The Preternatural Parenting !

A Tale of Two Hornbills: An Unusual Foster Mother in Lodhi Gardens

#DelhiBirders #LodhiGardens #IndianGreyHornbill #OrientalPiedHornbill #BirdWatchingIndia #NaturePhotography #DelhiDiaries #WildlifeOfIndia #BirdsofInstagram

It looks like a nesting hornbill in Lodhi Gardens has caught the fancy of Delhiites. Tucked high in the hollow of a towering semal tree, an Indian Grey Hornbill (IGH) nest has become the most talked-about, visited, and photographed spot in the city. The reason? The confined female has an unusual visitor from the Himalayan foothills: her distant cousin, an Oriental Pied Hornbill (OPH).

Hornbills are monogamous birds that typically move in small family flocks. During the breeding season, the female seals herself inside a tree hollow, leaving only a narrow slit to accept food and discard waste. For several months, the temporarily featherless and flightless female remains confined—laying eggs, hatching them, and raising the chicks until they are ready to fledge. Throughout this period, the devoted father feeds his partner and hatchlings through the tiny opening. He even helps maintain the nest's microclimate by delivering leaves and bark. While this process is fascinating to us, it is simply a way of life for hornbills, and dozens successfully breed around us every year without drawing much attention.

What makes this particular nest extraordinary is the arrival of the OPH. Presumably having lost her way from the foothills to Delhi, this lone bird has taken it upon herself to act as a foster mother to her cousin's hatchlings. Her persistence is astounding. In the early days, she painstakingly brought a babbler chick and then an egg to feed the family, but her offerings were vehemently rejected. Despite this initial pushback, the OPH eventually overcame the confined mother's defenses and is now feeding the ever-hungry chicks peepal and pilkhan figs.

Today, both the female OPH and the male IGH are feeding the confined family in concert. It is a miraculous, exceptional story unfolding right before our eyes. One wonders what compels the OPH to take on this duty: is she seeking acceptance in an unknown land, or simply fulfilling a deep-seated maternal instinct? Adding to the mystery is the role reversal; in nature, a nesting female's role is to be fed, not to become the provider—let alone for a different species.

Knowing this was a sight not to be missed, our happy group of friends and fellow birders headed to the towering silk cotton tree. We found a crowd of birders, photographers armed with telephoto "bazookas," and curious walkers already gathered. But alas, it was not to be—during our three-hour vigil, we witnessed the male IGH, but the showstopper never showed up!

But birders never give up, and so we returned a few days later. And there she was: a larger, black-and-white bird boasting a more prominent, yellow casque than the IGH. She arrived with painstakingly collected peepal and pilkhan figs. She had stored the goodies in her throat pouch, regurgitating each fig to her beak to carefully feed the family. Watching them, you realize their curved beaks are custom-designed for this, allowing them to pluck berries, perch awkwardly at the nest hole, and flawlessly pass food beak-to-beak. No other beak shape could achieve this feat.

Over our three-hour watch, we were rewarded with multiple trips by the female OPH and the expectant IGH father in succession. They alternated between feeding and vigilance trips. During one visit, the male IGH carried and passed pilkhan leaves to the occupants of the nest. Each time food was brought, one could hear the eager trills of anticipation from the chicks.

Mesmerized, we almost forgot our morning coffee, chaach, and snacks, which we eventually enjoyed in perfect harmony with our "extended" hornbill family. As the sun climbed higher and we finally headed back to our own nests, I couldn't help but wonder (we are only human, na? And we know so little about the world of birds): will there be another twist in the tale?

I suppose I'll never know, unless we keep visiting or rely on the latest dispatches from other dedicated birders

Hum Paltan kab jayenge?

