Almonds, cloves... ‘immunity boost’ for pigeons
LUCKNOW: Pigeon keepers in Lucknow, known as kabootarbaaz, have become so scared of their pets catching bird flu that they have started feeding the birds immunity boosters — from water boiled with cloves and caraway seeds to almond paste and wheat flour mixed with multivitamins — in the hope that the diet will keep them safe from infection.
The pigeon keepers have made elaborate changes to the diet and routine of their pigeons which, they say, would keep the deadly virus at bay, amid an outbreak of avian influenza that has taken its toll on migratory birds, domestic poultry, and even the common crow in parts of the country.
“Winters are always a problem for the winged friends. And the bird flu scare has worsened things. We are trying to battle out the situation by using our home remedies. I am sure they won’t let us down,” said Aleem Ahmed Abbasi, a kabootarbaaz in the Maulviganj area of Old Lucknow.
Water with cloves and caraway seeds is the first thing he gives to his pigeons in the morning.
“The water is prepared after boiling it with caraway seeds and cloves. Once the seed extract is in the water, the gas stove is turned off. The water is then ready to be served,” said Abbasi.
Pigeon sport, known as kabootarbaazi, is popular in Lucknow, which has around 25 clubs engaged in it.
Rajesh Yadav, who owns one of the clubs in the Lalbagh area, said: “It’s a tough time for pigeon keepers here. We are taking all precautions to keep our birds safe. I hope that it doesn’t affect the pigeon sport, which is organised from April to May.”
Pigeon keepers are leaving nothing to chance and also using other ways to boost the birds’ immunity apart from sanitising their cages.
“Another popular remedy is small wheat flour balls and almond paste. But sometimes nutmeg paste can be used instead of almond paste. Wheat flour and nutmeg have anti-flu properties,” said Mohammed Haider, who keeps his birds near Dargah Hazrat Abbas in the Old Lucknow.
Haider said pigeon keepers were also sanitising the bird cages with alum water. “Some breeders are feeding the birds with multivitamin tablets mixed with wheat flour and other immunity boosters,” he added.
Haider’s family has been into pigeon flying for 90 years, and he has been handling the birds for 50 years now. He largely owns the high-flying variety of birds.
According to city-based historians, kabootarbaazi has been a tradition in Lucknow because it used to be a favourite sport of the nawabs.
“Kabootarbaazi and cock fights used to be leisure pastimes for the nawabs of Awadh. The sport also became a mode of entertainment for the British army and then the commoners,” said historian Yogesh Praveen. He said a few families and clubs were keeping the Nawabi-era sport alive.