Flamingos are from Australia. That might not be a big deal in Australia but in India, a country that holds visitors on the same altar as god, it is. And it seems they somehow seem to know it because the way they move around, alone or in packs, they seem to care about no one.
From far, they appeared like a ball of fur standing on two sticks with heads like snow candy sticks popping out. Their description of me would have been more humane I guess. I was with a group of friends of mine. Actually we just went together and came back together. Because it is a place where you will get lost. But you can take solace from the fact the nature would ensure that you don’t miss yourself. We take a boat and move into a shallow water body.
Our boat has moved further and we can see nothing but water and feel nothing but air. Ironically, they happen to be just everything. “Silence” said the oarsman. We were getting closer to them and our sound, our ability to make ourselves heard, might scare them and we could be rendered devoid of their beautiful act. Actions do speak louder than words. Well we moved closer to them hoping that they don’t fly but knew that they will fly when we approach. They turned and then turned back choosing not to move, not even a feather. Now that hurt us like a kick in the groin because not only were they defying the human behaviour of moving away when anyone approaches but they also were challenging our (read society) innate need of power and dominance. In fact they were denying us that. Our presence made no difference to them. Wonder how they would have reacted had I told them that I have undergone 24 years of education to learn how to make a presentation.
Well we approach them.My friends with camera thank their gods for their best shot. And then their legs move. The knees bend backwards, the feet rises from the water and wings flutter. Then the dark feathers show and the wing are now spread out like canvas painted in three colours. They first go up and then down and the flamingos decide to leave the water surface. Well, birds too have their ways of making the air heavy I guess. I looked back at my friends with their camera a bit dejected. I wondered what let them down, the flamingo or their expectations. Funny, how a student learnt this on a national holiday.
My ears now hear a lot of wings. A perfect sight for them. It is surprising to discover things our senses can do when we let them act on their own. A small group of storks has landed. We smoke two, cigarettes obviously and lock ourselves in the camera with them in the background. I hear the mican in me say “Lock, storks and two smoking barrels”. The birds don’t seem to mind. They all land simultaneously. Every feet in the pack touches the water simultaneously, the wings claw in together, every pair at the same time, in the same time, playing a perfect melody for our eyes. Sometimes, senses do behave insensibly. I wonder why no one is the first, or the fastest amongst them. The man in me urges me to add fairest to that list too. I wonder if any of those beautifully tanned feathered damsels would have taken an offense to that.
A few ducks are silently floating around at a distance from our boat. I don’t know what they are doing but I am convinced.that they are ducking around. Thats what i have always been told about people around me and societically I dont like people ducking around. I felt threatened and lonely ,like any human feels when ignored and for one moment I wished I could be back in the society where I live. I looked other side only to realise that almost everyone was actually ducking around. That made me comfortable. I felt I was back in my society. "A wish granted" i thought, “A wish wasted” I felt. Should have asked for a million dollars I guess. Society would have waited. Surely it would have, especially when they know that I could be getting them a million dollars. It all started with a small wish to be with the same people though.
Boat has now changed direction. A streak of yellow ending in white appears at a distance. Pelicans, I heard my friend say. “Wish we could watch him killing a fish”. Violence has been an important chapter of evolution after all. They are bigger than one actually imagines. They can fly very close to water without coming in contact. Still at some places water does respond to one or two touches here and there. Wonder who gets naughty first.
Sun is coming up and birds are also flying away for shelter. The oarsman declared we are going back. Wish I could stay back.
A time well spent I guess. As I write my view of this acquaintance, I wonder would any bird have written up a note about me on facebeak too.
