Author: meenas17

It is an untold dictum, wearing new dress 
 for Diwali, Choosing commences,
almost two months earlier.
Years ago, mom went  places,
to select the best of Kanchipuram silk.

Easily done for my brothers.
 trousers and shirts,  dark bottoms
 and light tops. They go welll,
 she decides fast almost
in an hour,  

For the girls mom 
would  let her imagination flow
 colour combinations, she says 
mustard  and red  will be appropriate
  so does green with yellow,
reaching the end,

she will start exploring
until she finds the  right ones. 
Once done, calls her personal tailor,
puff sleeves for me.
close neck for my sister,

mom will  work smocking pattern,
 and make  him  stitch  exactly
the skirt with close pleats, she will
demonstrate, holding the cloth,
 and folding.

The work undergoes rigorous 
revisions, she lets go  the tailor 
after paying him a handsome  cash.
After settling ,mom returns 
to other manifestos,  includes,
 the extended family,  staff 
bonus etc, etc, 

Crackers explode,
rockets go up
zing, zing  they 
rise, burst midway 
the embers fall down
 like colourful flowers.

Flowerpots in a row,
cause a big furore
compete  with their counterpart,
the floating disc, going in circles 
bewitching to watch.
a fantasy under the stars.

Diwali is at the door
 a rush and a push
malls  remain open day 
and night  a sea of humanity 
down the lane, a revelry
without a beguile.

Lights, lights everywhere
not the electrical ones
shining in constant spell
these are the diya
dispelling darkness 
as they flicker and light up
dancing to the wind.

In the rain soaked huts
these oil lamps  glow 
with  humility creating 
a feel of  transcendence
which descends  slowly
 and steadily, suggesting 
an experiment with bliss.

 a remark with a sting
Oh! she is proud
 cares for none, 

A tease with a sarcasm
Oh! she is a devil
 in an angel’s attire.

A scorn with a contempt
Oh!  she is a parasite
 who eats others.

Poor, she does not  know
 what goes around her
 being simple and sweet,

it is the tongue that wags
speaks what all comes to mind’
sharp and scathing.

 There comes such 
and so many who  annihilate
not with weapons but with words.

I hear a call
 not far away
“amma” “amma”
in full throat.

I turn around
find none,  
hear the call again,
it startles.

I get little shaken
as the voice 
sounds gruff
with an unusual drawl.

Oh! there I see a cow,
strolling, making   noise,
similar to “amma“
The word is universal.

It is “amma” in our region, 
ma in the western.
the syllable ma allows 
no more  extensions

“amma”   being an embodiment 
of love, grace, more 
of  compassion,  pronouncing 
itself place one in bliss.  

His appetite is ravenous.
A heavy eater, gulps 
what is served, grabs
what is not offered,

That which is in his plate
goes down the gullet,
in no time, Eyes his 
neighbour’s plate, 

neither does  he leave 
his siblings  in peace, picks 
what is available 
thrusts into his mouth.

Aghast at his devilish
hunger,   I look at him
with an awkward awe,
 Like to ask, Is that enough?

He rolls with his tummy full
belching nonstop, Picturing 
the man’s hunger as a pretense
 to his avariciousness.

He  turns uncontrollable,  loots, 
cheats, pulls and pushes 
fretting for more money, 
‘More and more’ is the mantra
never does he gets satiated.
, 

Two oxen  carry the yoke i stride
 One pulls out  the consequence
turns horrible to behold,  As always,
a volunteer overshadows the reluctant.

My existence is in the threshold
Like what I dislike, accept ‘what 
I cannot, a resignation I adopt 
to live in peace.

Comparing myself to an artist
 who plays second fiddle, I 
 propose and depose  that 
 which I can and cannot.

Rivers flow towards the sea,
never they do return, Similar 
be my procedure  as I continue 
never once turning back,

From where I came 
has become obsolete,  while
where I live  has become 
strikingly essential,

This being my progress
moving without a focus 
like a mid noon shadow  
 the one that is the shortest.

Deigning Infinity with costumes,
 adorning with jewels,
 decorating the premises,
addressing them with names
 some take the male form
 others the female part,

Wealth giver is Lakshmi
 Saraswathi denotes knowledge,
 Valour is that of Parvathi,
 Shiva is the Destroyer,
 Protection  goes to Vishnu
 Brahma assumes the role of creator.

Addressing each of them
 singing their praises in verses,
Sahasaranamams, pasurams.
 viruthams, songs, written 
by scholars come in handy
 while praying to God.

The worship focuses on wishes
 one of” what I want”,  Personifications 
facilitate an easy approach, directing 
the requirement to the specified  ones,
Celebrations, continue day in and day out
with a pious rendition of slokams, 
performance of yagams, 

Ruled by faith, Hinduism 
thrives  embracing universality,
 preaching tolerance and fortitude
cautioning the Hindus  against 
atrocities and malpractices 
eliciting Karma  and its aftermath.

Sweating profusely
 I wipe my  face
 with the sari pallu
Dong goes the bell
tucking the  sari
around my hip
 I rush to the door.

Shabby, unkempt
with my hair 
flying in directions,
the end piece of the sari 
wet with my sweat
adds to the disorder
disgusting  and repelling!

 Dressed  in choice outfits
 poised and elegant , a lovely 
smile  lit large, a dainty
lady and  her stylish husband 
cross past me . I see myself
in the mirror on the opposite wall.

A phantom like reflection,
 a ghastly figure, attired 
 in the most hopeless way
the big  round  black eyes 
keep rolling like an unfocused 
lens. gasping I murmur, 
What a contrast!  Aiyo!

A tall, fair Meenakshi
 the first of three sisters
talks straight to the face
 cares for none, an erect 
lady, senior to the other two, 
almost like a mother.

Saraswathi, mildly fair,
 possesses  an admirable figure 
 a stickler to principles .
sharp witted and smart 
speaks with incisive 
 penetration, 

The last one, gentler 
than the elder ones
kind hearted, eloquent 
plays with words, impregnated 
with sensibilities, pleasant 
in her looks named  Rukmini.

Born to an illustrious father
 who endows them with
 sound mind, material  and money
all too much, enable them to wallow 
in wealth and spirit, bowing to 
none whosoever.

The three sisters, 
 known for their unity 
once,  acclaimed for their 
disparity later, live with 
a single thought in mind, 
they being the fortunate 
daughters of a great man.