The idea to write a blog about crows came to my mind when during my recent visit to Pakistan; I encountered an experience at Lahore’s elite Liberty market, wherein a man was selling caged crows on his bicycle. On inquiry, I was told that freeing a captured crow brings good luck to the person and one’s wish also gets fulfilled.
So, some people come here to buy crow for Rs 200/-a bird and take home and free it from their house rooftop. I was informed that birds catcher (Chirri maar) capture the crows from trees using net while they are in sleep on the trees at night. He had no answer to my second query that does the person who catches the crow not commit a sin (“pap”), if while freeing that brings good luck and happiness to the person.
The crow is associated with Punjabi culture and is part of many folk songs and myths in which Indians have beliefs. Crawling crow brings a good message when it sits on the banera (Parapet) of the house.
Besides people thronging to buy caged crows, I also saw them buying small packets of meat pieces for feeding the crows from vendors standing on the sides of a canal, on Lahore’s Mall road. Some Lahorias have the belief that feeding the hungry crows also brings good luck. After reading my blog my friend Riaz Ahmed, 63, a rational person from Lahore, called me to inform me that some people have been protesting against the feeding system. They have demanded that there should be an immediate discontinuation on the sale of meat and also feeding crows and other birds like eagles, vultures around the beautiful canal area in the center of Lahore. Easy availability of meat-food, many birds have made these forests as a permanent habitat.
Crows live and sleep as a roost on a tree
A few incidences of attacks on human beings by eagles and crows have also been reported to the police. With the presence of too many large size birds in the thick forests at the canal, the beautiful and colourful sparrows, parrots and many other birds have left for safer thickly green forest areas in other parts of the city.
The aware Lahorias do not accept such a belief that by feeding the birds and animals ones’ wishes are fulfilled. Such acts are signs of backwardness and do not carry any logic and scientific bases. Though, feeding the birds and animals is considered a good act of sharing.
From centuries now, the crow has been part and parcel of Punjabi society. The crow is associated with Punjabi culture and is part of many folk songs and myths, in which Indians have belief. Crawling crow brings a good message when it sits on the banera (Parapet) of the house.
Crows mating with even dead one
The personality of crows can be described as aggressive, intelligent, quarrelsome, and sometimes playful. The voice of a crow, once heard, is not easily forgotten. They produce an astounding range of harsh or more musical calls, which are part of languages, researchers have discovered. It is also believed that the crow is a symbol of bad luck and death, but it is not always the case. As we have already said, a crow may be a symbol of life magic and mysteries. It also symbolizes intelligence, flexibility, and destiny. ... In Greek mythology, crows are considered as a symbol of prophecy and good luck. Crows don't forget a face — and they hold grudges, too. Recently, researchers have revealed that captured crows remember the face of their abductor.
Crows will even seek revenge on specific humans that have harmed them in the past. Crows will communicate with other crows about dangerous humans or animals. Sometimes crow even mate with the dead crow to meet his sexual urge.
“Ve kanvan rur pur jania mainu aiven na tarpha
Tenu choori kutt kutt paondia asan pote laiya tura”