CELEBRATIONS

Nature, at the break of day, all consciousness reveal, the light glorious

Of early dawn, fills the heavens with colours illustrious.

The cool zephyrs diffuse the air with essence sweet

The playful birds hop and sing with a melodious meet.

The Aurora of glistening hues and replenishing fragrance

The magical spell fills the dormant senses with exuberance.

We wake up to the light that conveys to our mind

The gusto to rejoice, the devotedness to worship the Divine.

Keenly awaiting this season of celebration which, finally, has arrived

Whole-hearted gratitude to the Almighty for keeping us alive.

On such a festive occasion...

A venturesome wanderer seeks to explore human glory

This grand hour suits best to set sail on his poor dory.

Visit the joyful celebrators in their jocund fervour

Who leave their doors open with cordial enamour.

A man of fifty, with neither fortune nor fame

Addressed by all as Father, and Father is his name.

A man who celebrates each day of his humble life

He neither has any relation, nor has a wife.

Yet life has catechized him so much to discover

By solely being a kind and efficacious observer.

 He wishes to celebrate by visiting his country horde

Share their happiness, or sorrows, from his heart’s core.

He would wander the whole day long

Visiting houses and lanes, while chanting a merry song.

 Dressed in white, untarnished, all set for the quest

For he would return with retrospection finest.

The following narration reveals the expedition of our Father

Whether its the bourgeois or the proletariat, it doesn’t matter.

On reaching the shore, he comes across a mansion majestic, dazzling and adorned

The hilarity of laughter within, one to be scorned.

Hesitatingly, he approaches the eccentric class of revellers

“But who has the clock to be hospitable towards travellers?”

A lady, clad in exorbitant silk, advances towards him

Inebriated to the core, sipping Scotch from a crystal rim.

Addresses with unsteady posture and vermilion gaze

“ Hello there grand-dad,  the cloth which is wrapped around your waist

Is this the latest , in vogue?

However, with this attire, you resemble a rouge!

Well, come on in and join our feast

You’ll be served with wine and meat.”

Says the baffled Father with a waffling tone:

“A glass of water would quench my thirst

“Its only water that I wish to drink first.”

“Oh, come on grand-dad, you are standing before a celebrity

Follow our gait, and you’ll be treated with dignity.”

“Whom are you talking to, darling?” calls a voice from behind

Comes forward a man with attributes wild.

 Wearing a mask of weird shape and colours

The luring eyes protruding through the crafted ventilators.

Meretricious relationships, two sexes indecent

All identities diffused, and no commitment.

Love has ended with the glories of ancient days altogether

The riotous carousers furiously dance to the magical flute of Satyr.

This is the class celebration of the rich and famous

The Father leaves, showering a blessing blasphemous.

He then reaches a house, dark and gloomy

“Where is the shine, where are the lights?” he mutters on seeing a vacant roomy.

On reaching the backyard, he sees an old couple, solitarily seated

 Neither song nor dance, speechless faces,  plaintively defeated.

He approaches them and asks with a caring tone:

“My friend, what on earth is grieving you on a festive night like this?”

The man, with looks pitiable and eyes doleful, speaks:

“My loving son left us forever in this painful state

Having a ball in a far away land, with wine and date.

This time of the year, we woefully miss him

For we celebrated his birth and our life with him.

His mother sheds tears, for us there is no festival

We will celebrate only on his arrival.

Perhaps his return will be at the call of our funeral.

Years will fly, lights will glow

 Darkness from our world will never go.”

On hearing this, the Father’s heart grows heavy and dreadful

He wonders how children can be so ungrateful.

Life is sad, life may be happy

For some reason unknown, people are unhappy.

 Some fear God, some worship the Devil

Taking a sad farewell, Father reaches a house on a hill.

The impoverished house is brightly illumined

He is greeted warmly by a couple with smile entwined.

The door is open, the courtyard singing

The table is laid and the floor ringing.

The lively angels are full of mirth and merry-making

They rush immediately, seeing a wayfarer approaching.

“Come home Father,” speaks the wife, “you must be tired of wandering”.

Her husband holds the Father’s hand pleading:

 “Please share with us the sweets and beverages”.

At the table, he is soon engaged into a cheerful conversation with the averages.

The broth is good, the bread is good

Not for the spices, but the hand that made the food.

With a heart content, and a tummy surfeited

The Father blesses the family for the way outlanders are greeted.

“Good bye Father, do visit again”, the children speak

On receiving pure hospitality, the Father begins to weep.

The night isn’t over yet, with a will to further rummage

After an hour’s walk, he arrives at a remote village.

Beside a lonely rock, sits a lad of seven

With the look of a saint, eyes towards heaven.

“My boy, what bemoans you during this time of festivity?” asks

  Father.

“Are you alone in the world, with no one to care for?”

Anticipating an answer, the father sits beside him, holding tight and as close as could be

The boy, with eyes sparkling, reveals,” Last year, my elder brother was there to care for me.”

“Where is he now? Has he left home because of bread? Or is it a fight that has kept both of you separate?”

“He blesses me from the heaven above

 I respond with immeasurable grace and love.

For a deadly explosion, during this time last year

Estranged two loving brothers untimely, forever.

Sitting by this rock, I recollect our memorable days

My mind hovers over the heavenly bodies and milky ways.

He must be resting in his peaceful abode, my heart is void without him

Just cherishing the time we shared and celebrating his memories within”.

With  tremendous apprehension, the Father

Sanctifies the life of a cherubim with a holy murmur.

He leaves the meditating soul smiling at the horizon vast

Seeking for a face familiar, out of the clouds moving fast.

On his way, the Father encounters

 An approaching class of barbaric drunkards.

They mock him with looks stern and warn him with voices firm:

“What! An old man? At this twilight hour  wandering near?

Clear our path, lest your bones perish here.

We are returning from the berth of a prostitute

Its celebration time!  Are you a destitute?

Go home and share the pleasure with your mate

 Do you prefer to tread this baneful boulevard instead?”

The father moves away out of fear, thus saying

“Fear the Lord, whom you are betraying.

He has blessed you with a life, proper food and costume

He sees your actions and decides your fortune.

He, the Supreme, who enlightens our intellect

Kneel with your hands folded before it’s too late.”

Thus, weary due to the travel and exploration

He decides to return to his ultimate destination.

On his way back, images keep occurring to his mind

For his day has concluded by truly celebrating mankind.

A solitary wanderer in the wild of life, with possession few

Having neither direction, nor any fixed point of view.

Just a gloomy gazer of the world to which he has little relation

Yet he feels every moment to be a moment for celebration.

The vast shores of knowledge that he has accomplished

Finding every small bright pebble to content himself with.

He seeks to celebrate everyone’s uniqueness

Finding an opportunity to celebrate the power, the ability of greatness.

As proud citizens, we devotedly celebrate our country’s endeavour towards global victory

Our strength lies in our unity, an inspiration to combat personal misery.

We rejoice at every festival observed by our nation

The happiness of sharing itself, calls for a celebration.

Our life is an entire universe of blissful celebrating

With every breath of yours, just celebrate your living.