National Bird of India

NATIONAL BIRD

CHANGE FOR THE SAKE OF CHANGE IS NOT GOOD;

CHANGE FOR THE SAKE OF PROGRESS IS GOOD

CHANGE FOR THE SAKE OF HAPPINESS IS BETTER

CHANGE FOR THE SAKE OF HEARTINESS IS BEST

CONFUSEDIUS…

With time, things change. With development, things change. Humans as they evolve, change things.

The peacock and its better half, the peahens have kept the country in the limelight for the past more than 60 years with their colorful plumage and have been represented in every which way with more color than Jenson or Nicholson could think of. However, with time, things change and so did the palate of the politicos, the filmy folks and handle-bar mustachioed maharajahs – the effect on the peacock was drastic and deadly, they started disappearing, dwindling and their representation also evolved to look more like the chicken tandoori of dilli. The powers that be were pressed or impressed (depending on their palate) with the issue and decided that the time was ripe to make a change for the sake of progress. The peacock was in demand because of the undue publicity it was getting due to its status as the national bird. What if it was removed from this exalted position and say, brought down to the level of a common bird like the crow or sparrow or a kingfisher (spaecaei mallya)? The idea was thrashed about (in the bargain hurting the likes of AB Jr) and it was decided to pass an act in Sans Bhav (short for Sansad Bhavan and also meaning without bhav) to remove the peacock as the national bird. Simultaneously, a committee with twenty-two sub-committees was formed to study and propose a suitable replacement for the peacock as the national bird. The brief given to the members (representing all religions/castes/creed/sex/status) was that, whatever the people might do, their numbers should not decrease to the level of becoming endangered. After weeks and weeks of deliberations (even recalling Salim Ali and Many Faceted Husain from the grave to make a final contribution to the country) and keeping in mind the cheap imports from our chinky neighbor, the committee along with all its sub-committees arrived at a consensus proposal for putting up to the government to enact, act and finally pass. The choice – the Mosquito!

Tongue in Cheek by Kali