It was late January and the year was 2018, almost two years before Covid -19 virus visited India as an uninvited guest and took from us many people we love and care about. For the first time, I visited Delhi Zoological Park with my husband and my two daughters that day. Of course, my elder daughter who was nine years old and my youngest daughter who was just two years old, were more excited about the visit than me and my husband.

We took the metro from Gurgaon Huda City Centre Metro Station as it was the nearest metro station from where we live in Gurgaon. We reached the gate of Delhi Zoological Park at around 10 am that winter morning. As it was early December, the weather was bearable with a sweatshirt but the gate seemed very crowded because it was Sunday. Even from a distance, one could hear both laughing and crying of small children. When we reached the gate, we came to know that food was not allowed to be carried inside the zoo. The question was what should I do with all the packed lunch boxes I carried for my children. Then, I saw some people eating there inside a small park adjacent to the main gate of the zoo. I thought I found my answer!

As soon as we entered the gate, the first sight we saw was the folk of birds in a large area, filled with trees and manmade waterbodies. Thank God! Those birds were not in cages. Maybe there are other reasons too but I am sure one of the reasons was that they are not rare or vulnerable species. My daughters were eager to see the tiger but I was not sure what I wanted to witness! I thought I would be happy as it was a family outing but I was not happy to see many animals and birds inside the cages.

Then, I witnessed that beautiful white buck, one more beautiful sign of mother nature. It was standing behind a tree a little far from the herd of bucks. Its eyes were very beautiful and innocent enough to take my breath away. Although they had enough space to walk, eat and sleep, they were behind the bars. Yes! They were behind the bars like other animals. My cell phone was in my hand and in no time, I captured that beauty in my camera. I brought her memory with me on my return, but I wished I were only fortunate enough to witness that beauty in some forest or wildlife sanctuary instead of behind bars!