Pushed into action by the unfolding global Covid-19 pandemic, India on Sunday practised social distancing on a never-before scale through a“janata curfew” that kept the country’s 1.3 billion population indoors all day and delivered more than a few fringe benefits — sparrows and pigeons frolicking on otherwise congested streets, national landmarks bereft of surging weekend crowds and air purer than it has been in a long time.Pictures of Delhi’s Connaught Place overrun by flocks of pigeons trended on social media, inviting philosophical responses that spoke of the one bright spot in the looming coronavirus cloud — a bustling, overcrowded city finding safety and solace in the sound of silence.Behind closed shutters at some of the popular weekend haunts, cafe stools were stacked upside down. Lanes lined with party places and in-trend stores were pitch dark. India Gate, which sees a footfall of more than 50,000 every day, had just PCR vans for company.The few faces that popped up on the streets were either of those whose curiosity had got the better of them or people who had to step out for something that couldn’t be avoided or postponed. The only stretches of road where some honking could be heard were, ironically, the no-honking zones outside hospitals. From one of Mumbai’s high-rises, the sight of the empty arc of the Queen’s Necklace was nothing short of surreal.“Marine Drive, Mumbai, this morning... this is what national discipline means... Jai Hind,” tweeted Amitabh Bachchan. “I’ve never seen it (Marine Drive) like this. Let’s remind ourselves that today isn’t the end but the first day in battle...” tweeted Harsh Mariwala, chairman of Marico.A few buses did ply in Mumbai, but passengers were few. At train stations, roving squads were deployed to check identity cards and make sure only those associated with essential services commuted. The two airport terminals, which together have a normal daily staff strength of 45,000, on Sunday functioned with barely 2,000 employees handling everything from facility management to duty-free stores.In Bengaluru, nothing moved till 5pm except police vehicles and ambulances. Several churches made arrangements for digital prayer services on Sabbath day so that the faithful wouldn’t have to step out. It wasn’t until 5pm that the self-imposed shackles broke, with a section of residents in some localities spilling out in groups during the show of support for those on the front line of the Covid-19 fight.For Kolkata, where bandhs were a way of life not long ago, Sunday’s total shutdown was ostensibly unlike anything the city had experienced before. Twitter user Chandreyi Sharma posted a picture of a barbet hooting away in front of her home with the caption: “He has been singing for the last 3 hours.” According to the pollution control board, the city’s air quality had improved by several notches since Saturday. Chennai’s Marina beach was deserted for the first time in recent memory.