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Showing posts from October, 2025

What the Birds said after Diwali night?

It was the day after Diwali. The street looked a little smoky, and the air still carried the smell of crackers and sweets. On one corner stood an old neem tree, tall and dense with leaves. Thanks to a local belief, it is now mariyaathaa  (local God) and had never been cut down. Among its thick leaves sat two familiar neighbourhood birds: a crow and a koel. Crow:  Hey Koel, what’s the matter today? No  koo-koo ? You usually start at 4 a.m.. My alarm clock has performance anxiety because of you. Asian Koel:  Don’t even ask bro. I slept at 2 a.m. The  pattaas  just wouldn’t stop. And one rocket landed next to my branch and exploded. I’m still hearing bells. Crow: Aiyo! That’s terrible. Every year it’s the same story. This time it felt worse, even my nest was vibrating like a washing machine on spin mode. Asian Koel: Mmm. I could feel that too. The decibel levels are on an increasing trend. Crow: Should we retaliate? I could do a strategic, well-aimed...