A paradise for birds

The Chandni Chowk area has many tourist spots- ancient monuments, historical markets, legendary eateries and temples of many different faiths symbolic of our unity in diversity.

However, there is one must-visit place here which could be easily called the temple of not just a particular religion, but that of the whole humanity - namely, the Jain Bird Hospital.

Housed in the revered Digambar Jain Temple just across the road from Red Fort, this special hospital has been providing succour to our winged friends for almost a century now. Even as you climb the stairs to this three-storeyed hospital, feathers falling from above almost greet you into the institution. Besides, the beautiful illustrations on the walls of saints and kings who helped birds and animals and were suitably rewarded by Gods, are a lesson in humanism.

The grandest of these illustrations is on the second floor of the hospital - the main clinic, narrating the story of a king who had a favourite pet pige­on. Once, as the king was playing with his beloved pet, an eagle attacked it. The king, beside himself with misery begged the eagle to take his own flesh equalling the weight of the little bird. The scales were prepared and the pigeon is placed on one end.

The king cut off his right hand and placed it on the scale, but they did not balance. The king then cut off his right leg and puts it too but it still did not balance. As the thunder-struck courtiers looked on, the king plunged his sword into his heart and fell on the scale which then became balanced. Then to everyone’s surprise, the eagle transformed into God, returned the king his life and limbs and blessed him with peace and fortune.


“With a somewhat similar sentiment, this hospital was founded in a single room in the year 1929 by late Laccho Mal Gotewale,” informs PN Gupta, supervisor of this hospital. “Later, it was shifted to this temple complex in 1952. About two decades later, it adopted the allopathic system of treatment and appointed Dr M S Bawa as the chief surgeon and physician, under whose charge, the hospital achieved astounding success in curing the ailing avians.”

Today, the hospital houses no less than 3000 birds at a time with an average 40 birds are admitted daily. These are brought in by good samaritans, mostly kids and suffering from old age-related problems like cataract and paralysis, cat attacks or injured because of fan blades, coolers or electrical wires.

Most of these birds are pigeons but peacocks, eagles and parrots are also brought in sometimes.

The ground floor of the hospital is used to prepare medicines and food, the second is the ICU with a surgery room and state-of-the-art surgical equipment, while the top floor houses the general ward for recuperating patients. The birds, once admitted, are not given back to the owners, but freed when healed. Kids, who bring in pet birds, do look a bit sad on being told this but eventually leave the little ones’ here for their welfare.

People often stop by, with kids in tow, to meet the chirpy ones and make generous donations. Foreigners on a trip to Chandni Chowk also visit the hospital and contribute to its running. In fact, that is how this hospital is run – with assistance from the philanthropic. Perhaps, you could also meet these benevolent creatures sometime and wish them ‘Get Well Soon’.