Sidhart KP, third year student of the 3 year Integrated Photography Program produced a body of work on Pigeons flying in Kerala during his 5th semester for a Visual Storytelling assignment. The Video for the story has been selected to go on the Kerala Tourism Website.
“Fort Kochi, a small port town in the state of Kerala holds a 35-year long obsession for Pigeon Flying, locally known as ‘Parava’. From the hatch of the egg, these birds are nurtured for the annual tournament, which hosts around 120-150 participants.
Allocated umpires go to each house in the locality and keep track of time as the pigeons encircle above the house all day, thus testing their endurance.
Veteran pigeons are used for teaching competence and a special diet including calcium sandoz, cod liver tablets and other vitamin supplements are given during the tournament time. This year’s winner set a time of 15 hours and 13 minutes.”
A pigeon homing in after practice
PJ Anthony, an electrician, with his champion birds
The pigeons are flown several times a day, with little increments in the duration each time. The goal is to attain 10 hours of endurance in the air.
In constant vigil, Dr Prasad and friends
Certification of birds before the tournament.
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John, a local carpenter with his participant pigeon.
