The tilted head, the sideways glance, the beak that seems to be suppressing a naughty smile. Whenever I photograph these feathered mischief makers, I am reminded of Nazeer Akbarabadi’s delightful couplet –
“Chitvan mein shararat hai aur scene bhi chanchal hai,
Kafir teri nazron mein kuchh aur hi chhal-bal hai.”
“There is mischief in your glance, and every scene around you dances with playful energy;
Your eyes possess a playful magic unlike anything else.”
Nazeer wrote this about a human beloved. To me, this couplet feels as though it was written for naughty birds with a lot of attitude. Every glance suggests that they know something we don’t. Every posture whispers, “Life is too short to remain serious all the time.
Photos and text by Prerna Jain.
