Perched on his two-wheeler, when Basweshar enters Cubbon Park, nobody notices an odd man out. But when the friends of this 55-year-old man come to meet him, he definitely becomes a special one in the entire park.
Basweshwar has been sitting at either the Central Library or the tennis court, both located in the park, for the last six years and feeding his grey and white spotted friends during lunch time. What began as a token gesture six years ago has now become an avid passion and a routine.
He feeds almost every pigeon present at the spot everyday.“Ragi, rice and navvane is what they like,” said Basweshar talking about the food habits of his two-legged avian friends.
The former employee of a private firm lost his leg in an accident six years ago, and was rendered handicapped. He began visiting the library in the park to pass his time, and it was then he started feeding pigeons. The kind action of feeding puffed rice to few pigeons turned into an unusual ‘friendship’ very fast.
It is not uncommon for the flock to follow him from the tennis court to the library, and the sound of his vehicle is all they need to know of his arrival. “They follow me most of the time from the tennis court to the library so that they can give me company for lunch,” he said.
“The white spotted one,” pointing at one among the many pigeons, “is my favourite. He visits me every day,” Basweshwar said.
Even though feeding the birds is the primary reason why he rushes to Cubbon Park every day noon, he also finds enough time to indulge in reading and sometimes he reads out an interesting paragraph or two to them also.
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