Whether it is a child screaming, or drivers honking their vehicles unnecessarily, these unwanted sounds, so called “noise”, is what most people would like to shun. Can a situation be created where these traffic noises could be temporarily halted and people could witness a hushed environment? The answer is yes, as the coronavirus pandemic compelled governments to go into lockdowns.

During the lockdown, the roads were empty; people stayed back in their homes, took the necessary precautions and probably made the best use of their “family-time” as the social media was flooded with different home-made recipes prepared by netizens trying their luck for the first time.

The tranquil environment was perhaps a boon for the birds that could be seen and heard, expressing their joy by chirping right from dawn to dusk. Although there was no need to hasten to reach office, since all office activities were carried out from home, yet I was fully charged, waking up two hours before the sunshine in the month of April to start my daily meditation.

While everyone was asleep, and the windows were open, at around 4 in the morning, I would hear the sound of the cuckoo birds. It was probably the first time that I had heard the cuckoo bird’s sound at such early hours of the day, and it added joy to my meditation.

Likewise, several other species of birds used to gather around my garden, which really kept me ecstatic throughout the day.

Days and months passed by, and I got so close to them that sometimes I tried my luck at mimicking the sounds of these birds. But as children and the working people were tired of staying home for weeks on end, the government decided to lift the lockdown with some restrictions in the capital. The flow of traffic picked up once again in the streets. And with it, the sounds of the birds started fading away. The hectic office schedule began overlapping my morning workout, and no longer could I hear the tweets that kick-started my day.

A Hindu monk, motivational speaker Gaur Gopal Das once shared: “Everyday tens and hundreds of birds fly over our homes, but we barely pay attention to them. Only when they build a nest in our homes do we pay any attention to them.”

Last week, I was wandering on the terrace, and from nowhere I heard a series of chirrup notes by the male sparrows to announce that they possess a nest. I yearned to listen to the sounds of the birds around my home after the lockdown was uplifted. I was elated that the sparrows had chosen my home to build a nest. After putting in a lot of work by the sparrows, the nest is now ready to welcome the female sparrows.