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Pandharpur Yatra 2023

The first time I visited Pandharpur was back in 2007 . The names Vitthal and Pandharpur, were just names to me. I had heard of them, but that was about it. Seeing the lord standing on the brick, hands on his hips, was memorable, but more memorable was the sight that greeted us as we walked out of the main sanctum of the temple. In the mandap just outside were a group of devotees singing abhangs , and dancing. This was the first time I had heard abhangs , and even almost 15 years later, I can remember the welling of feeling within me, listening to the songs, and how fascinated I was by the sight of the devotees dancing, lost in their love of the Lord. Over the years, as I have read more about Vitthal, and participated in Ashadi Ekadashi programmes at Puttaparthi, that first experience has stayed clear in my mind and heart. Every time I tell my Balvikas students of the saints who sang of Vitthala, it is that experience that I re-live. I visited Pandharpur again, in 2010, but that experie
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Birds from my Window - Black Kites

I see them all the time, soaring above the trees, their screech audible as I sit typing... or trying to type :) This is that time of the year when their screeches become shriller, and they build their nests atop the coconut trees. These are the Black Kites which nest in our colony, year after year...




These are birds of prey, and may seem to rule the skies. However, at least in our area, it is the crows which rule the roost, and make lives difficult not just for the smaller birds, but also the bigger ones like these. 



I already see the crows chasing the kites away, not allowing them to perch longer than a few minutes on the bigger trees, and I know the sight that will greet me in a few weeks... of the female kite perched on the coconut tree, near her nest, her shrill cries rousing me from my work, while the male kite tries to chase the crows away. 



For now, I indulge in the pleasure of seeing these birds often, perched in pairs atop trees and poles, calling out to each other, and soaring beautifully overhead, as I happily leave my work aside to watch them! 


Incidentally, do any of you know why these birds are called 'Black Kites'? I think they are more brown than black.. don't you? Someone told me once that its because they appear to be black from a distance, but that can be said of many birds, right?

I live in Mumbai, in a colony lucky enough to still have plenty of trees and open spaces. The best part of living here are the birds I see from my window, every single day. "Birds from my Window" is a series, where I regularly feature photos of birds I see from my home. To see all the posts in this series, click here. 

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Location: Chedda Nagar, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

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