Lourdes Mata Mandir: Where peace and owls prevail

Sitting under the shade of the Karanj tree on which Indian Scops Owls roost, I was observing an active nest of Black-rumped Flameback woodpeckers, amidst the occasional flitting of Paradise-flycatchers and Black-lored Tits, when Thambi, the caretaker called me ahead. He was pointing at the top of a bare teak tree. The emanating raucous screeches were redolent of a nest belonging to parakeets. Then he led me to another woodpecker’s hole which he said was occupied by Brahminy Mynas. He showed birds with respect and a bit of care…I knew I had to write. About this bijou church where Man and Nature co-exist.

Nestled in the teak forests of the Seminary Hills complex in Nagpur, the Lourdes Mata Mandir lies in chastity. According to sources, its history dates back to the mid-nineteenth century. There had only been a small chapel at that time encompassed by verdant deciduous forest where people feared prowling leopards. A lot has changed since then- schools, colleges, a miniature golf course, jogging track, children’s park; infact a whole city has come out of the forest. But unchanged is the strong faith people have shown in the principles of Mother Mary, which is so causative of the prevailing harmony between Nature and Man.

Owls, woodpeckers and other memories

The most popular residents of Lourdes Mata Mandir is the pair of Indian Scops Owls, who have been roosting here for the last three years. During daytime these owls don’t do much more than sleeping and an occasional pedicure (which is also done with the eyes shut!). They remain oblivious to people standing under the Karanj tree with hands folded in prayer. Even though this devotion sprouts out of greed (owls are considered as symbols of Goddess Lakshmi), what is special about this association is that at any other place, owls are considered as unwelcome guests, and in worst cases fall prey to poachers, smugglers or religious fanatics. But in the aegis of the church, they feel most at home.

Though owls are the most popular, my favourite residents are the Black-rumped Flameback woodpeckers to whom most of my fond memories belong. In April / May 2011, I had observed a nest of these woodpeckers. During that period, I religiously visited the church at different times of the day to make temporal observations of their nesting behaviour (knowing I’m an atheist and that only the plagued visit God, I think people speculated that I was under tremendous depression!). While the male was wimpy, the female was an impressive character. At nest, she seemed sincerely loving but any intrusion could make her bellicose. I have seen her defend the nest ferociously against mynas and babblers (often in the male’s presence!) and even chase squirrels away. Though as a guy just out of teens, I look up to the male for inspiration, for he has all the answers to ‘how-to-tackle-your-wife’ queries. Once out of nest, this guy mostly took his own sweet time to return. Often after returning to the nesting tree he would realise that he hadn’t enough food, and would start picking insects from the same tree before scurrying to the nest. And once inside the hole, he would seemingly work with reluctance. But when the female came, he would refuse to leave, pretending that his parental fervour is undying! After an association spanning nearly twenty days, and as many pages of my field diary, I thought it important to name them. So he came to be known as Woody (Allen) and she- his leading lady Scarlett (Johansson)!

During the same time, a pair of White-throated Fantails was also building their nest on a jackfruit tree. Although it was well-shaded their ungainly whistles were easy indications. In the two days that I watched them, there was little progress made. It would’ve taken very little time for the unseasonal rains to wash it away.

When Woody was out, I would while away my time (knowing he would not return soon) watching other birds. There were a couple of Black-lored Tits who would frequently perch on a halogen lamp in the grove and peck at the reflector. For some time I assumed they were picking moths, but Rohan, my brother suggested that they were infact pecking at their reflection!

In 2006, when I started birdwatching, it was here that I saw my first Orange-headed Thrushes. Five years later, on the Saturday after Good Friday, there was no mass. But suddenly it felt like Christmas eve- an Orange-headed Thrush had begun singing in full exuberance!

Apart from the owls, another permanent resident of the church is the young, yet wise Cormorant. It is seen almost throughout the day- basking at the edge of the church’s artificial pond, or fishing in the pond. As a student of zoology with keen interest in ecology and ethology, what seems interesting is whether this animal would sacrifice its rich feedstock (on which it has complete monopoly) for a mate. If yes, then would it breed here and pass off its skills?

Nevertheless, being among such interesting characters whose drama unfolds amidst a mix of mournful reverberating hums of Spotted Doves, the hurried whistles of Tickell’s Blue Flycatchers and the livening songs of Common Hawk-Cuckoo, science often takes second preference.

‘The Breadman’

The church maintains a small artificial pond lined with a slightly high stone bordering, which is surrounded by coconut groves and an overhanging Silk Cotton tree. Every morning at around eight, all animals anticipate the arrival of their favourite devotee. ‘The Breadman’ as I call him, is a morning walker who has made it his routine- to pray to the idol of Mother Mary, pray to the owls, light a candle, and then throw bread to the fish. And as the first slice of bread touches the water, a food chain is sparked.

Pond herons take off from their perches on coconut leaves and repeatedly try catching fish in flight. White-throated and Common Kingfishers perch on cement platforms to time their dives. But it is most intriguing to watch the Checkered Keelbacks. The snakes have occupied every cranny on the stone boundary of the pond. Three to four of them squeeze into one hole and put their heads out. As the restless fish get closer to the crevices, the snake at the right position darts. If it has struck successfully, the snake will slip into the pond and swim across with its meal to the stairs at the opposite end to gulp its meal.

‘The Breadman’ also throws crumbs to squirrels and babblers, which lead to violently playful gang-wars. I have seen a flock of babblers rob a squirrel of its bread crumb. Once Rohan was eyewitness to a virtual gangwar. A flock of babblers had mobbed a squirrel who was running to safety with a slice of bread. The squirrel didn’t give up. It shrieked till other squirrels came to its rescue. In the meanwhile, other flocks of babblers had also joined in. It sounded like a scene straight out of some Japanese yakuza movie!

The only one who is unperturbed by all the gamboling, is the wise Cormorant. With his skill and adaptation, he needs no bait to catch fish. During all this action, he simply basks and watches (perhaps even smirks!)

One afternoon while observing the pair of White-throated Fantails, an elderly woman came and sat next to me and asked me to show her the birds I was watching. As she saw the Fantail opening its tail, she said to me, “Yeh Ishwar kya kalakar hai!” (God is such an artist!). The Lourdes Mata Mandir, I felt, is a microcosm of sacred groves!

It is known that artificial environments intrude natural habitats. But here in the midst of natural environs, it’s amazing to see how animals adapt and survive…And as I write this last sentence, Woody and Scarlett’s chick, for the first time, sees the light of the divine atmosphere which offered him his first meal!

A new recruit…a hope for the future!

P.S. I click a picture and realise it’s not one…but two chicks!