On observing the bird life in cities these days, it will come as no surprise to find crows and more crows. They have literally taken over the cities, each part of one gang or the other, waging not-so-friendly neighbourhood wars, in the skies, on the rooftops, perched on trees, even on sidewalks. They have shooed away most of the other birds which could once be easily seen, specially the daintier species which don’t stand a chance against these raucous fellows. It’s not that the crow has increased in numbers alone which accounts for this sudden usurping of territory but because the filth in the cities has increased many-fold, drawing scavengers to itself and increasing in its decrepitude on a moment to moment basis. Ironically, most people would not have even noticed this gradual increase and those who have, probably adapted themselves to it.
On another level, we can draw perhaps a similarity with what is going on in the cities to what can possibly take place in our personal kingdom within. There is a reason for always hammering the idea of constant vigilance and discipline for if the reins were to be slackened for a second, we could find a speck of dirt creeping in. This if neglected, would only increase moment by moment and perhaps we would be oblivious to its presence or worse, adapt to it. The more the decay within, the more the scavengers who would happily feed on it. This is why the wise have always advised one to choose one’s company with utmost care for it can tell a lot about one’s nature.
For both within and without, let’s sweep away all the filth so that those who scavenge can look elsewhere while those who drink nectar can find fresh blooms once again.
