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| Varaha cave temple, Mamallapuram |
-Brian Mendonca
South of the Cauvery
the soul reaches into stillness
In the embrace of the waters
the fishers found rest
Protect them O mighty Varaha
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| From A Peace of India |
Pride of the Pallavas
Fresh tender coconut
near the temple by the sea
1 out of 7, Guardian of Gokula
Couples cosy up
on the East Coast road
The Courtyard beckons
as day melts into night
'Bus number 10 or 2 take you to Regency.'
Coimbatore FM near the G3 mess
PSG Tech boys play hockey at 7.
'Chronicler of our times'
Rice on a banana leaf
Silent Valley or Ooty?
Pollachi or Velliangari?
The border crossing must wait
In the dance of the white mountain.
(Chennai-Mahabalipuram-Coimbatore
12-15th July 2007)
Notes
Written after the Tsunami flattened the coast in 2004.
fishers: allusion to 'Coromandel Fishers' by Sarojini Naidu
Varaha: the avatar of Vishnu depicted on the Varaha panel at Mahabalipural diving into the sea to save Bhoodevi.
Pallavas: The Pallavas under Narasimhan constructed exquisite sculptures in the 6th century. See Parthiban's Dream (Katha, New Delhi) to understand the state of siege between the Pallavas at Kanchi and the Cholas at Madurai.
1 out of 7: Only one out of seven shore temples remain. The others are all erased by sea breeze and the salt-laden air.
Guardian of Gokula: The Krishna mandapam at Mahaliburam depicts the boy Krishna holding up the mountain to protect the shepherd community of Gokula from the wrath of Varuna, the rain God.
The Courtyard: Pub opposite the Taj Regency, Coimbatore
Chronicler of our time: sobriquet for the poet
white mountain: fragment of title of audio CD of the Isha Foundation, Velliangiri.
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Published in A Peace of India: Poems in Transit. (New Delhi, 2011) Pic courtesy: tamilnadu-favtourism(dot)blogspot.com
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