Kaga, Kora and kalvi ,  the three crows sat on the terrace wall,  overlooking the stairs coming up from the flats. This was their routine while waiting for Annapoorna (as they called her ) , every day in the morning for their regular meal. Annapoorna staying on the top floor had been feeding birds regularly with roti, corn, bajra and eggs for years . She also kept three water bowls from which they drank and later bathed in, on hot summer days. Kaga looked up at the sun and said – it is already five minutes late. By this time I can hear our Annapoorna’s footsteps coming up the stairs , while the whiff of the fried eggs spreads in the air. Patience Kaga ! Kora chided . She is getting older and has slowed down. Kalvi looked back to see Guliya the squirrel running towards them , while squeaking to get attention.

Guliya stayed at a safe distance from the crows and panted while announcing – the curtains have not been opened in her bedroom,  which never happens . I wonder why ? Do you think Annapoorna has decided not to feed us any longer ? Stop it you idiot , don’t say such unfortunate  things or I will curse you, said Kalvi. She has been feeding us for 25 years, non stop and whenever she has gone outside town , she has made arrangements for us to be fed. Kaga sensed something wrong and cawed out loud  Minnnaaa……. . Kalvi and Kora got a fright and chided Kaga for screaming in their ears .

Luckily Minna the Maina was having a dip in the little mud bowl on the adjoining terrace . She came hopping and from a safe distance asked meekly- Kaga ,I am not in the race for grabbing your food, so why call out to me in such a fierce way. Kaga opened his mouth in a smile, softened his wrinkles and said – do us a favour ?Please go to Annapoorna’s kitchen window and see if you can see her cooking. Why are you not going asked Minna in a louder voice, showing her importance ? Well a bunch of us had an altercation with Kalu the dog who lives outside her flat yesterday and I don’t want any more of his snapping and barking as he is likely to see us peeping.  I have got up with a headache today and I don’t want it to increase. The stupid dog cant recognize us by face so he starts barking at all of our clan. Hmm said Minna and flew away.

Minna came back flying hurriedly and perched herself near Kalvi and said – no sign of any movement in the kitchen. This is really worrying , thought Kaga and said , I want an urgent meeting to investigate on Annapoorna.  Kora you go and tell Manga, the mango tree near Annapoorna’s windows to make all her branches flexible so that Guliya’s teams can jump to her balcony and look into the flat to see if Annapoorna is moving about? Minna you go and call all your flock. Hey Kabita, he called out to the pigeon hovering around the terrace for her millets. Go and call your fleet . Annapoorna is very late and we are all worried about her .

The meeting on the terrace was very grave as all the birds were worried about Annapoorna. Over the years they had all been living off her graciousness. Kaga perched himself on the water tank and addressed the fleet of birds , pigeons and squirrels . Now we all have to stretch ourselves and try and find an entrance into her flat and see why Annapoorna is not to be seen today. He looked up at the sun again and said , by this time she would have fed us and we would have left for our daily chores . Let us meet in 10 minutes here . If we are not successful I have a plan B in my mind.

Within two minutes there was a flurry of activities going around Annaporna’s  flat . Manga, the mango tree swayed with grace in all directions and squirrels of all sizes jumped on to balcony of the flat. Guliya led the operations and was closely followed by his squirrel friends Annan , Gul, Ghumri, and Siya. Minna made an important observation that none of the plants in the pots were watered . Kaga, Kora, Kalvi, Kaka all cawed loudly flying around the flat looking very carefully for any movement. Kalu got up irritated with the loud noise. He was hungry and the lady had not opened her door even once since the morning. Hope she had not forgotten his egg and water, he worried .

Within 10 minutes Annapoorna’s terrace was filled with a fleet of birds of all shapes and sizes . Kaga chaired the meeting sitting on top of the water tank again . He addressed his audience – Friends for once,  let us forget our differences and do a joint operation. I fear for our Annapoorna. There is no movement from her flat at all. None of us have seen her . And none of us are able to enter into her house and even if we do. we wont be able to help her. The only way we can draw attention to her flat is by creating some disruption and drawing the attention of the neighbors in the flat.

I have a plan which is crafty but we will have to be careful not to hurt any humans . Who is friends with kalu here asked Kaga ? Moni the Maina looked up shyly to say – he sometimes lets me ride on his back while I sing to him. Ok then Moni you go and tell Kalu that he has to get at least 4 of his friends up to the flat door and when Kadvi my wife will give her signature cackle,  they all have to howl non stop in unison outside the flat, trying to draw attention . People will come out of their flats as a dog’s howl is a bad omen.

Kaga then asked – Is anybody friends here with Billa the cat and his wife Bela ? Kabitha came forward and shyly cooed – we have a good relationship since I informed them about  fish being cooked in the farmhouse every Wednesday. Good said Kaga , you call Billa and ask him to get Bela and two other cats and climb on to Annapoorna’s balcony, by taking the help of Manga the Mango tree.  In a minute I will tell you what they have to do.

Kalvi you go and tell Ondi the eagle to take her friends and offer prayers  in the Garuda temple which we built in the nearby farmhouse last year. But it is daytime and they will be sleeping , Kalvi protested . Tell them Kaga needs your prayers and he will understand . We have been family friends for generations. Tell them to chant the mantras nonstop for Annapoorna’s safety and well being until we inform them otherwise .

Kaga then addressed Minna-  can you give a message to Pakhi the peacock to come with some friends and scream on the terrace , when Kadvi lets out her signature cackle . They should  spread their wings to draw attention. I know they come on this terrace in the evening for a small snack, as Annapoorna brings in some left overs for them in the evening. They will eagerly help out.

