Page 56 - Man Ki Baat Nov 2024 (English)
P. 56
The Vanishing Songbirds
Sparrows and Urbanisation
In the bustling heart of Delhi,
My dear countrymen, where traffic jams hum like a
all of you must have seen
living organism and neon lights
sparrows chirping on roof tops
flicker in an endless dance, the
or trees during your childhood.
Stories about sparrows are told song of our beloved ‘Goraiya’
in every language and culture. (sparrows) once provided a
Sparrows play a very important familiar, comforting backdrop.
role in maintaining bio- It was the gentle chirping that
diversity around us, but today
filled the morning air, weaving
sparrows are hardly visible
through the city streets and
in cities. Due to increasing
urbanization, sparrows have echoing across the ancient
gone away from us. monuments of Old Delhi. Yet,
as the years rolled by, this
-Prime Minister Narendra Modi
harmonious melody has grown
(in 'Mann ki Baat' address)
quieter.
There was a time when the
sight of sparrows flitting across
city streets and the sound of
their cheerful chirps filled the
air from dawn to dusk. Families
living in the traditional havelis
of Old Delhi often had sparrows
nesting in their courtyards,
their songs mingling with the
aroma of chai and the sounds
of busy markets. The sparrow
was a symbol of resilience, a
tiny survivor navigating the
complexities of urban life.
Sparrows, particularly
the house sparrow (Passer
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