Copyright@shravancharitymission

 

 

 

 

                                                                           Khidki (Window)

–Read India Initiative—

    Human beings are the biggest killers on earth. They have the discredit of liquidating many species for their own whims and fancies. They alone had the devious mind to invent fire-lance much before firearms. But the question remains who is a bigger destroyer of fauna; the inventor of firearms or the user. The debate will ever be on.

    But in the milieu of the killing world. This is what the Burmese tribal have to say about the green imperial pigeon that I read in a novel. Although a fiction but the very thought puts human species in shame as it is so very touchy.
    ” “Look out!” said Flory, “here’s an imperial pigeon, Let’s have him!”

    A large heavy bird, with flight much slower than the others, was flapping overheard. Elizabeth did not care to fire after her previous failure. She watched Flory thrust a cartridge into the breech and raise his gun, and the white plume of smoke leapt up from the muzzle. The bird planed heavily down, his wing broken. Flo and Ko S’la came running excitedly up, Flo with the big imperial pigeon in her mouth, and Ko S’la grinning and producing two green pigeons from his Kachin bag.

    Flory took one of the little green corpses to show to Elizabeth. “Look at it. Aren’t they lovely things? The most beautiful in bird Asia.”

    Elizabeth touched its smooth feathers with her finger-tip. It filled her with bitter envy, because she had not shot it. And yet it was curious, but she felt almost an adoration for Flory now that she had seen how he could shoot.

    “Just look at its breast-feathers; like a jewel. It’s a murder to shoot them. The Burmese say that when you kill one of these birds they vomit, meaning to say, ‘Look, here is all I possess, and I’ve taken nothing of yours. Why do you kill me?’ I’ve never seen one do it, I must admit.”

   “Are they good to eat?”

    “Very. Even so, I always feel it’s a shame to kill them.”

     This is a page out of the famous book ‘Burmese Days’ by British author George Orwell. Sadly, a man can never give up his savage instinct of harming others, and thus draw strength from there.

*****

By Kamlesh Tripathi

*

https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com

*

Share it if you like it

*

Shravan Charity Mission is an NGO that works for poor children suffering from life threatening diseases especially cancer. Should you wish to donate for the cause. The bank details are given below:

NAME OF ACCOUNT: SHRAVAN CHARITY MISSION

Account no: 680510110004635 (BANK OF INDIA)

IFSC code: BKID0006805

*

Our publications

GLOOM BEHIND THE SMILE

(The book is about a young cancer patient. Now archived in 7 prestigious libraries of the US, including, Harvard University and Library of Congress. It can also be accessed in MIT through Worldcat.org. Besides, it is also available for reading in Libraries and archives of Canada and Cancer Aid and Research Foundation Mumbai)  

ONE TO TANGO … RIA’S ODYSSEY

(Is a book on ‘singlehood’ about a Delhi girl now archived in Connemara Library, Chennai and Delhi Public Library, GOI, Ministry of Culture, Delhi)

AADAB LUCKNOW … FOND MEMORIES

(Is a fiction written around the great city of Nawabs—Lucknow. It describes Lucknow in great detail and also talks about its Hindu-Muslim amity. That happens to be its undying characteristic. The book was launched in Lucknow International Literary Festival of 2014)

REFRACTIONS … FROM THE PRISM OF GOD

(Co-published by Cankids–Kidscan, a pan India NGO and Shravan Charity Mission, that works for Child cancer in India. The book is endorsed by Ms Preetha Reddy, MD Apollo Hospitals Group. It was launched in Lucknow International Literary Festival 2016)

TYPICAL TALE OF AN INDIAN SALESMAN

(Is a story of an Indian salesman who is, humbly qualified. Yet he fights his ways through unceasing uncertainties to reach the top. A good read not only for salesmen. The book was launched on 10^th February, 2018 in Gorakhpur Lit-Fest. Now available in Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha

(ALL THE ABOVE TITLES ARE AVAILABLE FOR SALE IN AMAZON, FLIPKART AND OTHER ONLINE STORES OR YOU COULD EVEN WRITE TO US FOR A COPY)

*****