Domestic Shades-27 Poem by Indira Renganathan

A Visit To My Hometown

Beyond my expectation, beyond my anticipation
My hometown that birthed me seventy two years ago
Gave me a surprise nostalgic invitation
Which I never thought I would accept to rightly go

"Paraikottu" was din-dinning in booming welcome
When my feet touched that soil of rituals
All the Ammans while in ecstatic jiggling drum-strum
Celebrations were beaming as temple-festivals

I found so many goddesses in extended numbers
Newly born of so many mythical "avathars"
Rustic people albeit in exotic attires
Remained still rustic with fire-pots to catch fire

Though there was no devotion I could feel
My heart-beats matched their tempo of zeal
But when a group-fight boozed up suddenly
I cautioned my heart to move away quickly

Further a sojourn of pleasantries and pleasance
Visiting primarily to all the temples and friends
Except Goddess Meenakshi who disallowed my presence
All other deitiesblessed me with multiples of four hands

At the foot of Kodai hills is my hometown
Surrounded by hills and falls beautiful once
But now dusty, noisy, congested to frown
Yet there is this hope of falls and hills dense

Lack of time to visit those sylvan spots
My brother promised for them in my next visit
Yet I doubt my health and life and possibility
But to His newly built abode when I visited
Peace embraced me darted from Shirdi Saibaba
Oh, what a heavenly surprise to cherish for ever! !