Kaboota Baz in Agra (Pigeon Fanciers)

servopuff · Feb 22nd, 2006, 12:41

Has anyone met with a kaboota baz in Agra? We are hoping to meet one when we are there in about two weeks. Will it be difficult to meet one if we just ask around once we are there? I haven't been able to find any info besides what's mentioned in the Rough Guide from a couple of years ago. Thanks.

jyotirmoy · Feb 22nd, 2006, 13:01

A small correction here. The Hindi word for pigeon is Kabootar.

servopuff · Feb 22nd, 2006, 13:28

Woops, thanks for that jyotirmoy. I see a few more hits now in Google, but most seem to be related to the phrase "kabootar bA kabootar, bAz bA bAz" (birds of a feather flock together, maybe?!?).

jyotirmoy · Feb 22nd, 2006, 13:49

Baz is used to mean some one who indulges in. Kabootar baz means some one who indulges in the activity of rearing pigeons & engaging them in flying waiving with a long stick with a coloured cloth tie to it.

proxyindian · Mar 18th, 2008, 00:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by servopuff

Has anyone met with a kaboota baz in Agra? We are hoping to meet one when we are there in about two weeks. Will it be difficult to meet one if we just ask around once we are there? I haven't been able to find any info besides what's mentioned in the Rough Guide from a couple of years ago. Thanks.

I don't think that the original question was ever answered. John and I love pigeons (lucky we live in Chicago). I love their blue feathers and how metalic they seem as they reflect in the sun. And the birds are so loyal to their mate. Anyway... It says in the Rough Guide that you can go to such-and-such a hotel (don't have the book with me right now but they give the name in the latest edition) and watch their kabootar baz, so we don't expect it to be that difficult to do.

There are so many pigeons in Chicago's Desi neighborhood (around Devon Avenue) and a lot around the mosques area mosques. We're wondering now if there are kabootar baz here too.

Has anyone gone to watch a kabootar baz at work? We're planning on doing it when we're in Agra. It sounds fascinating.

shere · Mar 18th, 2008, 00:35

Baaz (Baaj) also means Falcon/Hawk. An altogether better hobby than flying kabootar. Its funny to see kabootar cack their load when a falcon is flown.

the opoponax · Mar 18th, 2008, 01:00

I saw flocks of pigeons being led through their paces in a few cities in north India (including Agra), but I didn't see any of the kabootar wallahs themselves.

If you are feeling the picturesque old Agra stuff, take a rickshaw out to Mehtab Bagh in the late afternoon. It's a park on the opposite shore of the Yamuna, "behind" the Taj. There are cool Taj Mahal views, and a nice place to watch the sun set. Lots of locals go for an evening walk which turns into a bit of the classic Italian 'passagiata' of kids messing around and adults seeing and being seen. The ride there is longish, and you go through some very interesting parts of the old city which are completely tourist-free. I saw a wedding procession, people drawing water from street-corner pumps, old guys lounging on charpoys sipping chai from those little mud cups, evening namaz, etc. And then there's the ride over the insanely rickety bridge over the Yamuna.

Take a cycle rickshaw - you'll have a much better view than you would from an auto.

proxyindian · Mar 18th, 2008, 01:32

Dear T.O.,
That sounds like a wonderful time. I can't wait to take this suggestion to John.

the opoponax · Mar 18th, 2008, 01:51

Just remember not to look down on the bridge -- I got a not-so-fabulous Yamuna view through some of those potholes (NOT JOKING AT ALL).

Feb 22nd, 2006, 12:41	#1
servopuff Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Leiden, the Netherlands Posts: 9	Kaboota Baz in Agra (Pigeon Fanciers) Has anyone met with a kaboota baz in Agra? We are hoping to meet one when we are there in about two weeks. Will it be difficult to meet one if we just ask around once we are there? I haven't been able to find any info besides what's mentioned in the Rough Guide from a couple of years ago. Thanks.

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Feb 22nd, 2006, 13:01	#2
jyotirmoy Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: India Posts: 3,939	A small correction here. The Hindi word for pigeon is Kabootar.

Feb 22nd, 2006, 13:28	#3
servopuff Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Leiden, the Netherlands Posts: 9	Woops, thanks for that jyotirmoy. I see a few more hits now in Google, but most seem to be related to the phrase "kabootar bA kabootar, bAz bA bAz" (birds of a feather flock together, maybe?!?).

Feb 22nd, 2006, 13:49	#4
jyotirmoy Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: India Posts: 3,939	Baz is used to mean some one who indulges in. Kabootar baz means some one who indulges in the activity of rearing pigeons & engaging them in flying waiving with a long stick with a coloured cloth tie to it.

Mar 18th, 2008, 00:35	#6
shere Maha Guru Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: England Posts: 1,093	Baaz (Baaj) also means Falcon/Hawk. An altogether better hobby than flying kabootar. Its funny to see kabootar cack their load when a falcon is flown.

Mar 18th, 2008, 01:00	#7
the opoponax Maha Guru Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Brooklyn, via New Orleans Posts: 1,054	I saw flocks of pigeons being led through their paces in a few cities in north India (including Agra), but I didn't see any of the kabootar wallahs themselves. If you are feeling the picturesque old Agra stuff, take a rickshaw out to Mehtab Bagh in the late afternoon. It's a park on the opposite shore of the Yamuna, "behind" the Taj. There are cool Taj Mahal views, and a nice place to watch the sun set. Lots of locals go for an evening walk which turns into a bit of the classic Italian 'passagiata' of kids messing around and adults seeing and being seen. The ride there is longish, and you go through some very interesting parts of the old city which are completely tourist-free. I saw a wedding procession, people drawing water from street-corner pumps, old guys lounging on charpoys sipping chai from those little mud cups, evening namaz, etc. And then there's the ride over the insanely rickety bridge over the Yamuna. Take a cycle rickshaw - you'll have a much better view than you would from an auto.

Mar 18th, 2008, 01:32	#8
proxyindian Scaredy Cat Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Chicago, Illinois Posts: 259	Dear T.O., That sounds like a wonderful time. I can't wait to take this suggestion to John.

Mar 18th, 2008, 01:51	#9
the opoponax Maha Guru Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Brooklyn, via New Orleans Posts: 1,054	Just remember not to look down on the bridge -- I got a not-so-fabulous Yamuna view through some of those potholes (NOT JOKING AT ALL).

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