Scores of feathery-little green parakeets descend on Joseph Sekar's house in Royapettah each day. Ten years ago, the 63-year-old camera technician or 'The Bird Man of Chennai' as he is called, opened his heart and home to over 8,000 parakeets. Take a look
Joseph Sekar started feeding parakeets on a small scale in the aftermath of the tsunami, which had displaced not just humans but animals and birds as well. Since then, more and more winged visitors have been flocking to his home on Pycrofts road in Royapettah. | AFP PhotoHe spends half of his daily income (around Rs 850) from his camera technician job to feed his feathered friends by keeping about 30 kg of rice on specially set up wooden planks on the terrace of his house. | PTI PhotoA number of bird watchers including several from foreign countries have also been regularly visiting Joseph's house to witness the beautiful sight of the parakeets descending on the terrace to feast. | AFP PhotoDuring the 2015 Chennai floods, Jospeh Sekar's house had turned into a relief centre for the birds. In an interview to the News Minute, he said he used to put on a raincoat and go up to the terrace twice every day when his house was flooded and there was knee level water. | PTI PhotoHe has been quoted as saying in interviews that he never allows the birds to miss a single meal even if he has to go hungry. He reportedly avoids travelling in order to take care of his feathered visitors properly. | PTI PhotoSekar's daily act of kindness has been documented in several interviews and videos. It's all love, he says in a video. His motto is to spread the message of love and happiness. | PTI Photo