For a 28-year-old personal worker from Ahmednagar in Maharashtra, life is complicated. But, to test his fortunes, he approached the soothsayer (parakeet fortune-teller) at ever busy NTR Gardens stretch, who gave him confidence saying that his issues could be resolved shortly.
Rakesh (title modified) was within the metropolis on a trip along with his pals. “I have decided to give it a try as so many bad things are happening in my life. At least his positive words gave me temporary relief. I wish they come true,” he stated.
Youngsters, particularly these from different religion, used to make a beeline earlier than the soothsayer right here to know their fortune till a couple of years in the past. But the state of affairs has now modified as only some persons are turning up at vacationer spots at NTR Gardens and approaching the fortune-tellers sitting on the pavement with a bunch of playing cards and their parrots in cages subsequent to them.
They learn the way forward for their clients by studying the playing cards picked up by the parrot. “Whether it is true or false, we say it. We are concerned about their feelings, but predict and caution them about the future, and in case they are interested, we take it further,” stated B. Shanker Pandit, a parakeet fortune teller sitting idle on a sheet of torn flex.
At NTR Marg and Necklace Road, there are greater than a dozen parakeet fortune-tellers, all from Solapur and western a part of Maharashtra, desperately ready for purchasers. Many say its hand-to-mouth existence today. The fortune-tellers migrated to Hyderabad within the late 60s and 70s and since then they’re calling it dwelling.
“Already our fortunes are bad for the past few years with no customers, and thanks to COVID-19, it has become worse,” Mr. Shanker lamented, including that they hardly get six to seven clients per day and are apprehensive about their future.
Another fortune-teller maintains that kids – single {couples} – strategy them to find out about their future, aside from college students and workers. “Even married men come us to check their fortune, but our major clientele is lovers. We frankly tell the truth, that is what our profession is all about,” he stated with a request to not point out his title.
Meanwhile, the fortune-tellers preserve that parrots are probably the most attention-seekers, and might slip into despair if not attended to. “Even their maintenance is high. We need to feed them fruits and vegetables. And most importantly, the freedom for the birds is very important. We also leave them out of the cage for hours in the evening, and they come back,” Mr. Shanker stated.
Source: www.thehindu.com
