Incredible India Poem by Madathil Rajendran Nair
Incredible India
(This poem was written on 3rd November 2013 on the occasion of Diwali festival when the mood in India was upbeat with a cricket victory over Australia, the mainstay of which was Rohit Sharma's double-century.)
Boom, boom
The whole country blooms
It is Diwali time
The festival of colourful lights
Hail the Mother
Who vanquished
Devious demons of evil design
A rich country
Of poor people
As an old leader said
Past one and a quarter billion
Rejoices in sheer abandon
Deep into the night
Blazing their skies
With rockets
That flash, thunder and rain
Sparkles of every hue
That can be imagined
The firepower of the show
Ingenuity of its design
And the money that is burnt
Can perhaps put man on the stars
Everyone of every creed
And every faith
The poor as well as the rich
Forget differences
At least for once
And revels sans any reins
Luck this time
Has brought them a bonus
As Rohit lighted
The Bangalore skies
With his double ton of sixes
To vanquish the Aussies
In cricket
In a legend rewrite
The Gods have found the show
So irresistible
They enter the stage
Charioting
North East Monsoon clouds
With thunder claps
And brilliant bolts
It is past midnight
The carnival has to end
Those celebrating victory
Of the Mother
Or their cricket team
Have to return to their beds
Stomachs overstuffed or inebriate
To snore the rest of the night
Right up to the morrow’s noon
But a frail old mother
Who loves her kids
Yet ravaged
By their whims and sins
Will stay awake
Worrying how she could
Herd them together
Put the house in order
And then in the wee hours
Before Venus calls
She will move towards
The Holy Ganges
Across the rocks
Against the winds
For her sacred bath
Dragging her failing frame
Gasping for breath
Supported by her tricolor staff
She will look at the stars
And pray for her sleeping calves
And that is Mother India
Oh, sleeping ignorant ones
Who of you would be there then
Awake and alert to give Her a hand
Say “Am with you mom”
And help Her embrace
The folds of Mother Ganges
For a holy dip of resurgence
To that one only India and Diwali belong
That one alone is heir supreme
To the Incredible India of our dreams
Again one more masterpiece from your pen. Diwali and the Cricket victory when coincided was indeed an occasion for a double celebration. The fireworks and the fanfare are so beautifully captured. In the midst of all revelry, the image of an ailing mother.... Mother India, dragging her feet supported by her tricolour staff.... the 'incredible India... a rich country of poor people stands apart! I even looked up to the skies to see the 'sparkles of every hue' and the 'brilliant bolts'
i'm on my way somewhere else in poemhunter, in a hurry, and only glanced at poem, and read snippets of some comments. but, even so i probably 'should' send to MyPoemList. i SHALL! I'M GOING back to your list to read King Kong; i notice title a day or two ago. i also have written of K.K. bri ;)
The money that is burnt Can perhaps put man on the stars Observations resulting in powerful lines makes this poem a must to read and know what we should do. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
what a beautiful poem. through Diwali you made us see the Real India. With the lights and sounds, everyone celebrating every festival in grandeur, we should also remember to give back to society, give back to our Motherland. The same way we return our love to our Mother.
By juxtaposing the plight of Mother India to that of everyday Indian who seems lost and awash in his day to affair, you have vividly captured the picture of modern India through the lens of this exhilarating poem.
This poem is beyond me, beyond any words or expressions, Simply gorgeous in every respect. It is a class by itself. Classic. I cant stop reading it. I feel fortunate to read such a rich poem on India. Thanks a million for sharing this Poet Madathil Rajendran Nair. May Mother India give you a long life.
Immense thanks, Valsa-ji and Tushar-ji, for taking time to read and write something so very reassuring about the poem. I stand humbled.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
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5/1/2024 10:20:02 AM # 1.0.0.1119
You are an amazing writer, Madathil. I would so love to see the country that you describe so well and obviously adore. The metaphor of the mother is perfect, the imagery is phenomenal and your style is flawless.
Thank you, Sir. Am humbled by your abundant kindness.