This X-mas, while people came out in hordes to make most of their day out, including peeping in at the scene of didi’s indefinite fast at Esplanade East if that fell on the way, a congregation for a different sort of enjoyment happened in a field off EM Bypass.
It was the annual South Kolkata Pigeon Flying Contest, organized by Dakshin Kolkata Payra Premik Association. Thousands of enthusiasts turned up at the venue, and over a hundred pigeon trainers from city’s south and southern fringes participated at the contest.
The rule of the competition is simple. Once set free from the cages at the sound of whistle at the venue, the pigeons have to return to respective homes. The owner who has the maximum number of birds returning to him in the shortest possible time is declared the winner.
In Bengal’s pre-independence heydays, flying pigeons used to be a favorite pastime – other than kite flying – for the wealthy, and some say a measure of their affluence was determined by the number of pigeons one had – especially the racing pigeons.
Over the years, rearing pigeons has become passé, what with rising cost of the birds’ food and diminishing passion to take the trouble. In pockets in the city and suburbs however, the interest remained, a culmination of which are the flying contests held on zonal basis across the city. The grand finale is held at the Brigade Parade Grounds in January.
Picture of flying pigeon above sourced from here.
Related reading: In a flurry of feathers, a race begins
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