The Assignment on Childhood Incident

                                                 THE BROKEN EGGS

During our summer vacations we used to visit our paternal native place, a village near district Moradabad named Amroha.  Many relatives used to stay at the house of our grandparents including all our uncles and aunts. It was a lot of fun during our holidays as we all siblings and cousins gathered at one place doing lot of chit chat, playing games and gossiping among ourselves. Exploring the idyllic charm and the pastoral beauty of the rural landscape such as lush green fields and mud houses having thatched roofs was interesting. Though, there were pucca houses made of bricks too and our house was like this only.

                                                                  

                                                                    

A Village Scene vii. Water Color on paper.10"*14"inches, Artist: Chitra Vaidyaa

Image Courtesy: 

http://www.indiaart.com/Artists/Chitra-Vaidya/Rural-Life-Paintings-by-Chitra-Vaidya-page2.asp#

I was about five years old when this incident happened. There was one of my Uncles named Abbas Haider. He was very fond of keeping pets and he owned seven buffaloes, five goats and around ten pairs of pigeons. Pigeons were among his favorite birds and he loved and nurtured them like his own children. Moreover, doves and pigeons of all breeds and colors are considered as good creatures and pets for a house everywhere. As they have guided prophets and holy men and by nature are very simple, innocent and pious beings.  When they were left open in the house’s courtyard during the day, it was always interesting to observe them eating wheat grains in a beautiful circular row, drinking water and flying atop us. Feeding these animals was another delight for me and the air released from their wings is considered auspicious like the pages of Holy Scriptures.

A Beautiful White Pigeon: Image Courtesy: www.dummyeggs.com

                                                                      

There was this big old room having a thick wooden brown door containing thirty to forty racks in which pigeons used to stay. I still remember that room filled with their white greenish shit and white grayish and brown feathers scattered about. And tiny morsels of food and grain sprinkled all over. Being a child I was always attracted towards that room as pigeons seemed sweet and beautiful birds to me. There was a beautiful white pair of Shirazi pigeons, one of Uncle Abbas’s favorite. This pair had recently laid four eggs. Since there was danger from stray cats roaming about, the room was constantly kept locked.

                                                                  

A White Pigeon Guarding its Eggs.  Image Courtesy: thelastpigeon.blospot.com

One fine day I unlocked the door and witnessed the beauty of all pigeons cooing and this pair  was guarding their eggs. As I tried to touch them, they got frightened and quickly flew onto the other rack. I got tempted towards the egg and took two of them in my hand, suddenly a pigeon flew by and I dropped the eggs feeling scared. I slowly left and locked the room. When Uncle Abbas got to knew about this incident, he got very angry and became upset. Then he angrily dragged me to their room and asked

“Who broke these eggs?” which were lying battered about…

“I broke them accidentally.” I replied in a meek and scared tone.

“How did you do it?” he asked with fiery red eyes!

“Like this.” I answered by demonstrating and throwing the other two eggs on the ground.

In a moment his anger disappeared and he started laughing aloud. Till today whenever we meet he narrates and recalls this incident always.