an IBERIA PARISH article

Cultures of Acadiana
a look at the French, Cajun, Creole, and Native American cultures of south Louisiana
(a project of Carencro High School - 721 West Butcher Switch Road, Lafayette, LA  70507)

Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, November 25, 1997

Maharajah told tale of first bird city

by Jim Bradshaw

Ned McIlhenny was inspired to build his Bird City on Avery Island by a tale told to him as a young man by an English viceroy who was visiting Ned's father. This is the way Rosemary Eckart Bernard relates the tale in her thesis on the life of young Ned McIllhenny:

"Once while I was serving in India," the Viceroy said, "I visited Juraspore. In the trees around an old castle were the most beautiful and colorful birds I had ever seen. There were many different species. I commented about all of this to my companion. He told me that during the 17th century there was a maharajah who had brought to this palace a very young and beautiful wife from a distant land. She became very lonesome and homesick. He did everything he could think of to cheer her, but nothing he did helped. Then one day while he was watching her from afar, he noticed that she smiled when a bird lit on her balcony. It was the first smile he had seen on her face since she had arrived.

"He immediately set about to build an aviary under her windows. With bamboo scantlings and netting he erected a cage large enough to enclose all of the trees in the courtyard. He then sent for exotic birds from all parts of his country and adjoining countries and filled the aviary with them. The young maharina was captivated by their beauty.

The sad expression left her face as she saw the birds become accustomed to their new home and nest and raise their young, she too became adjusted to hers and learned to be happy. As long as she lived, she never tired of looking at the beautiful sight, and the cage was kept in good condition; but after her death, it was neglected and fell into disrepair.

"The netting rotted, and one by one the bamboo poles fell away. They continued to build their nests and raise their young in the same bushes and trees year after year. Probably some of their descendants are still there."

This article is copyrighted © by the Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser and is used with permission.  This web site was originated through a grant awarded to Carencro High School (Joel Hilbun/Bobbi Marino, Grant Administrators) by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education from the Louisiana Quality Education Support Fund - 8(g).