Tradition gives way: Temple frees parrots

[Guest guest]

Following complaints and requests by the Blue Cross over the past forty

years, the administration of the Meenakshi

temple at Madurai has freed about sixty parrots and the remaining are free

to fly to freedom. For the sake of tradition,

two will be kept in the huge aviary which has housed hundreds at a time.

 

The Madurai Meenakshi temple is the largest temple complex in India and is

comparable to Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

The temple dates back 2500 years though the present stone temple is only

about a thousand years old. The freeing of

the parrots is an example that age old traditions can be changed. The first

requests to the temple authorities by the

Blue Cross of India dates back to 1964. We only hope that the temple

elephant, which is kept in unacceptable conditions

and in chains, is the next to be freed.

 

To let the temple authorities know that their move is appreciated, it would

be nice if those who can write a letter to them

do so. The address is: The Executive Officer, Sri Meenakshi Sundereswarar

Temple, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India.

 

Thanks.

 

S. Chinny Krishna

Blue Cross of India

 

The story from The Deccan Chronicle of September 11, 2005 is given below:

 

Tradition gives way: Temple frees parrots

By PADMINI SIVARAJAH

 

Madurai: September 10: Parrots, mascots of Goddess Meenakshi whose idol has

the bird perched on the index finger of her right hand, have been freed from

the

Sri Meenakshi Sundareswsarar Temple aviary, until now a major draw among

tourists and devotees alike.

 

The Goddess and the parrot are so interlinked that even bharathanatyam

dancers are known to depict Her in their performances with the bird on Her

finger. One

If the temple's many corridors, led to the aviary called the kili koondu

mandapam (parrot cage hall) where a large number of parrots were reared

since time immemorial. The devotees too donated parrots to the temple when

their prayers were answered.

 

But over a period of time, parrots in the temple became fewer as devotees

began to make other offerings to redeem their vows. Then a few years ago,

the temple administration decided to construct a cage for the birds in the

kili koondu mandapam in keeping with tradition. What started off as an

aviary comprising a few birds, soon grew to accommodate hundreds of parrots

and this became a major tourist draw at the temple.

 

But not everyone was happy to see the birds caged. Sources say that some

sections, especially wildlife enthusiasts, opposed the move and approached

the temple administration to free the birds.

 

In deference to their wishes, the temple administration decided to set the

birds free. The temple's executive officer P.Baskaran told this newspaper

that the birds were falling sick in the cage and that the forest department

and organization like the Blue Cross had told the administration that the

birds should be let out. " It is in deference to their wishes that we took

the decision to set the birds free " , Mr.Baskaran said. He added that he

has requested devotees not to donate any more birds to the temple. " We will

keep only two parrots in a cage for the sake of tradition, he added.

 

As the temple authorities opened the doors of the aviary on Friday, nearly

60 birds spread their wings and flew to the top of the towers outside. But

about 16 of the birds seemed reluctant to flu away and clung to their cages.

But they too are expected to fly to freedom in a day or two.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

I have received several calls re my earlier message about freeing the

parrots of

Madurai Meenakshi temple. Many have asked whether the parrots can survive

in freedom.

 

This is a very valid apprehension. What we must keep in mind, in my opinion,

is that every year,

hundreds of parrots are bought by the " devotees " from sellers in the

vicinity of the temple.

Yet, very rarely does the number of parrots in the temple aviary exceed 100.

Parrots which can live for 70 years

in the wild die shortly after being " donated " to the temple due to poor

conditions. By releasing the parrots and

by refusing to take in more donations of parrots, the temple authorities

have ensured that the demand for

parrots stop. As long as people buy parrots, there will be people to supply

them. Remember that 90% of the

parrots captured for sale die before they are sold due to trauma and

sickness.

 

The released parrots are also free to remain in the temple premises. They

are safe in Madurai since they are

treated as sacred birds by all except the unscrupulous parrot traders. A few

may not handle freedom very well,

especially if they have been in captivity for very prolonged periods. Since

animal welfare is concerned with

individual animals, this is a matter of concern but considering future

generations of parrots, we must be happy

with the new policy.

 

S. Chinny Krishna

 

Dr.S.Chinny Krishna [drkrishna]

Friday, September 16, 2005 12:54 PM

aapn

Cc: gandhim; gandhim

Tradition gives way: Temple frees parrots

 

Following complaints and requests by the Blue Cross over the past forty

years, the administration of the Meenakshi

temple at Madurai has freed about sixty parrots and the remaining are free

to fly to freedom. For the sake of tradition,

two will be kept in the huge aviary which has housed hundreds at a time.

 

The Madurai Meenakshi temple is the largest temple complex in India and is

comparable to Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

The temple dates back 2500 years though the present stone temple is only

about a thousand years old. The freeing of

the parrots is an example that age old traditions can be changed. The first

requests to the temple authorities by the

Blue Cross of India dates back to 1964. We only hope that the temple

elephant, which is kept in unacceptable conditions

and in chains, is the next to be freed.

 

To let the temple authorities know that their move is appreciated, it would

be nice if those who can write a letter to them

do so. The address is: The Executive Officer, Sri Meenakshi Sundereswarar

Temple, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India.

 

Thanks.

 

S. Chinny Krishna

Blue Cross of India

 

The story from The Deccan Chronicle of September 11, 2005 is given below:

 

Tradition gives way: Temple frees parrots

By PADMINI SIVARAJAH

 

Madurai: September 10: Parrots, mascots of Goddess Meenakshi whose idol has

the bird perched on the index finger of her right hand, have been freed from

the

Sri Meenakshi Sundareswsarar Temple aviary, until now a major draw among

tourists and devotees alike.

 

The Goddess and the parrot are so interlinked that even bharathanatyam

dancers are known to depict Her in their performances with the bird on Her

finger. One

If the temple's many corridors, led to the aviary called the kili koondu

mandapam (parrot cage hall) where a large number of parrots were reared

since time immemorial. The devotees too donated parrots to the temple when

their prayers were answered.

 

But over a period of time, parrots in the temple became fewer as devotees

began to make other offerings to redeem their vows. Then a few years ago,

the temple administration decided to construct a cage for the birds in the

kili koondu mandapam in keeping with tradition. What started off as an

aviary comprising a few birds, soon grew to accommodate hundreds of parrots

and this became a major tourist draw at the temple.

 

But not everyone was happy to see the birds caged. Sources say that some

sections, especially wildlife enthusiasts, opposed the move and approached

the temple administration to free the birds.

 

In deference to their wishes, the temple administration decided to set the

birds free. The temple's executive officer P.Baskaran told this newspaper

that the birds were falling sick in the cage and that the forest department

and organization like the Blue Cross had told the administration that the

birds should be let out. " It is in deference to their wishes that we took

the decision to set the birds free " , Mr.Baskaran said. He added that he

has requested devotees not to donate any more birds to the temple. " We will

keep only two parrots in a cage for the sake of tradition, he added.

 

As the temple authorities opened the doors of the aviary on Friday, nearly

60 birds spread their wings and flew to the top of the towers outside. But

about 16 of the birds seemed reluctant to flu away and clung to their cages.

But they too are expected to fly to freedom in a day or two.