Power of the Goddess

It was celebration of the Panguni Pongal for the sixth day People assemble before the Goddess Kaali, to pray Big sand pot is full of water Below is a stock of wood, set to enter Water is set to boil, with high fire Everyone sets eye, with a desire From the boiling water, steam shall flow Due to high heat, water shall overflow Waiting all along was the priest With a face, as if he is the angriest He pumps towards the boiling pot, to charge, Among the devotees who witness in large With margosa leaves, he drenches his bare hand Standing with bare foot, over the raw sand Lifts his hand with boiling water to spread, Only over his bare body, to spearhead Again and again until the water pot becomes empty None shall feel over him, pity Bare body of priest now looks as normal Though he withstood steams of thermal Never anyone seen any boil Nor none attempt to foil To witness, you may become uncool Until you watch the face of priest, as cool Celebrated at Peraiyur since ancient time With passage of time, never became dime Truly an entertaining festival to express, The true divine power of the goddess! NOTES : (Margosa tree =a large tree of the genus Melia (Melia Azadirachta)found in India. Its bark is bitter, and used as a tonic) (Peraiyur = A small town under the foothills of the western Ghats of South India in the Madurai District) (Panguni Pongal= a harvest festival around the first week of April month) Above Poem is adapted from the eBook "NONE TO MATCH! NOR TO MARCH!! AND OTHER POEMS ON GOD" by Mr.V.MUTHU MANICKAM. Copyright is reserved.