Watch: Meet the man from Delhi who is determined to continue the tradition of pigeon-racing
‘Kabootarbazi’ has embodied skill and honour from the time of the Mughals.
Once an elegant hobby, kabootarbazi or pigeon-racing is a tradition handed down from the era of nawabs and Mughal emperors. A form of culture that signalled dignity and honour in the past, it lives on today amongst a few who practise it with the same pride.
For Gayasuddin, the task of training birds to race is a family occupation, passed down by the generations. In this short film made by Samar Narayan, set in Delhi’s Jama Masjid area, Gayasuddin talks about his passion and his confidence that his children too will take up the practice.
Unlike the feudal lords of the past, Gayasuddin has to work for a living. He says ruefully his pigeons don’t want him to go to work, leaving them behind. With champion pigeons under his tutelage his work is clearly cut out for him.
