8/3/2019 The City of Crows

1/2

One has to wake up to crows in Chennai; it is not the crow of a rooster. The

roosters are extinct, perhaps cawed to far away North Pole by the crows.

Crows can be found everywhere in the city from its distant northern fishing

shores to the hallowed hip IT centers down south. Their presence has

overwhelmed that of sparrows, parrots and of any other obscures species.

Nevertheless, Ive made efforts to see some sparrows one day they are

there, other they are not. One fluttered in the mornings on my window, eyes

wide open in caution fluttering its wings with all the urgency in its tiny world.

I think it was surprised at its own agility, until that villainous crow beaked it

from the grill of my window. I havent opened it since.

One must always watch ones path in Chennai for it could be in the trajectory

of a crows flight and then one cant afford to crash into a crow And yes,

while one is at it, one must also watch for the black birds sitting on high

places for everything that falls from the heavens is not rain.

There is an uncharacteristic mix of ravens and city crows in Chennai. The two

usually do not get along well. Here too, the ravens keep watching them from

distance waiting in an eternity for their turn. They cock their heads on either

side trying to get a better look, of course, they cant see straight faced. It

does seem curious when a crow watches you inclining its not-so-slender neck

at an awkward angle. I can always follow its gaze on me as if I am the fiesta

it has always been waiting for, or as if it is suspicious of my intentions. Why

does it not fall down it always knows when to lift up, expand its wings and

glide smoothly, laughing at my human silliness.

Why cant you, why cant you fly you ugly black bastard? When you are as

black as me, and with those limbs arent they wings?

I think you would look good on that new statute of Shivaji Ganesan!

Perhaps it recognizes me if that is a particular one that sits on my window.

Does it have a memory? But then what could a silly avian store in that tiny

brain, all it needs it for is to survive. Then again, was that story about pitcher

and stones true?

The city is full of fish which they actually conspire, plan to steal. Steal? Yes, it

isnt theres, is it?

Anyway, I think they are wonderful planners these Chennai crows. Always

working in gangs, some crows distract the human from the fish meanwhile

8/3/2019 The City of Crows

2/2

the others start poking the fish with their beaks. Afterwards, I hope, the meal

is shared even if it is not, fish is abundant here.

Meanwhile, ornithologists and naturalists have been quoted saying that the

population of the Asian Koel is on a steady rise here, in Chennai.