Your Jagannath And My Jagannath

Your Jagannath is not

free to be the atom universe,

you visit a prisoner in your

multicrore temple made of stone

wood gold and other royal gems

where you feed him, present him

food, money and gold

and ask him for luck, wealth

success and all good things

which your desires prompt.

He does not respond to 

your supplications.

How can he? When you have 

imprisoned him with your proud

display of wealth and architectural skills,

lest he wanders away

to lavish bounties on others!

My Jagannath is free

he is everywhere -

up down in sky earth and air,

He loves me as I love him

he holds me and kisses me

at time ditches me when

most I need him to test my faith

I see him feel him.

I never feed him - He does

I never speak to him  - He does

I never touch him - He does:

He encloses me in  his vastness

whispers to me as my true lover

Hey! Work hard, Love more

I am with you in sweet and sour.

Your temple is too small for life

My Jagannath is the temple of life

I Live him every breath.

Sabita Sahu

DRAUPADI - V

PrafullaKumar Mohanty's

DRAUPADI - V

 

DRAUPADI IN THE LIBRARY

 

The Royal library was grand

a diamond shaped  mansion

full of palm leaf scrolls arranged

in careful stacks dusted clean

for the Princess's academic tour.

 

Draupadi in a plain white silk saree

entered barefoot with Alpana in toe.

She moved in slow steps escorted by

the chief librarian Acharya Sumanta

detailed the holdings in soft tone

the erudite Acharaya pointed out the Vedas,

Dharmashastra, Arthashastra, Kamashastra,

Natyashastra, Plays, Lyrics, Astrology

and many volumes of Architecture

Warfare, Archery, Wrestling.

After the first row of stacks Draupadi asked

You have Brahmi, Sanskrit - also Arabic

The Acharaya added pointing at two rows!

We also have books in Vijnana, Magic

and the Householders duties, management of

Palaces, Temples, Vedic rituals and Tribal music.

Draupadi asked whether books in Dance

and Painting were there, the Acharaya nodded.

 

Draupadi went around

stacks of palm leaf manuscripts

took out the Atharva Veda

sat on a high chair and read

for two hours on end

she also read portions of

a book on the Royal Dice

also turned pages of Gandhar Art:

she had no hunger no desire

for mundane needs

she returned when the afternoon sun

in pale boredom

turned westwards to retire

after a long day's service.

Dynamic Realities

In a moment eternity can be lived

a drop is the ocean

universe is in a grain

these poetic homilies

delightfully console

a morbid soul.

 

The years of mobile moments,

years of video romance

love, war, truce and small talks

and joys are my fulfillments

of a half lived life.

 

What shall I call the gone years

was it years of silent worship,

was it wasting of best period of time

was it ignorance or arrogance,

or the closed rooms soliloquies

that could not reach the longing ears.

 

But I want to change the norms

and turn my soliloquies to

sweet melodies hummed by all

my loneliness into amity of love

to spark and ignite,

before I leave this world.

Sabita Sahu

DRAUPADI - IV

 

Prafulla Kumar Mohanty's

DRAUPADI - IV

DRAUPADI IN ROYAL GEAR

 

No Madam Princess, not that one

he is a charger yet untamed

you better start with this pony

Draupadi laughed - thank you

for not pointing at the mare.

 

Draupadi selected the shining black

stout horse in the stud,

ignoring stallions and other breeds

She stepped on the stirrup and heaved herself

before she settled on the saddle

the charger started galloping

ignoring the Jockey's shouts,

disappeared from sight in no time.

The servants panicked and ran behind

but Draupadi  knew what she was doing

the fire born had fire in her

to face odds and challenges.

 

Her brother Dhristhadyumna saw her fly past. 

the enclosure where arrow shooting

and sword play were in full swing.

He admired and asked the worried man

not to bother, she is after all a Princess.

