Traffic-jam in God's own Country - and its not even rush-hour

Last Saturday, as I set out on my morning walk at Kerala, Aman wants to join me. With him along, I would not be able to walk fast as he can't obviously keep pace with me. Also, being a kid, he would tire quickly, while I would need atleast 3kms to work up a sweat. But I do want him with me because it would be a nice opportunity to spend time with him.

As I am thinking of how to handle this, I remember that the day before he had loved being taken around in his pram, which I had cleaned up. I decide that I can walk, while he can sit in the pram and enjoy the cool morning. It would surely look odd for a 3-year old kid to be taken around in a pram, but who cares. Infact in the small sleepy town that I call home in Kerala, the pram would still turn heads even if it were a baby inside - because it is not a common sight.

Anyway, we set out on our walk, taking the road that lies in front of our home, heading towards the bridge on the river which is like 1km away. I ignore the curious stares from passersby, instead focussing on small-talk with Aman. As we reach the bridge, I see a flurry of activity in the river, which I instantly make out as a huge group of ducks being taken out on their morning swim-cum-feeding session. I believe I have earlier made a post on this before, but it always is an interesting sight to see. And since Aman is also interested, we stop to have a look.

You can see the 2 keepers in their canoes guiding the birds under the bridge.


The tail-end of the procession finally making it under the bridge.


We continue our walk for another half-km or so and then retrace our steps back, only to see that the keepers have led the flock of ducks from the river to land and are now having them cross the road we took, to get into the wet-fields where the ducks would have their feeding session.

Hundreds of ducks crossing the road, leading to a short traffic-jam on an otherwise empty road, early in the morning. Men and vehicles stop to give way to the flock.


We wait and watch the sight till the rest of the flock also makes its way safely across the road into the fields.


I believe, the keepers and their flock would retrace the same path later in the day, to get back to the farm from where they started off in the morning. Must take immense effort & co-ordination on the part of the keepers to accomplish this task.

Anyday a better sight for the eyes than the automobile-jam on the streets of Chennai.