literature

an Indian city

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Literature Text

the chauffer adeptly circumvents the gentle elephant on the road
stops just short of touching the truck in the front
school-children squeeze through the gap
to continue their leisurely walk despite heavy bags
a biker misses our car mirror by a whisker
overtakes us from the wrong side
to vanish into
the rushing traffic lights, the  stationary traffic lights
[trying to impose order when working]
the garish city neons, the brazen marble-clad shops

the sky is a luminous mica canopy
visibly changing colours
[making me acutely miss my painting]
far off dark clouds foretell likely showers

screaming hoardings and hawkers,
shrieking automobiles –
from rusty old marutis to  shiny new Mercedes,
doors opening occasionally for the driver to spit out;
two-, three- and four-wheelers
honking incessantly
smelly, perspiring, sticky pedestrians in vibrant clothes
talking animatedly on mobile phones, among or to themselves
deftly avoiding the puddles,pot-holes and dog-waste  
hogging all the time at road-side stalls

the beggars on the pavement sitting cross-legged on plastic sheets
mechanically spreading palms and touching their fore-heads
a beggar-woman in a red-dotted off-white sari seemingly asleep with her head covered
a stainless steel bowl for coins beside her
knots of policemen negotiating with a truant driver

a koel lets out his high-pitched tune drowning the din
he has been at it since the early morning

the cows sitting with equanimity on the roads
the thin ribbon of dirty water called river
with unkempt uneven bare rocky banks
much much wider than the unapproachable streamlet
shrunk by the teeming city

The city doesn't look up, the city doesn't listen
urban musings

koel is a black raven-like bird much celebrated in India for its melodious voice for millenia. It has its place in mythology, the greatest singers are honoured by calling them koel till date. Normally it heralds coming of spring and then is active through summer.

maruti - is an Indian suzuki model

sari is a five meter long cloth worn by most Indian women.

preview image -
my painting called -
arriving in the 21st century - India
[link]

comments welcome, as always

thanks
© 2011 - 2024 ckp
Comments3
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Ark-illustrates's avatar
The imagery in the writing is excellent!! :D

And to be honest I don;t think I could live in a place like that =_=
I hate the city in own state, and it's usually clean!! x_X