Bird In A Banyan Tree

Life story of the author, an Indian fashion designer, entrepreneur, restaurateur and social worker.

Noor Nobi is a broken man, wandering the streets of Calcutta with no reason to live. His three children, snatched from him in a cruel accident, were everything he worked for and loved. But one day, he enters a crowded market and sees a bird, caged and frightened and sick. With very little money in his pocket, he waits until the vendor is closing up. Quickly, Noor Nobi bargains and, happy to get anything for the sickly thing, the vendor accepts his offer. For some reason Noor Nobi cannot explain, it is important for him to nurse the bird back to health. When it is finally able to fly, Noor Nobi takes his bird to a big Banyan tree and releases it. Only then is he able to weep and fully grieve for his children. Before Noor Nobi knows it, he is back at work and taking his weekly earnings to the market where he continues to buy, heal, and free as many birds as he can. Crowds gather; some laugh and say he is crazy, some stand reverently, some don’t know what to think. But Noor Nobi’s kindness saves a growing number of birds, and the birds, in turn, give him new purpose. Author Veronika Martenova Charles read a short newspaper article about the “Birdman” of Calcutta and her imagination took flight. She traveled to India, found Noor Nobi, and witnessed the freeing of the birds for herself. The Birdman is a touching, true story, tenderly illustrated by Annouchka Gravel Galouchko and Stéphan Daigle. It is accompanied by an afterword, diary entries, and photographs of the author’s experience.

The Kini-Kini Bird and more Yoruba Folktales is a selection of folklore thought to have originated from the Yoruba people. The Yoruba are native to the western part of Nigeria. A few centuries ago, the cultural influence of this ethnic group stretched much further out into the West Africa region. Folk tales of the Yoruba are often severely fantastic, the themes generally underscoring the largely agrarian occupation and also the great reverence accorded the gods and the traditional rulers of the communities.

About the Book DHARMA IS DECLINED. ONLY A GOD CAN SAVE THEM. INDIA, 1700 BCE. Legendary Mathura ––once a prosperous state on the banks of the sacred Yamuna–– was ruled by Kansa, who captured his father King Ugrasen. Ugrasen was one of the greatest kings and was revered by the eighteen Yadava clans across Aryavarta. He had always followed dharma––the right path––in his rule. The water of Yamuna was mixed with the blood of the energetic and mighty Yadavas who opposed the king for forcefully capturing the throne. Some left Mathura. Some went in exile. Some were killed. Many were miserably disappointed. The only hope was their faith that the eighth son of imprisoned Prince Vasudev and Princess Devaki would be their saviour. The faith turned some people into daredevils. Could this fate be fulfilled? Did Krishna, the gopa of Gokul, accept the role? Will he be able to forget his love?

This book is about common birds of Punjab and North India. It describes behavior, main habits, their habitat, nesting, feeding habits and where they occur. This book also describes scientific names and alternate names of birds.

A vivid, eye-opening view of why birds behave the way they do Birds are intelligent, sociable creatures that exhibit a wide array of behaviors—from mobbing and mimicking to mating and joint nesting. Why do they behave as they do? Bringing to light the remarkable actions of birds through examples from species around the world, Understanding Bird Behavior presents engaging vignettes about the private lives of birds, all explained in an evolutionary context. We discover how birds find food, relying on foraging techniques, tools, and thievery. We learn about the courtship rituals through which birds choose, compete for, woo, and win mates; the familial conflicts that crop up among parents, offspring, and siblings; and the stresses and strains of nesting, including territory defense, nepotism, and relationship sabotage. We see how birds respond to threats and danger—through such unique practices as murmurations, specific alarm calls, distraction displays, and antipredator nest design. We also read about how birds change certain behaviors—preening, migration, breeding, and huddling—based on climate. Richly illustrated, this book explores the increasing focus on how individual birds differ in personality and how big data and citizen scientists are helping to add to what we know about them. Drawing on classic examples and the latest research, Understanding Bird Behavior offers a close-up look at the many ways birds conduct themselves in the wild. Compelling insights into bird behavior Classic examples and the latest research, including work by citizen scientists Fascinating vignettes about the private lives of birds, from finding food and family life, to coping with climate and other threats 150 detailed color illustrations and photographs