Ok now the plan is as follows , said Kaga , there are 3 flats below Annapoorna’s . I will perch on the balcony of the flat below Annapoorna’s , Kalvi, on the floor below and Kora on the gate of the ground floor . My wife Kadvi will sit on Annapoorna’s balcony.  Kadvi will be watching me Kora and Kalvi. She will know that if we are simply sitting on the railing there is no danger and that no humans are loitering in the veranda or balcony. This will be a sign for action and she will let out her signature cackle . But if any of us are taking a low flight hovering around the balcony she will know that there might be some human approaching. So she will not let out the signature cackle . Therefore no action.

Next, continued Kaga-  when she lets out the signature cackle , Billa , Bela and their team will push the flower pots down from Annapoorna’s  balcony. Neighbours will come out with the loud noise , hopefully. In addition , hearing Kadvi’s cackle Kalu and his team will howl as loud as possible. And simultaneously Pakhi and her team will screech on the terrace. We are bound to attract some attention.

C’mon go and fetch  the cats , peacocks and  the dogs and take up your positions in the next 10 minutes , ordered Kaga. We have to ensure our Annapoorna is safe and then he flew away to the nearby terrace to drink some water.

In ten minutes Pakhi, Phankuri, Pancham and Rangeela , the peacocks took their positions on the terrace. Kabitha took a quick flight to reach Billa and Bela residing under the old stationary car parked at the end of the road. Moni , flew to chat with Kalu. Within two minutes Kalu had rounded his pals , Goru, Champa, Goonda and Ganga. Guliya decided to take his family to the close by Ram Mandir to pray for their Annapoorna. His role was done for the moment.

Billa , Bela , Baki and choti , the cats gracefully climbed over Manga and landed in Annapoorna’s balcony. Kadhvi was not very well but she owed this to Annapoorna as the latter had fed several of her children. She cleared her throat and went to perch on Annapporna’s railing on the balcony.

All happened as planned . Kadhvi looked down to see all three of her clan sitting quietly on the balcony . Cawwwwwwwwwww, Kaaa , Kraaa she screetched and Kaga felt proud. It was a deafening screech . Billa and his clan jumped into action and one by one the 8 pots went crashing down on the three balconies . The peacocks screeched and Kalu and his team howled , sorrowfully and mournfully. Suddenly there was a lot of commotion, not only the flats below but in nearby ones too. Shakun, Meeta and Rachna from flats below, Annapoorna’s came out . Prabu and Sita from the flat opposite Annapurna’s also came out to see what was the howling about?

Shakun and Meeta decided that today they will have to tell the top floor lady that she has to remove the pots from her balcony. Last summer there was a storm and one had fallen off just missing their furniture . They climbed up their stairs wondering about the deafening sounds . Meeta told Prabhu what had happened and rang the bell of Annapoorna’s house . Moni signalled to Kalu to stop as they had attention now. Shakun impatiently kept ringing the bell. But there was no answer and suddenly everyone panicked and decided to break open the door .

Ashok Prabu’s sons called up some friends and with sticks, plier and hammers they broke open the door in around 20 minutes and rushed inside . In the bedroom they found Annapporna , known as Revathi to them , lying unconscious on the floor. She is breathing exclaimed Shakun in excitement. Take out our car,  Prabhu said to Ashok and three of the neighbours carried the lady down the steps . Kaga, Kalvi , Kora, Kabita, Minna and many others started crying unconsolably. This is what they had feared.

Kalu ran up and down the stairs guiding the people carrying Annapoorna down to the car. Kalu you guard the house said Moni. No,  he refused ,  I am following the car . Luckily the hospital was just across the road. The neighbours rushed Annapoorna to the emergency while Kalu and his team waited outside the hospital. Kaga, Kora, Kalvi, Kadvi gathered their clan and hovered around the hospital, screeching their hearts out in prayer . Meeta informed Revathi’s daughter who rushed to the hospital. Luckily she was staying in the same city.

Guliya jumped on the false ceiling of the Ram Mandir and then jumped on the huge bell ringing it loudly before jumping down on the floor . Ondhi and others from her clan sat in and around the small Garuda temple on the banyan tree . They recited their Garuda mantra continuously for health and well being of Annapoorna . Somewhere,  somehow the Universe acknowledged the wave of love and frantic prayers that seemed to be echoing around the hospital and Annapoorna regained consciousness in 10 minutes .

The doctors had feared a heart attack but the reports did not corroborate this . It is possible that her blood sugar may have suddenly gone very low ,said the doctor. She was kept in hospital for an hour and then the doctor felt that felt that she was fit to go home . Amani, Annapoorna’s  daughter and Meeta helped Annapoorna into the car and then up the stairs to their house .

Prabhu next door had already summoned two carpenters to repair the front door. Annapoorna stood at her entrance and said to Amani sadly- my children have not been fed today . Kaga, Kalvi ,Kora, Guliya and Minna all heaved a sigh of relief seeing their Annapoorna safe . Several other birds hovered around to welcome her back. Annapoorna’s kind neighbour Prabhu offered to feed the birds and said – dont worry Sita is making some chappati’s and eggs for the birds up there . We know how devoted you are to them.

Amani helped her mother on to her bed in the bedroom and opened the door and the curtains, to let light in. Annan and Siya peeped through the glass window , sitting on the Manga , the Mango tree and watched Annapoorna as she smiled back at them . In response Annan and Siya ran around Manga happily chatting away.