Human Beings v/s. Being Human

In an ancient temple, a number of pigeons were living for quite some time in the top of the Gopuram (as they normally prefer elevated or high structures). It so happened that the temple management decided to renovate the temple and do Kumbha Abhishekam.

The moment the work began, the pigeons had no other choice but to relocate to a different place. They found a Church nearby and decided to settle down there. As there were already some pigeons who were in the Church, the newcomers managed to find places in between, wherever they could.

It so happened that since Christmas was nearing, the Church management decided to paint the Church. The new ones along with the earlier ones now had to move out and look for another place. They were fortunate to find a place in a Mosque nearby and similarly managed to find places for them to live along with the existing ones there. 

The Mosque also, due to impending Ramzan decided to carry out some repair works. As, by this time, the temple work and the Abhishekam was over, all of them came back to the same temple. 

One day, when the pigeons were sitting on the top and relaxing, they were watching some communal clashes going on below, not very far away from the temple. 

A baby pigeon asked her mother, "Who are these people? " 

The mother replied, "Human beings." 

The baby asked, "But why are they fighting with each other?"

The mother said "The human beings going to temple are called 'Hindus', the people going to Church are called 'Christians' and the people going to Mosque are called 'Muslims'.

The Baby pigeon asked, "Why is it so? Look, when we were in the Temple, we were called Pigeons; when we were in the Church, we were called Pigeons and when we were in the Mosque, we were called Pigeons. Similarly, they should be called just 'Human beings' wherever they go".

Look at the wonderful reply the Mother gave - 

"You, I and our Pigeon friends have understood this long ago and that’s why we are living here in a highly elevated place peacefully. These human beings are yet to understand that and hence they are living below us and fighting and killing each other".