Every morning, thousands of parrots eat jowar at the Khedapati Balaji Temple

The Panchkuian Shri Ram Temple, a significant historical site that has existed for around 200 years, is located in the western section of the Indian city of Jaipur. The nearby Khedapati Balaji Temple is well-known for its unusual practice of feeding parrots. Millions of parrots annually flock to this performance, which has been done for over 50 years.

Ramesh Agarwal has taken on the duty of providing jowar (sorghum) to feed these birds for the last 50 years. These feathery creatures are fed every day at 5:30 a.m., rain or shine. Ramesh shown continuous commitment to his job even in the midst of the difficult Corona epidemic, making sure the parrots always had their usual food.

Ramesh Ji is of the opinion that several saints have engaged in religious activities in the Panchkuian region. The parrots that congregate here are seen as representations of those saints since it is thought to be hallowed ground. The custom first emerged when the Hanumanji temple was located on an elevated platform surrounded by sorghum-growing fields. Even then, parrots would frequent the area.

Thanks to the generous gifts from committed people, the temple’s infrastructure has been improved significantly throughout time. Floors were built piece by piece, and a designated feeding area was formed. Protective borders were built using nets obtained from pulse mills to protect the parrots from any risks presented by wild animals.

As significant changes continued to take place, a roof covering Hanuman’s temple of 5000 square feet was built. For the last 50 years, the parrots have been diligently cared for under this large roof, which has devotedly served as the center of care.

Numerous parrots eagerly wait for their turn perched on the nearby trees in their numbers. Others quickly descend from the trees to take their position on the roof as one group quickly finishes its meal and goes off. The parrots looked at Hanuman’s flag after getting their “Prasad” (holy food offering) before resting on the roof to eat.

Ramesh first gave the birds a quintal of sorghum grains. But as the parrot population continued to rise, so did the amount of food provided for them. At the moment, parrots eat around four quintals of food every single day.

Early in the morning, worshippers go to the temple for prayers as well as to see the fascinating sight of several parrots eating simultaneously. This information is provided by Rajni Khaitan.