Call of the Crow

I was all of 8yrs when I first encountered a crow; it pecked the ladoo right off my hand and my hand had to be sutured. Since then I have my reservations on this bird.

Hindu’s believe that the crow holds the departed soul so when people die food is left for the crow.

When Tagore’s mini found Kabuliwallah calling the crow a krow I could not figure why they wanted to discuss it at all.

At the medical college canteen a friend Arvind always said that one should call the crows’ lovebirds or messengers since one just had to peep out and there would be a cawing crow what more for consistency and eternity.

Fortunately for me our house in cabeca  goa was free of crows I even forgot it existed. Life went on, my uncle was terminally ill. He passed away and my cousin mentioned that she felt as though her papa left her without a word.

My father who was also terminally ill replied “when I go I’ll tell you” since it upset us we just ignored it.

6months down the line papa passed away and akka as we call my cousin rang up and said do you know at that time a crow tapped at my window. We asked what the big deal was she replied”we do not have crows at our place.”

We now shifted to Bamboli, and the place is lovely with many birds, right from Bhardwaj to peacock but guess what no sparrows it’s the crow that rules the roost.  I had the habit of placing a spoon full of rice for the sparrow I started it and crows came to peck it.

This particular crow seem to wait till I came, it would look me in the eye and crow very gently.  There are days when I feel lonely and this crow silently perches on my window. It pecks only what I place in one particular bowl. But gods forbid if I am late the cawing is as if it is rebuking me.

It seems unaffected by drying of clothes, or working at the balcony I feel as if this crow is watching over me.

When my aunt passed away in may the crows coming to peck are two, one that caws when I am late the other waits patiently no matter how late.

The crow had made an definite place for itself in my life.

Today one actually let me click it.