Indian Village

Time spent in Indian village, is - wisdom won plenty, Wealth in the urn of common sense, here, never go empty... Day here, though with chirps of birds, never dawns with no prayer, Whether from Temple, mosque, church, Gurudwar - none does bother... Sweeping, cleansing the courtyard; doing the daily pooja, Day goes almost dead devoid of milk-tea from mud-chula... Rites of milking, sheds-cleansing, washing cows, buffaloes, Dung-cake making by womenfolk go with social chat-shows... Small boys, trousers-stripped, respond to nature-call in open, Small girls, fetching water, peep, eyes wide, mockingly make fun... Men, elder, in small gangs, enjoy conventional hookah, Talks on humans and beasts become part of the agenda... Smiles, laughs, scolds and cries are like sun-rise and sets, in joint homes, None has anything to hide; frankness is in flesh and bones... Gandhi our Mahatma, told our villagers, to be true, This we keep up; though for this, we, happen to stand in Que... Amid friendly embraces and wrestles, women, young and old, Pick lice from hairs of each other, with fondness hundred-fold... These are but train-berths; heart of India is broad and deep; Folks, here, are uncomplicated; they've no vengeance to keep... They might not have plenty, yet, they do not forget the poor, Portion to ants, birds, cats and dogs, out of their meals, is sure... Guests, rich or poor, known or unknown, gets godly treatment here, None ever to them ask - whence they come, why, how or go where? Honesty and hard-work, for them, are like wheels of their carts, Compassion, courage and temperance are highest of arts... Living just a day here, is like retreat of weeks elsewhere, Great haven, like an Indian village, I've found nowhere...! 18 December 2021