Today is India’s Republic Day, a day when its constitution (the longest in the world) was adopted in 1950.
India has been my adopted home of the last 13 years. In this time, I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to explore many of its shores, valleys, peaks, and rivers. I’ve lived in a big, bustling metro city (Bangalore/ Bengaluru), and in a quiet village outside Kovai (Coimbatore); and now I am in Kashi, a city of religion, spirituality, and education/ wisdom– marking some of the beautiful aspects which Abindranath Tagore depicted in his original painting of Bharat Mata.
Today, I offer 2 poems, which express my thoughts and feelings about the country as I’ve experienced it over the last dozen years.
The Rainbow of Our Nations
We are not merely the triranga of a flag;
Rather, we are the beauty that comes
from the mixing of the colors,
of all the colors,
a complete
circular rainbow
combining the sun and the water
in the air above the earth,
the never-ending, nor beginning
beautiful myriad
that exists in unity together
to bring peace and harmony, joy and prosperity,
the rainbow of colors,
Of peoples and places,
Of pasts and presents,
layers upon layers
chakra upon chakra
rising up and lifting us,
(swirling like a whirling dervish within)
until we reach the ether
and dissolve into each other.
Desh
You are the pride of the nation:
A magnificent mountain,
Majestic and tall,
Of the Himalayas.
From a distance:
Dotted with tiny trees,
Smooth stumps of birches,
Bright red rhododendrons
A place where people
Traipse and trek,
Believing they will beget
A boon,
A blessing.
A peacock cooing
“Oooo, Oooo,”
In the countryside,
Its trailing tail rustling
crrrrr—
On harvested thinay grounds,
Seeking a hen
to make honeys with.
In the twilight,
A drizzly overcast evening,
A gentle breeze,
Brings the soft scent
of shenbagam
And strong smells
Of jasmine.
Remembrances:
Of years past,
Happinesses,
With families
Listening to lovely
Songs, laughter
Removing loneliness.
Hope:
Of the future
Bright and vivid,
Colorful and cheery,
Children playing
Without fear,
Without reservation,
Without caste or class.
A country developing
To be finer than its finest.
Awareness:
Of the present,
The today,
the here,
The now,
When all time ceases to exist,
All space comes into the point,
Within each of us,
And we recognize it,
With grace and humility.
You are the beginning,
The middle,
And the end,
Like the Holy Trinity:
The father, the son and the holy ghost;
Or Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshwar;
The sounds A, U, and M.
Belonging to no one,
You touch all,
make them stand,
With open hearts
straights spines
Like the imperishable Parabrahman,
You linger on our lips,
In our minds;
You are the beating of our hearts,
Bringing life to all the beings,
In all the universes: Lokah Samastah.
For you,
the trumpets will sound.
Gabriel’s from heaven,
Clear, strong, and pronounced.
An elephant in the wild,
Away from its herd.
Truth be told:
Truth alone Triumphs.
The drums beat:
Tablas of quick fingers,
Sounding smart and
Dhols that drown with
Dhap dhap dhap
Dhap-dhap-dhap-dhap-dhap-dhap
Dhap-dhap-dhap-dhap-dhap-dhap,
Ushering in the nascent union;
Thavils of Travancore and Tanjore,
Striking dum, dum, dum,
resounding to regale
A procession of purpose.
For you,
our flag unfurls,
Deep orange,
The saffron color of spice
Dyed into the robes of sadhus,
Swamis who talk of sadhana,
Pure white,
Of truth, honesty, peace,
Sufis who sing of solitude.
Bright green,
Of the land of many harvests,
From Divali to Pongal,
Kanyakumari to Kashmir,
Kutch to Kaziranga,
Centered on a chakra,
With 24-spokes of blue
Like Katni serves
The country.
The lions of Sarnath,
Statues of stillness,
Silence,
Serenity,
Serendipity to see.
On the 15th of August,
And the 26th of January,
And every day in between
Our soldiers march
With you to keep them company,
A reason to go forth,
Standing for the pride
Of our nation.
