BHOKU - MY PET PARROT

Bhoku

 Here is the story of my pet parrot , with a few imaginative illustrations of her ,doing human activity. She was named BHOKTO first,then her name was converted to BHOKU by my father.

BHOKU came into our family in a very special way. I was in 3 Rd standard then, a girl named MAMON lived in our locality.She bought a parrot from pet shop and was nurturing it . The parrot was very wild in nature and complete green in colour. There was no borderline on her neck.

One day the parrot escaped the cage and flew away through the window.It sat on a big Mango tree by the side of our house.Our neighbour Bubupishi and her family owned that tree.They saw the parrot and caught it up in a net and made it a pet again. They named it as BHOKTO.

Mamon's house maid Komli went to Bubupishi and Buchupishi to claim the parrot.But they denied to give BHOKTO back to Mamon, as they caught it by hard effort.

After a few years of nurturing one day they handed over the parrot to my mother to gift it to me. They called me RANI and loved me hugely.

My father turned her name to BHOKU as it sounded more sweet.Bhoku was living happily with us. But oneday I thought to free her in air. I told my mom the fact and she opened the cage door and hided herself. Being alone BHOKU found the door open and flew away to the coconut tree of another house of our area.

I was happy to make her free and told Buchupishi the whole matter. She was sad to hear that and told me that I should have handed BHOKU back to them if not to nurture her. Because there is danger of being eaten by cat or harmed by others bigger birds. I understood the matter and came home sadly.

It was evening time and I was studying on the cot of my grandmother 's room suddenly I saw upward on a big photograph of the  room,BHOKU was perching quietly on it looking towards me. I was so happy and surprised to that sight which surpasses the words. Jumping down from the cot I first turned the switch off of the ceiling fan to save BHOKU if she flies . Then called my grandmother and mom and other family members one by one.They all were spellbound and speech less .Then my mom took the risk to put BHOKU safely into the cage again.

Along with BHOKU ,we all were so much happy for the great comeback of her . My father returning from office heard the matter and told that it was God's Grace that BHOKU reached our house again,to live here forever.

Thus 12 years were passed, happily living with us,BHOKU learnt so many words and name to utter.DIDI,TUKU,KEKA ,MAA and many other sounds she used to make whole day. She always behaved like human and we almost forgot to treat her as a bird. If she had to response to anyone she used to say "Tyaaaaan  tuk tuk "bowing down her head in the cage. She was very nice looking swelling her feathers and head all the time. She used to bite every body with her sharp beak but was habituated to fondle my father and my grandmother. Without adoring and giving her a piece of biscuit,my father never could go to bed at night.

When my father used to sing with harmonium BHOKU used to make sweet tunes by her throat. She used to be angry if anyhow neglected. She behaved like a family member and loved to eat our daily food avoiding chilli. A very rare thing for a parrot. Sometimes she used to came out of cage spontaneously but never tried to escape us. 

We used to bathe her in neem and turmeric water and gave Abdec vitamin as medicine prescribed by a veterinary doctor, to grow more feathers on her body as she loved eating sweets too much and it caused losing her feather through out the year.

She passed away from us in the year 1999 and I made a cemetery for her where she is still now buried. With great respect I light up candle on her death day and put garlands and flowers to deck up her cemetery .

She will be remembered and revered forever by us.