 

The horse flew on yamuna banks

Draupadi held the reins tight

she had no fear or fright

the charger was happy

to carry a woman of stature

so determined and graceful,

Draupadi was happy she could

turn the jungles into welcome

roads leading up to life's

magnificent display of beauty

in variegated measures.

 

After about two hours she was sighted

to the delight of the nervous Jockey

the horse was on a trot fully tamed

Draupadi alighted at the shooting zone

she asked for a bow and quiver

her brother gave her a lance

and they practised intently

when the sun peaked at mid day,

the training session was adjourned

the brother-sister duo returned

chatting happily for rest and refreshment.

 

DRAUPADI - III

Prafulla Kumar Mohanty's

DRAUPADI - III

Mother kissed me thrice

the queen held me to her bosom

Drupad was all smiles -

how lucky we are my queen

to have our daughter, our future

the balm for our wrinkles

come dearest you have filled

our hearts with pride and joy

live with us in free mind

brightening up all murk

with your heartening smile

be the lotus of our hearts.

 

Father showed me my quarters

the frown in his face was gone.

He left with Drishtaduymna

to the feasting arena

dancing girls stepped up their

rhythms to the beats of drums

fatalistic and primordial

my age fellows, tens of them -

seated me at the centre of the royal hall

dazzling with gems and the ruckus

of ceremonial band playing mad

made the night throb with energy.

 

My first morning in the palace

started early when Alpana the chief maid

woke me up playing the tambourine

greeted me - Good morning Princess

Your bath is ready, I will take you

to the pool strewn with Jasmine,

Champaks and  Sandal paste.

 

I bathed after taking a swim

Alpana readied me for the day.

While tying my long hair

into braids she said, Princess

you are so out of the world,

your beauty is so  subtle, awe inspiring,

your eyes sparkle like lakes on fire

your nose sharp and long

predicts unfolding of tomorrow

your lips cherry labials locking

the crystal pinfold of your teeth.

Two shiny orbs are your breasts

spheres of indomitable pride :

Hey friend ! Are you a poet?

She giggled, no Princess, a keen student

of the beauty of Poetry which you Are!

 

Your hair Princess is three hand measures

leave it open I will dry it with incense

after bath tomorrow - No, no

It's already heavy on my head

it will be a burden on my neck

you know my next programme here

learning horse taming and riding

then swordplay with my brother

don't untie, leave it like that.

 

I Don't Count My Days

Time is uncountable like life

you don't know the number of breaths,

nor the pulses,

hours, months, years

flow independent of me.

 

Everything in life is independent

my dreams are not birds

the birds are not aeroplanes

each object has its own destiny

my legs walk, run amble

stagger, tatter and also ache,

If I count how many miles

I have walked, I would

be wasting my life.

 

I dream of work

and work my dream

If I fail I do not scream

I rise up carrying new loads

to plan, build design of life's

variegated pulls:

If I am counted by all

I would have lived

beyond numbers.

Sabita Sahu

 

 

 

DRAUPADI - II

Prafulla Kumar Mohanty's 

DRAUPADI - II

While walking garlanded

with sloganeering crowd

clanging cymbals riotous drums

men women in fineries

towards the Kampilya palace

Draupadi couldn't decide

whether to be happy or gloomy

a crooked confusion made her

steps uncertain, eyes unfocused:

 

If I am fire

Why in human form?

Have I come here

to live with men and women

in strife and conflict,

I have all human emotions

as a maiden ought to have.

I have beauty, poise and passion

pride, shame and dignity

in ample measures to win hearts

charm the best and challenge the rest.

Why then I walk a captive

in this royal procession!

 

I mix with the witty and the gentle

the bands of the meek and the cruel

I have brothers, friends and relations

straight from the womb of fire,

I am in a palace craddleless,

All splendour and luminescence

as the fiery maiden of excellence.

 

Am I an instrument of change

or an agent, I do not know what

my Master, my Boss, my Maker

desired me or am I a freak

shaped by the chants of

learned men without purpose.

