Peacock the National Bird of India

Do you know why the peacock is the national bird of India? There are so many reasons behind this. Peacock is probably the oldest known ornamental bird. More then 4000 years ago it was introduced to the cultures of Mesopotamia via trade routes and from there to the Meditteranean nations. It was so much prized in the past that Indian kings sent it as a gift to king solomon.

It is said that Alexander, carried the species from India to his own country, from where it reached Rome and then to England in about 326 B.C

Diwan-i-khas

Histoy tells that Maghal emperors had a soft corner for the peacock and tamed them in their court gardens. Emperor Shahjahan was so impressed with peacock that he named his beautiful throne the ‘Takht-e-Taus’ the peacock throne. It was placed over the marble pedestal in Diwan-I-Khas at the Red fort in Delhi. Nadir Shah , the Emperor of persia,who attacked and looted the capital of Mughals in 1739, carried away the precious possesions to his country.

One can find various references to the peacock in Indian art and literatures, folklore, religious, rituals and ceremonies.

Literatures

The Rigveda mentions that the war God Indra’s horses possessed hair, like peacock’s feathers and tails, like those of the peacock. The ‘Atharvaveda’ refers to the peacock’s passionate in killing and chopping sankes to pieces. Lord Buddha, in one of his previous births was born as a peacock. In our Epic ‘Ramayana’ and ‘Mahabharata’ one can also find various references of peacock.

The famous ancient poet Kalidas while describing the beauty of nature has made special mention of the peacock. In ‘Kumarasambhava’, he described in detail the graceful dance by peacock on the occasion of the marriage of Shiva and Parvati. Kalidas described peacock as the supreme symbol of the joy in ‘Maghadoota’.

Novel-lauriate poet Rabindranath Tagore in his poetic works made various references of this beautiful bird peacock. In his poem ‘Nabavarsha’ (New Rain) poet expressed his joy for the new monsoon. He said,

'‘My heart dances like the peacock in the rains.

A hundred feelings, therein, spring up like its feathers.

My restless mind, looking at the skies, searches for someone.''

Girigobardhan

Architecture, Sculpture and paintings

Many Indian eminent miniature painters were inspired by this beautiful birds. Peacocks enjoy a very prominent place in Rajasthani art and culture. The painting titled ‘Giri Govardhan’ is associated with the legend of Krishna lifting the mountain to protect Braja from the wrath of the rain God Indra. The along with human beings and other animals took refuge under the mountain. A peacock on the Mount Govardhan symbolises the onset of monsoon.

Many Indian sculpture were decorated with peacock, like Sanchi Stupas of first century B.C which have groups of twin peacocks decorating the architraves and posts of the stone entrance gateway. In the famous 5th century temple of Deogarh in Jharkhand, there is a remarkable depiction of a flying peacock with Karttikeya (The champion fighter and commander-in-chief of the army of gods) on its back.

The peacock feather decorates the crown of lord Krishna and hand fans made of peacock feathers were kept in palaces, homes, temple , mosques and ‘Majhars’. The priest touches the head of a devotee with a peacock feathers to bless him. There are different opinion why lord Krishna wearing peacock feathers in his crown. Indian classics describe the peacock feathers dress of tribal especially Bhil women. The hunter class or forest dwellers, Who had no access to urban cotton clothing had to manage with leaf and feathers, stiched with bark thread. Another opinion Sri Krishna wears a peacock feather that reminds us of his play with gops and gopies of Sri Vindabon. The male peacock especially has long been a symbol of romantic love, and the rasalila episode of Sri Krishna’s life teaches us how this kind of love may be directed to God.

Considering peacock’s beauty, grace and qualities of friendship as well as its reference in myth, legend, literature peacock was declared as Indian’s National Bird in 1963. 

Here we will see a dancing peacock in Kanha forest of Madhyapradesh in India. I have taken this video in  summer (June, 20011).