Forsaken Land

God forsaken land

So it seems

High breeze, on a katia I sit,

Drum beat ricocheting

Across the ravaged hills

Beckoning the people

The expert has arrived

All ye assemble

For the goats and the herdsmen

It is business as usual

Sniffing for food on the ground

A couple of women trickle in

Greet the children, the adults

A tradition that the bahus greet

The village people

Aye bhai, Aye bhai they say

The picture of chinchar

Emerges on the ground

With some sprinkle of rangoli

The magras, the phaliyas, the khetar

The kotar, the talabs, the stream, the road

Questions answered and noted

The process documented

The job is done, it is time to leave

With Ram Ram and Padharo

They bade us good bye