The Birds of The Sacred Grove

Every landscape has a story.

Some begin as quiet stretches of open land, waiting with patient possibility.

Not many years ago, The Sacred Grove was a sun-baked expanse beneath an open sky. A few sturdy tamarind trees stood like silent guardians. Around them lay open ground, as if waiting to reveal what it could become.  

New life was brought to the land, one sapling at a time. Over the years, around 1,000 trees – including indigenous species like Mango, Jamun, Kanuga, Neem, Peepal, Kadamba, and Amla, along with trees known for their striking blossoms, such as Palash, Amaltas, Champa, and Parijat – have been planted here. Each was nurtured, protected, and entrusted to time. With the passing of seasons, together they created diverse spaces – sunlit grass patches, shaded groves, vine curtains, thick shrubs, meandering climbers, flowering plants, and quiet waters.

Nature’s response: other life began to follow.

Often, the first signs are heard before they’re seen.

Hidden deep in the foliage, the unmistakable song of the Asian Koel stirs the morning stillness. The clear, rhythmic calls of the Coppersmith Barbet echo from the tree it has made its home. A Blue-faced Malkoha slips silently from one branch to another. Spotted Owlets settle on the branches of a dense tree, trusting its shelter through the day.

Rustling through the shrubs are the babblers, moving together in lively groups. The bulbuls flit among the flowering hedges and fruiting trees, their cheerful calls livening the campus soundscape. Lithe sunbirds dart effortlessly among blossoms, pausing to sip nectar before disappearing again into the foliage. Not far away a robin perches with confidence, adding its own notes to the morning symphony.

Among the grasses, Indian Silverbills and Scaly-breasted Munias can be spotted patiently searching for seeds. The Jerdon’s Bushlark blends seamlessly into the earth, almost disappearing from view. Red-wattled Lapwings keep a vigilant watch over the open spaces. Hoopoes, their heads bent in concentration, probe the soil with their long bills.

Vibrant against the clear blue sky, Bee-eaters and Ashy Woodswallows perform graceful acrobatics through the air. A Black Drongo watches alertly, launching into swift aerial pursuits of its own.

Birds of prey are part of the landscape as well. High above, a Black-winged Kite hovers almost motionless. Elsewhere, a Shikra sits quietly among the leaves, poised and watchful.

By the old well, another story unfolds. The Baya Weaver is engaged in one of nature’s most remarkable acts of craftsmanship. Strand by strand, it patiently weaves its hanging nest – an astonishing skill, repeated over generations. Nearby, the bulbuls attend to nesting duties of their own.

As the morning light settles softly across the still waters of the pond, a flash of blue breaks the quiet. Perched on a nearby pole, a White-throated Kingfisher studies the water before making its swift, precise dive.  Along the pond’s edge, a White-breasted Waterhen steps carefully through reeds and grasses. A young one follows close behind, taking tiny, quick steps in tentative exploration. Cattle Egrets move through the grass, their white plumage catching the light. Little Cormorants and Oriental Darters emerge from underwater pursuits to perch with wings spread wide in the morning sun.

This is something far richer than a collection of individual species; it is a web of connections that allows life to thrive.

Trees offer nectar, fruit, seeds, shelter, and nesting places. Birds pollinate flowers, disperse seeds, regulate insect populations, and help maintain the delicate balance of the ecosystem. The growing trees already shape much of today’s experience here. The younger trees speak of tomorrow: years from now, their branches will shelter nests not yet built, their flowers feeding pollinators not yet born, offering shade to visitors who may never know who planted them.

For the last decade, the MyTree initiative has been writing this story in cities and rural locations across India.

Tree planting is not simply about placing saplings in the ground. It is about patiently nurturing them, giving them the time and care needed to grow and flourish. In turn, these growing plants and trees create the conditions in which life can thrive.

There is something quietly hopeful about that thought.

The plants and birds are only part of the story.

Come, experience it for yourself at The Sacred Grove.

To know more, please write to us at contact@thesacredgrove.in.

[The birdlife described in this article is inspired by “Birds of The Sacred Grove”, a video created at The Sacred Grove]