Pet parakeet finds abode on deity’s shoulder

People throng Plague Mariamman Temple for a rare sight

Parakeet Shree perching on the deity of Plague Mariamman in Coimbatore on Monday.

Parakeets live in flocks. But 'Shree', a female rose-ringed parakeet (Psittacula krameri), was part of the family of A. Murugesan of Pappanaickenpalayam in Coimbatore for a year. The family had been taking care of the parakeet after Murugesan's son Prasanth got her as a chick from his friend, who found it after it had fallen off its nest.

Around 2 p.m. on Sunday, Prasanth took Shree to the courtyard of their house, which was being whitewashed. She was not caged as family members were around. However, the bird flew over a small distance and perched on the roof of another house. As Prasanth called her by name, Shree took flight again and vanished.

“We searched for Shree for several hours and retuned home tired. All of us -- my wife Vijalakshmi, Prasanth and eldest son Suganthan -- were sad as she was like a member of the family. Around 7.30 p.m. a neighbour told that Shree is at Amman Kovil,” said Mr. Murugesan who works as fitter with an industrial unit.

The family rushed to the temple, around 50 metres from the house, and found Shree perching on the right shoulder of the Mariamman idol, the main deity of the Plague Mariamman Temple.

“We called her by name several times. Though she responded, she did not move from the idol. As the temple was closed on Sunday, the priest advised us to return home as it was not moving from the idol,” said Vijalakshmi.

To everyone's wonder, the parakeet was found on the right shoulder of the idol as the temple was opened on Monday morning.

“The temple committee recommended for a Meenakshi Amman decoration on the idol. The bird perched on top of the cage we kept near the sanctum sanctorum while the idol was being decorated. She moved to her earlier position once the priest finished the decorations. With the decorations and the parakeet on right shoulder, the idol resembled Madurai Meenakshi Amman,” Ms. Vijayalakshmi said.

The family accepted the decision of the temple committee and the priest to not forcibly remove the bird from the idol. The bird ate the fruits given by the priest. As news on the rare incident spread, people thronged the temple in large numbers to have a darshan of the deity with a live parakeet.

“Initially we were sad as we are all very attached to the bird. But now we are happy that she is with Amman,” Ms. Vijayalakshmi said. Rose-ringed parakeet is protected under schedule IV of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.