The Ballad Of Spring
The Ballad Of Spring
Full moon night - 'Dol Purnima'
A spectacular show of the Full Moon
On a cloudless 'Falgun' night
The scents of Spring evoking a certain nostalgia
Romance brewing in youthful hearts
Oh to smear the auspicious 'Abir'
The colours of the season
Made from crushed petals
On one's beloved…
The dawn breaks in Santiniketan
Unlike any other day of the year.
Beautiful belles in yellow and gold
Their hair adorned with floral garlands…
The scents of fresh tuberoses and marigolds
Melodies regaling the last month of the Bengali year…
Basanta Utsav - a sacred celebration
An extravaganza of songs, dances and dance dramas.
The 'Sal Bithi', the green haven
An auspicious grove of Sal trees
Resounds to the bare voices
Students of Patha Bhavan and Visva Bharati
And 'Bauls' strumming their 'Ektaras' mystically
Yesterday and today blending in a seamless serenade.
The colour fest follows
'Rong Khela'
A jovial spray of sacred colours
Red, yellow, green...
Wishes of bountiful health, happiness and hope.
Today Holi with flowers
It's 2021
A year plus a century
A festival began by Bengal's cultural czar…
A harsh, cruel year now.
No signs of abating.
Holi in lockdown mode.
Perhaps this tradition of floral Holi will gain ground.
Less of local brews
Less of rampaging troublemakers.
Fewer women in peril.
The serene glade of Palash and Shimul
The trees bursting with vivacious scarlet, orange and ochre blossoms
A precedent of peaceful celebrations
Set amidst a rowdy tradition…
Perhaps the invocations to the Spring Deity
Will win favour
Perhaps the sacred Ashoka trees
Will imbue healthy blessings
And medicinal virtues
On the hapless human.
Perhaps this Spring will herald
A return to safe living
Free-breathing
Amour sans masks
When arms will be outstretched
And love not sheathed in iron gloves.
The Full Moon tells not
What's in store.
It shines from afar
Steadily, as in yore.
Ambiguous destiny prevails.
Yet the heart rejoices.
Nature bedecked itself
With nary a care.
Hearts leap…
Maybe it's propitious
Of a reversal of the misfortune
Of 2020.
28.3.2021
12:34
Glossary of Bengali terms:
Dol Purnima - The Full Moon on Dol Jatra, the Holi festival in Bengal.
Falgun - Last month in the Hindu calendar
Abir - Gulaal or festive colour powders originally made from plant sources. Now made commercially.
Palash - Butea monosperma
Shimul - Bombax ceiba or cotton tree
Sal trees -Shorea Robusta
Sal Bithi - Shade of Sal trees
Baul - Mystic minstrels with a musical tradition
Ektara - Single stringed musical instrument
Rong Khela - the Festival of Colours