'Sun'Kranthi-2009 Poem by AtreyaSarma Uppaluri

[Introduction:
Sankranthi or ‘Sun’kranthi (the way I prefer it) or Makara Sankranthi is a major Hindu festival marking the transition of Sun into Capricorn and occurs in mid January, about 21 days after the tropical Winter Solstice. It’s a festival of farmers and of harvest and of their cattle, of increased human activity and enlightenment. The goddess of wealth, Maha Lakshmi is invoked, among others. Lot of fun and frolic is associated, with children loving to play their kites, and girls and women drawing up symbolic geometrical patterns in their courtyards and displaying an array of various dolls in their houses. A lot more events happen during the Sankranthi festivities. The Sankranthi-2009 was celebrated under the shadow of the terrorist strike of Mumbai on Nov 16,2008.]

Come the warm and bright ‘Sun’kranthi,
Children spill out and go to a vantage site;
Position with pride their fond kite upright;
Hold the miles-long thread in their grip tight,
And with a fluttering spirit fly up their kite
To a soaring height with all their might.
What a thrilling scene everywhere to sight
That makes our hearts aright and light!
To make them happy let’s try day and night.
With renewed vigour may our Nation fight
And drive the Satanic Terror to eternal flight!

[Jan 07,2009: : Hyderabad - 500 056]