In the male-dominated world of Delhi's kabootarbazi, one woman's passion for her birds has earned her respect, admiration – and a place in the sky.

As dusk descends on Old Delhi, the bustling streets grow even more crowded, with pedestrians inching forward through jam-packed streets and auto-rickshaws honking impatiently. But above the chaos, a quieter ritual takes flight. On rooftops across the old quarters, kabootarbaaz (pigeon keepers) release their cherished flocks into the sky. Whistles pierce the air and calls echo from rooftop to rooftop. And the birds respond, transforming the skyline into a swirling spectacle.

Pigeon keeping in Old Delhi is more than a pastime; it's an umbilical cord to the identity of Old Delhi that's rooted in the city's Mughal heritage. "A kabootarbaaz takes immense pride in their pigeons," says Ratnendu Ray, who conducts heritage walks in Delhi for the Indian National Trust for Art & Cultural Heritage (INTACH). "It's a sense of self, cultural identity and belonging."

The tradition of pigeon keeping, known as kabootarbazi, dates to ancient times, tracing its roots to the era of the Mahabharata (between 400BC and AD200) when the birds were kept in palaces to entertain royalty. "Women of the court would often sit in their jharokhas (balconies) and watch the pigeons in flight," says author and historian Rana Safvi.

However, she explains, it was under the Muslim rulers that this pastime evolved into a popular sport.

"The sport reached its zenith under Emperor Jahangir, who likened kabutarbaazi to ishqbaazi (the art of love) and brought expert pigeon trainers to Delhi, elevating the tradition to a new level of refinement."

Thousands of pigeon keepers across the city carry on this tradition, rising through the ranks from shagird, or trainee, eventually rising to be a khalifa. "[They are] finally recognised by the fraternity as an ustaad – the highest level one can attain," says Ray.

While kabootarbazi is traditionally a man's job passed down from father to son over the centuries, Shaheen Parveen has the distinction of being the only female pigeon keeper in Delhi.

In the neighbourhood of Khawaja Mir Dard Basti, Parveen transitions through various roles in a day, from devoted wife to mother to grandmother. However, as soon as she is alone, she climbs up the bamboo stairs that lead to the rooftop of her house, high above the crammed lanes where men savour kebabs frying in small eateries.

She starts her day inspecting her more than 100 pigeons, ensuring that each one is healthy before feeding them a custom grain mix. She then trains them through timed flights, using whistles or claps for recall. Evenings involve roll calls and nest checks; she also perfects their skills for competitions.

At sunset, Parveen's voice stands out from the myriad calls of men echoing for pigeons. As she raises her voice to the highest........

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