Odisha Police Showcase Historic Pigeon Service at Nyaya Sanhita Exhibition

Bhubaneswar: Visitors at the Nyaya Sanhita Exhibition witnessed a rare glimpse into the history of communication as the Odisha Police showcased its unique Pigeon Service, believed to be the only functional service of its kind in the world.

As part of the exhibition, officials conducted a live demonstration in which two groups of nine pigeons were released from Bhubaneswar to Cuttack carrying small message capsules attached to their feet, recreating the historic “pigeon post” system once used for communication.

Visitors were introduced to the specially bred Belgian Homer pigeon, known for its remarkable navigational ability. Experts explained that the birds possess unique physical features, including larger beaks, red eyes and thick napes, which contain tiny iron particles acting like a natural compass. This enables the pigeons to sense the Earth’s magnetic field and travel long distances with impressive accuracy.

The exhibition also traced the historical roots of pigeon-based communication, which dates back to ancient Persia and Greece and later flourished in India during the Mughal era. Shah Jahan is believed to have used pigeons to send confidential military messages and personal correspondence.

The service in Odisha began in 1946 when the police received around 200 pigeons from the American Army. Initially used as an experimental communication link in the remote district of Koraput, the network later expanded to over 700 birds and proved crucial during emergencies such as the 1982 Banki Floods and the 1999 Odisha Super Cyclone when conventional communication systems collapsed.

An interesting historical anecdote shared during the exhibition involved India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. In April 1948, a pigeon carrying a handwritten note from Sambalpur reached Cuttack in five hours—faster than Nehru’s own journey to the city, highlighting the remarkable speed of these birds, which can fly up to 55 km per hour.

Although modern technology such as email and digital communication nearly led to the closure of the service, the Odisha government decided to preserve it for its cultural and historical significance. Today, the pigeon service is maintained through lofts at Cuttack and the Police Training College in Angul.

Through the live demonstration at the exhibition, the Odisha Police paid tribute to a communication system that once served as a lifeline during disasters and conflicts, reminding visitors of a time when crucial messages travelled across the skies on the wings of trained pigeons.