SOJOURN

Nature embellishes with

The advent of autumn,
The blooming of sewali,
The swaying of kohuwa,
To herald Divine Mother,
Who alights with her children,
For an annual sojourn,
Bedecked in ornaments,
Equipped with weapons,
To represent
Elimination of evil
And symbolize
Victory of the virtuous.
Her earthly sojourn
Delights every worshipper,
Enthralls the youngsters
And elderly equally,
To the rhythm of dhak,
To the sound of uruli,
To the illuminated mandap,
To the instant jalebi.
Her sojourn ends
On the tenth day
Of the moon's phase
And she proceeds
Towards the river
With divine grace,
Along with the crowd
Who follows her
With utmost reverence.

[Published in the e-magazine 'Enajori' in October 2011 issue]