When you marry a fauji you become a part of not one but two families. One family of course is your in-laws and the other is your husband's battalion and the larger military fraternity. My husband is one who totally believes in self learning, by which I mean he will not tell you anything about the fauj; you have to find your own way to understand what's what……and what’s not!!*#@$%

When we got married my husband  then Captain Amul Asthana was posted at Mhow and as a young bride from a totally non fauji background I was not only  lost but would ask the most silly questions to which my husband would say ,"Oh! all your questions will be answered once we go back to the Paltan and the ladies there will help you understand". Luckily for me I met a few officers who visited us at Mhow while attending a course. Col Gautam Das, Capt Nathani, Lt Anjaria, and young Lt Pramit Saxena,….The few evenings spent with the battalion officers were very special especially with ,' National Anthem' (that's what it was referred to …a song by Jagjit & Chitra Singh) being played each time !! 

As Amul's tenure was nearing completion at Mhow there was a lot of excitement and anticipation to go back to OUR HOME to THE  PALTAN!! . The battalion was in one of the most beautiful locations of 'Anantnag'( South Kashmir) and so the excitement was that much more.  The 'Kala Baksas ' were being painted with the name and destination being written on them. Since it was a soft- field I could accompany him and so we were in high spirits. Till one fateful evening when we heard the then Prime Minister, Mr V.P Singh addressing the Nation on television and  he said that the Nation should be prepared for war ( May 1990) …..Things were rapidly changing in Kashmir and families were no longer permitted to join. So all the packing now had to have three different destinations on the boxes. 

The best plan under the circumstances was to stay back with my parents in Delhi and  hope to join Amul  and Paltan at the earliest. During my stay at Delhi in waiting  I met a few Officers who would pass through Delhi and share a few humorous anecdotes about the Paltan. During this period I got to meet Col Bhawar Singh ( the CO of battalion)and Capt Pramit Saxena a few times who would visit us each time they visited Delhi to attend court on behalf of the Paltan. During one such visit I was fortunate to meet Mrs Bhawar Singh too. I felt so much a part of the battalion and hence impatiently waited to join Amul.  Since my husband was ‘hanging around’ in exotic sounding places around Gulmarg  like  Apharwat, Alpather Lake, Chor khudan, Chema, Dhroru, Lal Pora, Ziran chasing militants,  and moving to many other places in the valley and not stationed at the place we dreamed of earlier (Anantnag) we could not join him; and alas the elusive enigma of ‘The Paltan’ continued. He would sometimes call me from 'Asha Post'and I used to wonder which place is this and who is this Asha?!  As destiny would have it 30 years later, in August 2021 we visited Gulmarg and guess what we decided to ride to  that very, and rather forlorn 'Asha Post' on horseback; and onward we rode to the distant ‘Chor khudan’ - still a remote cluster of mud huts. We also drove through Anantnag, Lidder Nadi, Doru, Verinag and other such places he sometimes mentioned to me while narrating his escapades. While my husband re-lived those times and narrated his experiences I kept imagining what all I had missed.

On the way to Chor Kudan via  Aasha Post in the year August 2021. 

Thus the desire to be with family remained unfulfilled but as luck would have it, while I could not be with the battalion our separation ended as my husband had to attend a course. Though I had heard so much about the battalion and its officers and ladies, unfortunately I did not get a chance to really stay with the battalion. On the other hand I was fortunate enough to get a chance to meet quite a few officers and families over the years. The first family I met were Col & Mrs.  Gildayal who happened to attend our engagement, at Secunderabad. Thereafter, Brig & Mrs Talwar for a Christmas evening at their warm new house at Noida. A warm and  welcoming Mrs Kamlakar and her two daughters who indulged our young toddler as we had a welcoming dinner followed by a lovely picnicking Day at  Secunderabad Zoo.  The most wholesome interaction I had with an officer's family was  Brig (then Col) Thapa, Mrs Prabha Thapa and their friendly dog, Snoopy at NDA, Khadakvasla. We got a chance to stay with them for a few days till we got accommodation for the course my husband was attending at IAT, Girinagar, just across from NDA. It was such a warm, comfortable and memorable stay which is etched in our hearts. It was actually like staying with your very own family.  

