As Mumbai shuts down kabootarkhanas, what about the pigeons left behind?

India Today

15 hours ago

Once bustling with fluttering wings and the rhythmic coos of pigeons, Mumbai's iconic kabootarkhanas, once integral parts of the city's social and spiritual landscape, are quietly disappearing. What began as a charitable tradition, rooted in compassion and faith, now stands at a crossroads where public health, urban planning, and animal rights converge in a complex debate.THE ORIGINS OF KABOOTARKHANASIn the heart of Mumbai's older localities like Dadar, Kalbadevi, and Bhuleshwar, kabootarkhanas were built by traders and philanthropists, many from the Jain and Marwari communities, who believed feeding birds was a sacred act of punya (virtue). These designated feeding spots became sanctuaries not just for pigeons, but also for people seeking a moment of stillness amid Mumbai's chaos.advertisementOver time, these circular structures with water troughs and feeding platforms grew into cultural landmarks. They were often located near temples, markets, and crossroads, symbols of coexistence between city dwellers and their feathered cohabitants.
But as Mumbai changed, so did its relationship with pigeons.BETWEEN PUBLIC HEALTH AND COMPASSIONOver the past decade, concerns over rising respiratory ailments, especially among senior citizens, have led to increased scrutiny of these pigeon-feeding zones. Medical experts and civic bodies point to hypersensitivity pneumonitis (often called 'pigeon fancier's lung') as a real risk in areas with dense bird populations. This has prompted the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to begin cracking down on some of these traditional feeding spaces.Yet animal rights groups caution against abrupt policy shifts.'The problem with pigeon-feeding areas is that they make the birds dependent on humans for their food,' said Sachin Bangera from PETA India. 'If you remove these areas, then the pigeons are left with nothing, which is cruel. The city should have a plan for weaning the pigeons away from the food in the area.'Indeed, kabootarkhanas are no longer just about religion or charity, they represent a fragile ecosystem. Pigeons that have become dependent on handouts often lack the instinct to forage, raising ethical questions about suddenly halting all feeding activity.'Since the pigeons who gather at Kabootarkhana have long been dependent on food from passersby, instead of ending pigeon-feeding there all at once, it should be phased out over time,' added Bangera.INQUISITIVE GUESTS OR URBAN PESTS?For some, pigeons are charming city companions, curious, calm, and undeniably photogenic. For others, they're little more than airborne pests. The truth lies somewhere in the middle.'Pigeons are kind, inquisitive animals who deserve our respect and compassion,' says Bangera, gently reframing the narrative often dominated by fears of disease.Experts agree that, like all animals, pigeons thrive best in clean environments. The real issue may not be the act of feeding itself, but the lack of sanitation in the surrounding areas. Overflowing grain piles, stagnant water, and droppings left uncleaned for days have turned many kabootarkhanas into breeding grounds, not just for birds, but for bacteria.- Ends