Once upon a time

The humble sparrow, how many of us have grown up to their stories from our grandparents while watching these little birds busily fly around in the neighbourhood. I guess a lot of us may have seen them vanish right before our eyes and before we realised it was too late they were gone from our cities. Depressing as it may sound we no longer can tell the same stories and poems of the humble sparrow to our little ones, they no longer know what they are. Here is a hope among hope that someday all this will change and we can once again wake up to the cheerful chirps of this humble bird.

A young male on a tiny twig surveying his territory however small or big. "They remember us once in a year, when the world's sparrow day is near. Apart from that where do they go, is there any action they do and follow? " In some urban areas the population has fallen by 99%.

Despite being one of the closest bird to mankind, what is it that has caused this drastic decline. Sparrows are known to eat over 800 different types of food. So there is no scarcity of that in the urban world. But the rising glass Facades are undoubtedly encroaching in the habitats of these tiny birds.

Another Male, handsome and alert, looking for a female to flirt? Though Sparrows are said to be monogamous, infidelity is not uncommon or so it has been discovered.

And there she is looking pretty and neat. Looking forward to meet her man as soon as she can.

Oh look "Have no fear my dear, for your man is here" Sparrows are known to aggressively protect their nest from other sparrows.

But before that a nice little dust bath to make himself presentable..

Together now and feeding in peace, making a sweet pair and completely at ease. Hoping to come together and increase their dwindling brood as every responsible sparrow pair should? ( sorry If am sounding like a sparrow granny - purely for rhyming purpose)Sparrows have 2-3 broods each year. Female lays 3 to 5 eggs. Incubation period lasts 12 to 15 days. Both parents take care of the eggs and chicks.

A cute little one looking for a sip of water on a hot summer day. The summer this year has taken its toll on all species. The young ones are ready to leave nest in 2 weeks after hatching. But this is the time they are most vulnerable. Not fully experienced in the ways of life, they are easy prey to cats and other predators.

The nectar of life for the young one. Little does she know that there are still people around who care for their well being and survival. This was in Hampi where Mr.Pompayya Malemath ensures that the tap drips just enough to quench the thirst of all the hopefuls who converge for their daily fill.

The need to stay clean and a thorough preen. some places still provide a safe haven for these little birds. If only we can increase the area of this haven.

Sisters at rest in Ladakh. Sparrows have a lifespan of about 4-5 years and these pictures have been clicked in various locations. I've always felt they were a lucky charm for me and try and click at least 1 pic of a sparrow in each trip, if I can sight them. This is just a small tribute to my favourite birds that I miss around me.

Photographs and work by Tharangini is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Macaques - Emotions unlimited.

Macaques - Naughty, gleeful, full of mischief. Notorious to the core yet adorable beyond compare with emotions to match, always providing unlimited entertainment to watch. The joy and wonder in the young ones face or the sadness and pain the mother displays, the anger and the aggression of the dominant male with varieties of behaviour that never run stale . Here is an attempt to capture some of the many behaviours, expressions and emotions. It is a compilation of the shots that have been captured over a period of time and here is hoping it captures your imaginations too.

A goofy smile stretching a mile, toothless mouth and wonderstruck eyes, the ears seem to wake up to the surprise. Every single element an unique source of constant amusement, this young one surely knows to enjoy to its heart's content.

To hang out with, to share a few words, to converse, to gossip, to rave and rant with, to tear you hair out with, to eavesdrop with, to shed our tears with, to share your joys with, to laugh, to shout, to work, to play with, to travel with , to do nothing with, to look at the stars together or gaze at the pouring rain, the walk in the beach, having fun at a bad movie, to call in the middle of the night or to wake you up on a dull day.... how is any of this possible without a friend by the side....

And so went on the interaction with a Moooooommyyyyyyyyyy helppppppppp he is chewing on my finger to don't bother me kids... go play elsewhere, My funky hairdo did not impress her, All I want to do is sulk and stare. I wish I could state what else went on in their minds, But well aware if I do so I'll be tagged in their kinds. This really amusing interaction and watching these kids at play, the kind that keeps you smiling the whole day -

There are times when a well timed growl is necessary, whatever the reason maybe. Let it out, if needed shout, But once you are done, Relax and once again learn to have fun.. Most importantly please do ensure, others are not a victim of your stress cure. Everyone has one of those days. Growl, but remember again to smile away..

Best place in the world to be, Mother's arm, gentle yet firm and incomparably warm, In her arms, I know no fear, as she holds me near. I am without a care in the world, Not when I am in her fold. This is for me, Best place in the world to be.

The hands came together in a silent prayer to save our environment from further brutalities. Let's get together and be kind to the world we live in. After all it is the only one we have. Let's get together and pray - and implement a safe environment for one and all.

Through the arms of his mother, He looked out in wonder, It was his window to the world, A little scared, a little bold, With shining eyes, Trying to analyse, From the arms of his mother, A world full of wonder.

The young one in a wembrace,huddled on to his mother as her strong arms crossed over him protectively allowing him to take a sneak pek of the world around that he would soon explore. Till then he would be in the close vicinity of the most powerful security in the world for him, in the arms of his mother.

Her Fingers bleeding, leaving a stain on her young ones tiny head, yet her grip firm enough to provide all the support despite her pain as the young one slept blissfully unaware in the most comfortable bed known to him. His mother's arms. A slight grimace once in a while was all that indicated her pain as she held steady with the barest of the movement lest she disturbed her dearest ones deep slumber. Who else can the bleeding finger belong to but a mother...

So what if I was naughty, that's what kids are meant to be, Sitting on the lone branch on this tree, Oh cant you see, I long to be free. Care to be friends with me?

A little tale of a tail, to impress without fail, A Monkey's best friend, and so has been the trend, none to play with and yet never alone, A tail to hang around till the day is done.

The setting sun shot his flames up into the sky setting the macaque on fire as he glowed in full glory surrendering to the power of the fiery ball of fire the provider of all essentials and life on earth. The heat was immense and yet the beauty of every single being set alight that evening could not be ignored.

Brothers and what more need I say, never still for a minute even after repeated request to sit still. While one found his brother's ears to be a tasty morsel, the other chewed on his mother's tail and tried rock climbing using it as a support. It was with incredible difficulty that 2 pairs of curious eyes peered into the camera for a split second before they were off to drive their mother crazy again.

Happiness is everywhere, you just have to look for it...the completely engrossed young one amusing itself with every single nook and crack in the bark of the tree, knowing so well how to find the innocent joy hidden there while the mother clearly displays her undisguised boredom. As we lose the curiosity in life, we also tend to take a lot of things for granted. But just look around, there is a lot of happiness to be found.

Photographs and work by Tharangini is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.