Peacocks strutter in quiet lanes of South Mumbai

Jeroo Forbes with the peacock that landed on her terrace

It is all cameras out at Khareghat Colony on Hughes Road as peacocks are strutting the quiet lanes of the iconic SoBo colony. Since the lockdown, some say the sightings have become more frequent, while others are of the opinion that residents, who are home all day, get more chance to see the birds.

Aspi Irani from the Colony at Babulnath, said, "The peacocks are a regular feature of our colony. This is generally a peaceful place, since several buildings are tucked away inside. It becomes quieter after most people leave for work. The peacocks arrive by 3 to 4 pm, almost everyday, though we may be seeing more of them now." The birds come from Doongerwadi, behind the colony, and residents give them food. "My three year-old grandson is delighted to see them more in numbers these days," added Irani.

Murzban Karai from the Aderbad building, which is around the corner, said pictures of peacocks doing the rounds on WhatsApp groups have been taken recently. "I have never seen so many of these birds at once. Now, you see them enjoying the colony space. A city in lockdown has given flora and fauna the time and opportunity to revel in some freedom." Jeroo Forbes, who has been residing at Khareghat Colony for three decades now, said, "The peacocks have been visiting our residential enclave for years. Now people are taking pictures and posting them on social media because more of them are online than before. Maybe, more of the birds are out now because of the heat."

Several SoBo locals claimed they could see more of the peacocks near Doongerwadi as well. They are often seen at Godrej Baug too, at Malabar Hill."

Resident Viraf Kapadia said, "We see prides of peacocks every morning and evening. Baug residents often feed them breadcrumbs, grains and puffed rice. I have also seen the birds picking at marigold flowers. Just a few days ago, in fact, I spotted at least 24 peafowl together and was surprised to see so many at the same time."

Malabar Hill resident Ashutosh Munshi said, "Sightings of peacocks in a Mumbai residential alcove makes one go wow." He added, "I called a friend at Khareghat Colony to check on the credibility of these pictures and she confirmed they were taken recently. The peacocks were always there but some seemed confined in an area. As Coronavirus keeps us indoors, there seems to be more time to photograph them or maybe more of them are moving out, we do not know for sure. Anyway, they come from near the Towers of Silence to the City of Silence. Maximum City, Minimum Noise."

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