Sunday, 18 September 2022 | Vinod Chamoli | NEW TEHRI
The crow, which is linked to various cultural beliefs and religious traditions apart from playing an important role in the environment, was once a common sight. A crow crowing in the courtyard of a home was considered to be a harbinger of a guest. However, the crow has become a rare sight near homes and even in the sky. This drop in sightings of the crow is being felt all the more during the ongoing Shraddh Paksh when food offerings are made to crows considered to be a messenger of ancestors. It is believed that during the Shraddh rituals, food offered to the crows reaches the departed ancestors.
Locals recall that in the past large number of crows in the sky was a common sight especially during the Shraddh Paksh. However, their numbers seemed to have dropped in recent years. People undertaking the rituals during the ongoing Shraddh Paksh are facing disappointment due to the absence of crows. They are leaving food on their terraces and courtyards for the crows but the birds are not arriving.
Garhwal university Swami Ramteerth campus, head of zoology department professor NK Agrawal says that increasing concretization in the cities is causing an imbalance in the environment. Natural shelters and usual sources of food for crows and other birds are diminishing. This is one of the reasons for the drop in sightings of crows.
According to Pandit Udayshankar Bhatt, the importance accorded to crows during the Shraddh Paksh has a logical basis. It is also meant to make the people understand that every creature is important for maintaining ecological balance. The crow may be considered a cunning bird but in reality this bird works like a sanitation worker and pest controller. It consumes various insects and also sifts through garbage. It is very important to ensure the protection of crows but the axing of trees is also causing a drop in the number of crows, he opined.
