Love for birds: Family performs funeral rites of parrot, watch
The family became extremely sad with the death of the parrot. According to the family the bird was like a family member.
Puri: Love for birds shown by a family from Puri of Odisha has been praised by bird lovers. In today’s materialistic world, where humans are seen fighting among each other, the family’s love towards a parrot has become the topic of discussion in the town. The incident happened with the family of Nrusingha Charan Swain, a resident of Satya Nagar near Siddha Mahabir temple in Puri of Odisha.
Following death of a parrot that they family had raised, the last rites of the bird were performed while friends as well as bramhins were given food in a feast.
Narsingh Charan is a bus driver by profession. He drives buses that ply between Cuttack and Puri. On the morning of February 7, 2008, he found a newly hatched parrot from a tree near the Puri bus stand in Pala Mandapa, Cuttack. He fed the bird grape juice and banana and brought it home. From then on, he kept the parrot like a family member in his house in Puri.
Everyone called the parrot with the name Mitu. The bird also started talking slowly. It called Narasingha ‘mamu’, his wife ‘maain’, and his son and daughter. And if someone calls Narasingha ‘mamu’, then even if it is a bird, he fights with them. The parrot gets perfect care at the home. It sleeps under a blanket in winter and under a fan in summer. Even the family members observe 7th February every year as the birth day of the parrot.
Amid such love, the parrot died a few days ago. It took place on the 13th of July at around 9:30 p.m. The entire family was devastated following death of their loving bird. That night Narasingh’s elder sister living in Sambalpur, younger sister living in Koraput and son living in Rourkela were informed. They left overnight and reached Puri by the morning of the 14th July.
The family decided to take Mitu to Swargadwara for burial. However, since the funeral of a bird is forbidden at Swargadwara, they dug a pit near their house and buried the parrot there. Everybody also put garlands on the place.
On the 11th day on Saturday, on the occasion of Ekadasaha of the bird, the family went to the famous Shiva Pitha Jodalinga and offered food and dakshina to the Brahmins there.
We fed nearly a hundred people and completed the last rites of our loving parrot that departed us eleven days before, said Narasingha Charan with tearful eyes. The love and affection of this family for a bird reared at home has become a matter of discussion.
These days, people are becoming cruel towards animals. And hence poaching of birds is increasing. On the other hand, there are people who love birds and keep them at home and love it like a family member. They develop such a relation towards the bird that it becomes an example for others. And if that bird dies suddenly, then the family sinks in sorrow. The family has tears in their eyes due to the sudden death of the parrot at home.
Ms Kalinga