 

Now I am here in Kampilya

daughter of Drupad Princess  Panchali

I have many names Draupadi

Yagyaseni born of fire to inflame life

to brighten this beautiful world

or consign to ashes the devils

who in human shape  prey and flout

all goodness, order, harmony and love?

Beyond The Routine

When the sun goes south

I do not cower

when the spring breeze romances

with youthful senstivities

I don't caper

for I know them all .

 

These changes in nature,

the ordinary cake cutting

bemoaning on routine events

shopping malls, cinema halls

closing or opening

don't betray my fancy

for I know them all.

 

I want real change

which will make my

reality unreal alluring

inviting my spirit to participate

in a new creation unique,

the envy of God.

 

A new climate of love

should vaccinate the hate

and all familiar allergies

to make this universe

a new Elysium

radically different

emotionally friendly

and intellectually inspiring.

 

Where Love is God

all temples raise their

sacrificial fire purity

in the human heart.

 

I want this change

to contain everything

of eye and ear in Me.

Sabita  Sahu

 

 

My Flapping New Year

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2021

My new year is in the calendar

the model's eyes reflect light

a half smile flashes on her lips

some Lakme lipstick of a new hue

the wall fails to steady the pages.

 

The fog has disappeared yet

the full splendour of the sun

is still days away, I sit under

the noonday sun and warm up

for free service till midnight.

 

My old dreams are buried here

under the thick layer of the dust

on my book shelf and my work out kit

is half eaten by white ants

why they are not red like lipstick

on the models priceless smile

well I don't know.

 

Now I have new dreams

this new year like the Corona

I will vaccinate the new year

not to catch any human infection

for mutation here is beyond labs:

I am here to insulate myself

against light sound and music.

 

Sabita Sahu

DRAUPADI - I

 

           A Word From The Heart

 

A woman has mainly two faces: Lover and Wife. Later she becomes a Mother, Sister etc. In the history of mankind, in my view, there was no greater woman than Draupadi, mythical though, who combines these two roles with greater symbiosis. Cleopatra, a historical figure, could be admired as the greatest Lover but she was not much of a wife (to Caesar and Antony). Draupadi has lived with five husbands of diverse temper at the same time. There are 'Many - men' women but none like Draupadi, therefore, she had a great fascination for me.

 

I do not subscribe to ideas and statements like: "Creation of woman is the greatest blunder of Nature"- (Bernard Shaw) Nor do I believe that misogyny and feminism have any real human meaning beyond power struggle in gender politics, Draupadi is vast, various, vivacious, victim and victimizer all in one and more: I have tried to trace the idea and the woman in my effort to write an Epic as a 21st-century man. I am deeply read into the epics in Sanskrit and Odia but I have not based my Draupadi on any model.

 

If my readers patiently follow the state, stature and status of my 

Draupadi in the serialization I would be gratified.

Prafulla Kumar Mohanty

 

 DRAUPADI   -1

Entry Into The World

 

The tongues of fire in fury

licked the mantra charmed space

the priests in fright raised

the tempo of vedic verse

the flame took form and shape

A maiden full grown

like a package of beauty

opened her eyes in sunbright

languor winked to wonder.

 

Who am I?  Why am I?

In this strange world

beauteous and wild?

Am I born here or

I am a fire maiden

sent here  commissioned

for a purpose divine.

 

But who should I call mother ?

Who has fathered me?

I  came out of the yajna fire

to the chant of verses

half heard, half understood.

 

Who are these greeting me

blowing conches in joywild rhythms

who is this king Drupad

he is not my biological parent,

and he mainly wanted a son

never wanted a female child.

 

Am I a trespasser then

unwanted visitor to these

motley elements on earth?

 

The king wanted an Avenger,

to  kill his Ashram mate turned foe

for egoistic irrelevance.

 

Then who Am I?

What am I here for

fully grown beautiful

full of vigour and fanciful

ambitions more than

an ordinary woman can hold!