Thus We cry to pray

Thus We cry to pray

P K Routray

 

Arise and awake

for your Devi’s sake

from your deep slumber

a divine’s devilish blunder

the gruesome and ghastly

suddenly and prematurely

inflicted on your kith and kin

and friends thick and thin.

Hey Brindi! Hey Brundaban

your Devi’s heart is broken

Survival for her without you

on whose shoulder she grew

unaware of the world around

is too hard with the lethal wound.

Why did the Lord and you punish her?

Take pity to open your eyes’ lid cover

Pray it be a grim dream dreamt by us

we will wipe out the scene horrendous

Now, vow we to doll out our hearts in exchange

if the scene, a tantric, or a tallish man can change.

Please glance at your sons and daughter

Gudu, Pintu and Chintu, your love forever

howling over your motionless mortal remains

together with their families swirling in pains.

Hear I the tone of your teenager son

when I reached you all on a sudden

you were on your way to your prayer

bribed your son with a pie to be a reliever.

“Daddy! Do not worry

without a pie your order we will carry.”

With tears, I remember

to them, you’re a pie offer

to worship on your behalf

so that me and you would shout and laugh.

Sweetest relation among your own

while coveting the sweet relation

salute I often you and your family

that you nurtured beautifully

keeping your Devi at the center

you being the darling hubby and the loving father.

Now I am sure of my postulate

At your health, happiness and harmony

spited many contributing to the acrimony.

Now we pray your foes to take pity

turn their spite to prayer to the Almighty

for peace and bliss to your departed soul

and on the bereaved family, blessings to console.

Now the heartless is the Heavenly order

we are mere actor and He is the director.

Moved by your urge for compassion

for the rooftop trees under the hot sun,

delaying your lunch there you had run

but succumbed to heat and exertion

Your mercy for a tree

brought the lord tp His knee

losing to a man of own creation

incarnated he to a\take you as a demon.

As the smoke from an incense stick

enamoring the divine power the mystic

your midway disappearance from the college,

also the mystery of your love and marriage

still look smoky but with the power of an incense stick

bringing to you and your career divine magic.

Dev, Binayak, Surya Saroj,

Benu, Sidique, Binaya, Braja,

Kailas,Pravat, Basanta Sunil,

Kastu,Prabhat,Purandar, Sushil

Jugal, Salil, Bijay, Gopal, Maya

Bata, Nagendra Kishore, Fatia

your friends all above seventy

all cry like children evoking pity.

A friend the pride possession

at the evening of life a beacon

has departed all on a sudden

robbing them all this life’s living fun.

You had charismatic power unique

that your friends with tears speak.

Behind our friendship bondage at this age

stand your spirited smile and spell of courage.

your love for us despite bureaucratic image

rejuvenate us, bind us braving the ripping age.

Remember I to me and Dukha your invitation

a proud privilege, cherished ornamentation.

“Maharaja” your sweet name to me

enthrall the child in me with pride and glee

Even on the eleventh April night

after your vain struggle and fight

as if you woke me up with a surprise

to read Mahamritunjay mantra on the rise,

again repeating the same after the morning stroll

when thundered on me the horrendous call.

Accept my gratitude offered with humility

your friendship to me was your magnanimity.

As district magistrate and all-powerful collector

first at the district Phulbani then at the district Jagatsingpur.

you captivated many with your helping natures

evident it is from the swelling crowd as mourners

Shiva your dear friend even before the nicker-clad days

cried like a child putting aside his vice-chancellors robe in the haze.

Your innumerable friends and acquaintances far and wide

dumbfounded and cried keeping age position aside.

We all in chore pray the Lord

for peace to your soul at your Heavenly abode.

 

 

(N.B-Brindaban Rath was our Pre-university classmate (1964-65).His death was sudden. We are all hurt. Names of his PU classmates and spouse sons and daughters have been referred to in the poem.)_