Few other animals are as constant in our neighborhoods as the humble pigeon. We share our cities, suburbs, and if they're lucky, the occasional breadcrumb, with the feathered denizens
But despite their typically unflattering reputation, there are plenty of wonderful reasons to appreciate pigeons. And it seems one place in Rajasthan very well knows how to appreciate the bird.?
While there are billionaires and millionaires in Rajasthan, it appears the pigeons are rich, too. Well, that's true. You might be unaware of the fact that even pigeons are millionaires in the state's small-town Jasnagar situated in Nagaur.?
Multimillionaire pigeons -- this is how pigeons are called in this town as property worth crores of rupees have been named after them, IANS reported. This wealth includes several shops, lands stretched to several kilometres, and cash deposits too.
While pigeons have 27 shops in their name, they also have 126 bigha land and cash deposit worth Rs 30 lakh in their 'possession'. Not bad for animals, right??
That's not it. There are over 400 gaushalas operating on 10 bigha land which is owned by these pigeons.
It all started around four decades back, aa a new industrialist floated a Kabutaran Trust, Prabhusingh Rajpurohit told IANS. He added that the arrangement was made after taking inspiration from their ancestors, as well as from former sarpanch Ramdin Chotiya and his guru Marudhar Kesari, who inspired all of them to arrange for food and water for the mute birds.
Industrialist Sajjanraj Jain was the pioneer in the project, he added.
People donated with open hearts as soon as the project was floated. Now, a gaushala is being run on this land owned by pigeons in which 500 cows stay. All medical arrangements have been made for these bovines here.
With the help of a huge donation, around 27 shops were built in the town via the trust to ensure the protection of pigeons as well as to make sure that the birds get regular grain and water. In fact, the trust was named after pigeons and hence is called Kabutaran trust (Kabutar means pigeon in Hindi).
The shops are earning a rent of Rs 80,000 per month. Also, the land is being rented and hence it also gives a regular income to the trust. All this income is being deposited in the bank which over the years has increased to Rs 30 lakh.
Now with this earning, the trust is giving three sacks of food grains daily for the last 30 years. Also, arrangements are made for around 400 cows staying in gaushala when required.