Jai Hind Happy 70th Birthday To India
Mother India
Each August 15th since 1947, a day of expectant waiting –
Either terror from India’s enemies and frenemies
Or the terror of weather, some natural happening
Or holiday hazards, even hospital tragedies …
This year, 2017, has India and Israel in alliance
Culture and history connects these ancient folk
Different, yet similar, even in religious compliance:
Ritual purity, Hindu and Jew, avoiding beef or pork
For generations now, we have been South Africans
But grandparents loved the movies, famed Bollywood -
And we learned more of music from these films
Names like Nargis, Sunil Dutt, Rajesh Kanna, plus Shah Rukh
The classic movie, “Mother India” – with hard times
With village life, and then those famines
Family sacrifice, especially from Mothers divine
Sad songs tug those chords across miles and times
So now, this August, we say Happy Birthday: Jai Hind
And in sibling magnanimity, Bless Pakistan too:
Politics and language, love and hate, led to partition
Moving on, we seek Shanthi and Shalom, Salaam and Truth
Poor India, rising India, nation of every contradiction
You are still worth admiring, both kurtha tops and sari
Cool cottons and silks for export, along with technicians …
Those deep religious roots siphon truths told by Mahatma Gandhi ....
(c) Anil Deo, 2017Aug15
Copyright © Anil Deo | Year Posted 2017
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