it sad that the world as we have known it is coming to an end? Isn’t it our duty to do the littlest we can do to help the dream last a bit longer? Plant a tree on the special occasions in your life. Try to use organic products. Cut down on disposable plastic by carrying your shopping bags and water bottles with you. There are more than seven billion people, and tiniest contribution by everyone will make a difference. It may breed a culture of care and consideration. Then who knows the future generations may still be lucky to see at least that much of nature as we have seen.