What’s in a Bat ?

Yesterday evening when I was reading by the window I saw a bat hanging from a branch of a tree in front of our home. It is a Badam tree. I called out to my maid to show her the bat. We watched for sometime as the Bat with an agility of an acrobat (I am not sure whether bats are supposed to be agile but the movements were such flowing ones) was moving from one branch to another.

As we were discussing as to how it looks like a mouse our maid asked me “Didi uska pankha kaisa hota hain (How do their wings look)” I roughly drew the wings with my finger on the window sill. I was doubtful whether she understood. Just then the bat took flight. It just went around in a small circle as if in an exhibition flight and sat on a branch prominently visible from the window. Ah! Could it have possibly heard us?

This time when it hung it faced us and I could feel its eyes on us. The maid returned to her work leaving me alone at the window. I drew my book closer to me. But I swear it was creepy as whenever I raised my eyes it seemed to be watching me. Then it plucked a fruit from the tree and started nibbling at it.

Suddenly some other bird in the tree, I think a crow, flew away and the bat alerted by the sound wrapped its wings around it and in the process covered the fruit so that no one could see it. Just like a greedy child hiding a chocolate from the other children I thought.

Though brought up in a different culture, as I watched the Bat, I couldn’t help but think of Halloween and witches and movies that I have seen since childhood.

The significance of bats I read is different in different cultures. In some cultures they symbolize death, disease, ghosts whereas in some other they are symbol of longevity, happiness and luck. I don’t know how many people know this, I didn’t till now at least. But something that everyone, well almost everyone knows is that bats are associated with Vampires and Dracula. Well, thanks to the western movies.

I came across this interesting article at http://www.batcon.org/batsmag/v6n2-3.html.In India, it says, there are 4 places near Madurai in the state of Tamilnadu where bat hunting is prohibited. The locals believe that these bats are protected by the deities of these places. So hunting of these bats will result in the wrath of the gods.
What do bats symbolize to me or which symbolism I go with? I like to believe in magic so I think in my mind I will always associate the bats with the witches and spirits.