At the Inauguration of the Echos Hall at the Church of The Epiphany, Gurgaon

Today, on the 3rd of May, 2026, we were graced by Rt Revd. Dr. Paul Swaroop, Bishop, Diocese of Delhi (CNI), was present at Sunday Mass to inaugurate and bless the newly renovated ECHOS Hall in the basement. The full form of the term, 'ECHOS', is Epiphany Community Hospitality Outreach Sanctuary Hall.

In his sermon, Rt. Revd. Bishop Paul Swaroop spoke at length about the significance of light in Biblical terms. He spoke about how light gives us courage, it gives us hope, and helps us to see clearly. It got me thinking also about how good teachers are like light, they give courage to others, hope to some, and help a few see.

Also present on the occasion was the Secretary of the Diocese of Delhi (CNI), Mr. Rohit David, and his wife. The first Lady of the Diocese, Mrs Nina Swaroop, was also present on the occasion.

Of course, the pews were packed with the faithful and those drawn to the message on the day. It was indeed most heartening to see so many people braving the summer sun to attend worship service at the church.

I Spotted A Tiny Owl, A Few Knob-Billed Ducks and the usual Spot Billed Ducks at the National Park

I spotted a tiny owl flitting out of its hole in a tree lest I should spot its nest. When I crept closer, I noticed that the nest was nicely padded with feathers of all sorts. I guess this particular bird had been left behind to hold fort!

Barely larger than a healthy Pigeon, this juvenile Owl, or can we call it an Owlett, looked at me with curiosity, wondering if I wanted to pry into its home. Well, I guess they all have their own privacy, and we should give them space. Usually, it is possible to spot these Owletts in groups of three, but that day I spotted a loner. Interestingly enough, these birds can be spotted in the same tree.

Knob-billed Ducks are distinct because of their knobbed_bills and their vividly iridescent feathers sparkling electric blue in the sunlight. These lumbering birds put in an effort to take off into the sky.

Knob-billed ducks are quite shy in nature, and I have rarely spotted them sitting so calmly on mounds meant to provide them with nesting grounds. I spotted one of these birds making a rather contorted movement as if it wanted to take off into the sky, but then the next moment I noticed it poop!

I was also able to spot another Knob-billed duck in close proximity to a few other Spot-billed ducks. I guess, on a lighter note, birds of a similar bill stick together! If it is about bills, then let them bill together.

But then, spot-billed ducks also need to be acknowledged. These ducks are commonly spotted in the wetlands of the continent. They are resident birds, and they can be found in abundant numbers. Often found in pairs, they can be seen guarding nests, moving around in pairs, and generally in close groups.

These medium-sized ducks are called Spot-billed Ducks because of the red spots on their bills. The scale-like patterns on their feathers make them distinctly different from the birds that have more brightly coloured feathers.