ચબૂતરો

A Chabutro or Chabutra is a structure meant for feeding birds and is located along the street or in open public spaces. It derives its name from the word ‘Kabutar’, meaning pigeon, and ‘Chhatri’, meaning umbrella, and can roughly be translated as a shelter for pigeons and other birds. A Chabutro is a tower-like structure, about 3.5m to 4m tall, with an enclosed octagonal or pentagonal shaped platform for birds to gather and feed. The upper enclosure has several holes where birds can make their nests. The structure is intricately carved, and has been found to be made of wood, stone and in some cases, cast iron as well. Chabutras were symbolic of a culture and a way of life that believed in caring for birds and other life forms that inhabited the urban environment. Legend has it that the first chabutra was built as a replacement for trees that rarely grew in the hot and dry desert climate of western India. It was conceived as a place where birds could take shelter from the heat and make their nests. Over time, chabutras became a landmark in open spaces. They also became a part of everyday life, with people sitting around them for an evening chat while children played.