Title : Haruva Nari Mattu Itara Parisarada Kathegalu

Author : Dr. H.R. Sanjay

Year : 2022 (second print)

Pages : 134

Price : Rs. 180

Publisher : Kaveri Prakashana, Rajashekar Hospital, Mysuru

Mention birding, the name of renowned ornithologist Salim Ali pat flies through one’s mind, especially those who are aware of the internationally renowned ornithologist’s contributions to the world of winged friends, including in Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary in Srirangapatna taluk, Mandya. What was a rarely practiced hobby during the time of Salim Ali, later saw many taking to bird-watching in the country not just as a mere hobby but also for research purpose with a professional approach, with many wildlife NGOs pumped with enormous funds.

The City of Mysuru that has nurtured many birders in the past and continues to do so, has in its womb Kukkarahalli Lake that is still considered as the paradise of birds. Though it is replete with commonly found winged species called neighbourhood birds, it is still a delight to watch them flying in precision with their wings wide open, with the mirror image in water, a perfect shot for shutterbugs. Hadinaru, a village in Nanjangud taluk in the district, 20 kms away from Mysuru city, is still the itinerary of many avid bird-watchers, for the lake by the same name in the village attracting not just roosting birds, but also rarest migratory birds from faraway countries like Mongolia.

What brings all these to one’s mind is the latest work on diverse bird species ‘Haruva Nari Mattu Itara Parisarada Kathegalu’ by Dr. H.R. Sanjay, a doctor by profession and surgeon by specialisation. Dr. Sanjay showed his literary trait in Kannada with the release of this book in July 2021. As an evidence to his way of narration, like a freshly minted graduate eager to explore the world, Sanjay’s book met with a good response and saw its reprint in June 2022.

Haruva Nari, if loosely translated into Kannada means, flying fox. Here the writer is speaking about a species of bat found in India and also Karnataka that is addressed as  Haruva Nari in Kannada, but mentioned as ‘Painted Bat’ and ‘Salim Ali’s Fruit Bat’ in English.

The opening chapter titled  ‘Mareyalarada Neeli Hakki’ on Indian Roller aka Neel Kanth bird (in Karnataka) which is also our State bird, the pride shared along with Telangana and Odisha States, gives a glimpse of how the writer as a school-going boy was smitten by the colour of the bird, only to end up late at school, to suffer the bite of a dog by stepping on its tail. Neeli Hakki is ‘Neel Kanth bird’ meaning ‘blue throat bird’ in English.

The 16 chapters running into 134 pages have descriptions majorly on various species of birds and one chapter on Asian Palm Civet Cat, interspersed with his real life experiences that explain about his parents and siblings support in all his endeavours. But, it is only after poring over the chapters, will they be able to understand the meanings behind the titles of chapters like Pekara Hakki, Kur Kur Mama…!, Hakkigalu Swargavu, Haruva Nari, Hotteyalli Dani, Kalalli Kivi, Neladamele Nalku Mottegalu…

Dr. Sanjay has not only authored the book but has displayed his tryst with brush with colourful paintings of birds, along with Bhagyashri Patavardhan. A painting of various nests of birds hold mirror to the innate ability of the author for not missing out on the finer details of the bird world, all encompassed by nature.

—OSR