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In Old Delhi, keeping pigeons is usually a job for men. But one woman, Shaheen Parveen, is different. She is the only female pigeon keeper in her area. People now respect her work and her love for birds.
In the evening, Old Delhi becomes busy and noisy. Streets are full of people and rickshaws. But on rooftops, there is something peaceful — pigeon keepers, called kabootarbaaz, call their birds to fly. Whistles and shouts fill the air as birds fly in circles. It’s a beautiful scene in the sky.
An Old Tradition
Kabootarbaazi is a very old tradition. It started in ancient India, maybe during the time of the Mahabharata (about 2,000 years ago). In the past, royal women watched pigeons fly from their palace balconies. Later, Muslim kings made it a sport. One emperor, Jahangir, made pigeon flying popular and respected.
In this tradition, pigeon keepers start as trainees (called shagird) and can become masters (ustaad). A high-level trainer is called a khalifa.
Shaheen lives in Khawaja Mir Dard Basti. She is a wife, mother, and grandmother. But every day, she also takes care of more than 100 pigeons. She goes to the rooftop alone, climbs bamboo stairs, and checks if all the birds are healthy. She gives them a special mix of grains.
She trains them with whistles and hand claps. In the evening, she checks their nests and gets them ready for flying competitions.
A Loud Voice in the Sky
When Shaheen calls her birds, her voice is louder than the men’s voices. People watch her from windows and rooftops. She says,
“If I don’t spend time with them, I feel sick. They are like my children.”
Her work is not just a hobby — it is her passion and tradition.
Shaheen loved pigeons since she was a child. Her father showed her how to care for them. But later, her brother told her to stop. Others said it was not good for a woman. She continued anyway.
She says:
“If your skills are good and people respect you, then it doesn’t matter what others say.”
Now, the community respects her.
Help and Respect
People in the community admire her. Some ask her to bless their pigeons. She says she doesn’t have time, but she feels happy when people respect her.
One expert pigeon keeper, Mohsin Ustaad, helps her with food and medicine. He says:
“I admire her. She is very skilled.”
One day, Shaheen’s birds won a big pigeon race. Hundreds of pigeon keepers joined. Her birds flew home faster and better than others. She became a celebrated champion. People gave her gifts, money, and flowers. Her daughter said,
“People gave her more respect.”
A Tourist Attraction
Now, tourists come to Old Delhi to see kabootarbaazi. Many have only seen it in Bollywood movies. They follow guides to watch birds flying between rooftops.
Kabootarbaazi has rules and culture. People have their own flying areas. Entering someone else’s sky is not polite. There are also big competitions.
At the end of the day, Shaheen climbs the rooftop again and lets her birds fly.
She says:
“They know my voice and they trust me. These birds feel my mood, and I feel theirs.”
Even without an official title, she is a true ustaad.
Source: bbc.com
Vocabulary for the Article
Pigeon keeper: A person who takes care of pigeons
Example: Shaheen Parveen is the only female pigeon keeper in Old Delhi.
Tradition: A custom or activity people do for a long time
Example: Pigeon flying is a very old tradition in Delhi.
Respect: A good feeling for someone because of their work or actions
Example: The community gives her respect for her pigeon skills.
Rooftop: The top of a house or building
Example: She trains her pigeons on the rooftop.
Whistle: A high sound made by blowing air through lips or a tool
Example: She uses a whistle to call the birds.
Heritage: The history, culture, and traditions of a place or group
Example: Kabootarbaazi is part of Delhi’s Mughal heritage.
Custom grain mix: Special food mix for birds
Example: She feeds each pigeon a custom grain mix.
Competition: A contest where people try to win
Example: Her pigeons fly in competitions.
Admiration: A feeling of great respect and liking
Example: People show admiration for her skills.
Belonging: Feeling like you are part of a group or place
Example: Pigeon keeping gives her a sense of belonging.
Challenge: A difficult task
Example: She faced many challenges from her family and society.
Peace: A calm and quiet feeling
Example: She says pigeons bring her peace.
Clap: To hit your hands together to make a sound
Example: She claps to call her pigeons back.
Trophy: A prize for winning a contest
Example: She won trophies in pigeon flying races.
Skyline: The shape of a city seen against the sky
Example: The birds change the skyline as they fly.
Passion: A strong love for something
Example: Her passion for birds keeps her going.
Barrier: Something that makes things difficult
Example: She broke many barriers in a male tradition.
Fraternity: A group of people with the same interests
Example: She gained respect in the kabootarbaazi fraternity.
Pride: A good feeling about what you or others do well
Example: She feels pride in caring for her pigeons.
Legacy: Something important passed from the past
Example: She is continuing a living legacy of pigeon keeping.