Makar Sankranti is a time of celebration, exchanging of sweets and flying of kites. But activities that we enjoy are not always good for animals.
And on Tuesday and Wednesday, even as kites of all hues take to the skies, birds are having an increasingly difficult time avoiding the flying objects and their rather dangerous threads.
In Mumbai there are several centres that have been set up to help injured birds, as well as animal welfare organisations that ave joined the efforts.
According to Mitesh Jain, the Honorary District Animal Welfare officer of the Animal Welfare Board of India, the calls have already started coming in.
"We received five calls today, and three pigeons died," he told FPJ.
He is a member of the NGO, Karuna Trust Virar, which has been doing this for about 15 years now. Every year, on the 14th and 15th of January, they set up two camps in Virar to help these birds.
The problem is not just for the day of Makar Sankranti however. As Kejas Chheda of the Samkit Yuvak Mandal adds, the calls will continue to come in for the next few days.
He is associated with the Andheri branch of the organisation and at the time of speaking, on Tuesday afternoon, had already received 10 calls.
With the helpline numbers, he explains, you can call in any injured bird that you see, and a member of their team will reach the spot to help it.
"We try to let them go after 4-5 days, so that the festival is well and truly over," he explains. At times, they have to co-ordinate with the fire department to rescue a bird.
Here is the full list of bird rescue medical camps in Mumbai:
Virar:
Sheetal Nagar (W) - Karuna Trust Virar (365 days) - 9819477042 / 9273910004 (14-15 Jan.)
Nalasopara:
Samkit Yuvak Mandal - 8108543152 / 8605501815
Vasai:
Samkit Yuvak Mandal - 9970111029 / 7798840165
Bhayander (W):
Ahinsa Charitable Trust (365 days) - 9821391283 / 9821429504 / 9820372727 / 9821359599 / 9221346115 (14-15 Jan.)
Bhayander (E):
Jivdaya Steel Association (365 days) - 9321503820 / 9321503825
Mira Road:
Ayyapa Temple Poonam Vihar - Jivdaya Parivar (365 days) - 98 20 974447 / 98206 84550 / 9987788861 / 9987577495 / +91 76662 48017
Vinay Nagar - 7718060066 / 8898116544 / 9821280604
Sector 3 Shanti Nagar - Samkit Yuvak Mandal - 9136785762 / 9136775764
Samkit Yuvak Mandal - 79000 43371 / 79000 42370
Dahisar and Borivali:
Shree Samkit Yuvak Mandal - 9324747555 / 8080000804 /8928720698
Kandivali:
Maa Foundation (365 days) - 8655370005
Malad:
Jivdaya Abhiyan (365 days) - 8828261212 (13-17 Jan.)
Goregaon:
Jawahar Nagar (W) - Aasha & Samkit Group - +91 99879 29223 / 9076388362 / 9892465888 (14-15 Jan.)
Karuna Parivar Trust (365 days)- 9833625427
Vile Parle:
Vardhman Sanskar Dham - 9820928457 / 9619725637 (14-15 Jan.)
Grant Road:
Khetwadi - Bird Helpline (365 days) - 098 21 717415 / 8655370005
Charni Road:
Bhuleshwar -Shree Jain Alert Group - 93232 45688 / 9821517100 / 9869672417 / 9323791036
Nanubhai Desai Road C.P. Tank - BVP and Shree Shanti Kushal Mandal - +919699560095 / 9833133917 / 9653135551 / 9004403912 / 9892052027 (14-15 Jan.)
Marine Lines:
Chira Bazar (JSSRoad) Shree Jain Alert Group - 9323237582 / 7977353745 /9869138767 / 9869388345 / 9619472708