Snowy Owl
Retired in 2010, In Memoriam
Lucky bird in Bengal FM?s office window
By PARWEZ HAFEEZ
Kolkata, Feb. 27:
A lakshmi pencha (white owl), considered a harbinger of good fortune and wealth in Bengal, on Wednesday perched itself right in front of state finance minister Asim Dasgupta?s chamber at Writers? Buildings.
Days ahead of the commencement of the Budget Session of the state Assembly, the sudden arrival of the "lucky bird" at the corridors of power was viewed as a good omen for the embattled Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee government.
The large-sized owl brought some excitement to the dull and dreary atmosphere. Word spread and bureaucrats from various departments began trooping in for a glimpse of the lakshmi pencha. One grey-haired bureaucrat in black trousers was heard telling a group of younger colleagues: "During Jyoti Basu?s rule in the late 1980s, a white owl once strayed into the ministerial block at Writers? Buildings, but it briefly fluttered its wings and then flew out of the window."
After a few hours, a team of forest department officials arrived.
They were apparently informed about the unusual visitor to the Secretariat.
One of them put on white gloves and used a wooden ladder to reach the tubelight on which the owl had been sitting all this while.
It was brought down and transferred into a plastic basket. "It will be released after a medical check-up at the Salt Lake rescue home," the white-gloved man informed reporters inquiring about the lucky bird?s fate.
"It has accomplished its mission. Its arrival augurs well for the state and will prove lucky for the chief minister," the grey-haired sage announced. Mr Bhattacharjee could do with a bit of luck, quipped one reporter.
http://www.asianage.com/presentatio.../lucky-bird-in-bengal-fm’s-office-window.aspx
By PARWEZ HAFEEZ
Kolkata, Feb. 27:
A lakshmi pencha (white owl), considered a harbinger of good fortune and wealth in Bengal, on Wednesday perched itself right in front of state finance minister Asim Dasgupta?s chamber at Writers? Buildings.
Days ahead of the commencement of the Budget Session of the state Assembly, the sudden arrival of the "lucky bird" at the corridors of power was viewed as a good omen for the embattled Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee government.
The large-sized owl brought some excitement to the dull and dreary atmosphere. Word spread and bureaucrats from various departments began trooping in for a glimpse of the lakshmi pencha. One grey-haired bureaucrat in black trousers was heard telling a group of younger colleagues: "During Jyoti Basu?s rule in the late 1980s, a white owl once strayed into the ministerial block at Writers? Buildings, but it briefly fluttered its wings and then flew out of the window."
After a few hours, a team of forest department officials arrived.
They were apparently informed about the unusual visitor to the Secretariat.
One of them put on white gloves and used a wooden ladder to reach the tubelight on which the owl had been sitting all this while.
It was brought down and transferred into a plastic basket. "It will be released after a medical check-up at the Salt Lake rescue home," the white-gloved man informed reporters inquiring about the lucky bird?s fate.
"It has accomplished its mission. Its arrival augurs well for the state and will prove lucky for the chief minister," the grey-haired sage announced. Mr Bhattacharjee could do with a bit of luck, quipped one reporter.
http://www.asianage.com/presentatio.../lucky-bird-in-bengal-fm’s-office-window.aspx