As the course at Wellington was ending there was again excitement and anticipation for a posting BACK to HOME, 'The Paltan'.  But sadly we moved to the smoke of Delhi on posting. While at Delhi our pining to connect with home took us on a short and very sweet visit to Meerasahib for Dusherra in the year 1994 I think.  We were welcomed by the then CO Col & Mrs Pradhan. On this brief visit I met a few of the officers and families, some I remember were  Col & Mrs Sahi, Maj & Mrs Carriappa, the newly married Capt Saxena & Puja and a few others. Everyones hospitality was overwhelming. This visit left us yearning for the Paltan even more. Sadly by the time our time to go back to the battalion came, the battalion had once again moved to the field at Bhimber Gali and hence my boys and I could not be with the Paltan once again. At the end of 1995-96 my husband wrote to me and called us to join him for 10 days. The bus journey from Jammu to BG was amazing and one got the feel of the ' Actual Fauj'. As we traversed the winding roads in the bus which was part of a convoy my husband's detailed letter guided us as we stopped for  lunch and tea break at 'Tota-Maina' and the boys happily ran with  the rabbits there.  Couple of hours later, as we reached the ‘Promised Land’ - the Paltan - my boys got so excited as they saw their Dajus and jumped up to say Oh! We've finally reached The Paltan. A warm cup of tea with sel-roti at the battalion tea shop at 'Mayalu' was welcoming. The next few days we were in  a different world. It was for the first time that we were experiencing a 'bhukhari' and for the first time had dinner in the Paltan Mess. It was for the first time I got the feel of the Paltan but Alas minus the families. A lovely tea with them CO of the battalion Col Lalhotra in his tastefully done up abode was most educative and welcoming. 

Tea in the CO's abode with other unit officers. 

My boys and I stayed at the battalion base while my husband stayed at his post. Couple of times  we visited my husband's post 488 and we also trekked to some of the forward posts like Dabbi and Dabbi forward. The boys wanted to wear a backpack and trek just like the Dajus.

At 488. My husband's post. 

The younger son was just three years old but insisted on trekking and the Daju would pick him when he would almost drop off while trekking but not ready to give up.  The boys were fascinated by almost everything ' the Dumsi ' spines and the tales of capturing one of them by the Dajus.

 At a forward Post. 

Tales of shooting down Pakistani infiltrators and the big machine guns at the view posts, the bunkers, the firing from the Pakistani post,  the firing of tracer rounds and so many such  things that they absorbed in those few days. On other days at Bimbergali we spent time at the base with boys playing around with the ever caring Dajus, experiencing the new and  fascinating world of their father's, their Dajus and their Uncle's . After lunch a couple of times the battalion Doctor Capt Amitab Tewary would join us for walks and show us around and  share stories of treating and helping the locals in medical emergencies. During dinner time at the mess we were pampered by the few battalion officers who were either located or were visiting the base. The then CO, Col Lalhotra took utmost care that we were comfortable and well looked after. Capt Desai was heard more than seen  around. I think his room was somewhere near ours and in the quiet of the winter night it was only his loud booming voice conveying New Year wishes to the Brigade officers is what I remember of him. 

 " Jaab hum battalion jayenge…." remained a dream and it lived  in my imagination for a long time. I  had heard names of the battalion family and Officers through my husband's conversations with officers visiting us or meeting up occasionally.  I met a few but heard  many more  names and it  was soooo confusing. I would in my mind mix one for the other till  I met  them personally and spent time with them…some confusions lasted till very recently. Though I could never really stay with the Paltan and that yearning remains un - fulfilled but this beautiful family has always embraced us, accepted us, included us,  and helped us at every occasion that we always seem One with this special family.  The Shingo spirit, it's get to gethers and holidays together over the years has filled the gap many times over to the unful-filled dream of, 'Jab hum Paltan jayege'.