Colonial-era pigeon-fancying persists in Delhi as informal urban ecology amid systemic neglect of heritage conservation

The Mughal tradition of pigeon-rearing (*hamaam-paree*) was part of a broader indigenous ecological practice that integrated avian species into urban food systems, waste management, and spiritual life, a holistic approach now reduced to ornamental hobbyism. Modern conservation frameworks prioritise Western taxonomies and institutionalised heritage, sidelining indigenous knowledge systems that once governed human-avian coexistence in South Asian cities. The practice’s survival in Delhi’s informal economy underscores how marginalised communities preserve cultural ecologies despite state abandonment.

Pigeon-fancying in South Asia dates to pre-Mughal Sultanate periods, where birds were used for messaging, sport, and as symbols of nobility, later codified under Mughal patronage. Colonial urban planning in Delhi (e.g., New Delhi’s 1911 design) systematically displaced indigenous ecological practices, replacing them with British-inspired 'sanitary' models that excluded traditional livelihoods. Postcolonial India’s heritage policies have largely treated such traditions as folklore rather than living systems, perpetuating the colonial gaze.

In Morocco, *hamaam* (pigeon) breeding remains central to medina economies, where birds are both food sources and cultural symbols, unlike Delhi’s ornamental focus. Japanese *hato* (pigeon) culture blends ornithology with Zen aesthetics, reflecting a spiritual relationship with urban wildlife absent in Delhi’s commodified tradition. Latin American *palomas mensajeras* traditions highlight how pigeons were historically integrated into communication networks, a function now obsolete but culturally preserved in some communities.

Urban pigeon populations are often dismissed as 'pests,' yet they play roles in seed dispersal, nutrient cycling, and as bioindicators of air quality, a dimension overlooked in heritage narratives. Studies on urban avian ecology show how traditional practices like pigeon-rearing can coexist with biodiversity goals if integrated into adaptive management frameworks. The lack of ornithological research on Delhi’s feral pigeon strains reflects broader gaps in urban biodiversity science in Global South cities.

Pigeons in Mughal miniatures symbolise divine love and the soul’s journey, a spiritual dimension erased when the practice is reduced to a 'tradition' for tourists. Sufi poetry often references pigeons as metaphors for spiritual longing, a connection that persists in Delhi’s shrinking *qawwali* and *sufiana* circles. Contemporary artists in Delhi, like those in the *Dilli Haat* craft markets, are reviving pigeon motifs in textiles and paintings, but without addressing the systemic loss of the practice’s original ecological and spiritual contexts.

Delhi’s pigeon-rearing tradition could be reframed as a model for urban agroecology, integrating pigeon manure into vertical farming or wastewater treatment systems. Scenario planning should explore how informal heritage practices can be formalised through cooperative models, ensuring economic viability for practitioners while preserving cultural integrity. Climate adaptation strategies for Global South cities could repurpose such traditions as low-tech solutions for urban heat island mitigation via green roofs with pigeon habitats.

The tradition is sustained by Muslim *qasab* (butcher) communities and working-class families in Old Delhi, who face displacement due to gentrification and lack of institutional support. Women in these communities often play key roles in pigeon-rearing, yet their contributions are erased in public narratives dominated by male voices. The absence of these voices in heritage policies reflects broader patterns of Muslim marginalisation in India’s cultural and urban planning sectors.