Darjeeling day!
Again and again and again my mind goes back to the hill town which is my home. There, every day presented the wonders of creation in myriad wonderful ways. I would be up to see the sunrise paint the northern mountains, and would be entralled to see how quickly the clouds would rise from the valleys and bring in the rains. The weather would again change into cloudless skies before the darkness of the night would cover us up. Iremember seeing a film which drew upon the constantly changing weather of the town and contrasted them with the fickle nature of human feelings (Kanchenjungha, Satyajit Ray). I may have been so much like the little boy who sings the Nepali song. While this poem does not delve into human emotions and swinging moods, it does describe the scenes of nature that I would witness each day and be overwhelmed by.
Psalms 121:1 ¶<<A Song of degrees.>> I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
2 My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
2 My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
I look unto the mountains, for the rising sun's cascade.
As It heralds in a new day, and the night begins to fade.
The beams of the dawn light, dances in its own charade,
while the snow-washed mountains present its broad facade.
On the white of snow it begins its brush to sway.....
From the tip the colour spashes and moves down all the way.
The mountainscape like majesty, get adorned with royal hues;
The yellow and oranges, replace the greys and blues
Then, there is a glimmer when mountains reveal its heart of gold,
Awe striking all of creation with a dazzle till now untold;
and all the morning watchers, with their unblinking eyes behold,
Nature's daily panorama which remains for ever unsold.
But soon from the valleys, reach-up rain laden clouds;
Like curtains they cover, like old worn-out shrouds.
The mist is soon to follow, comes like a dampener.
All glory and beauty, in a moment they disappear.
Its time for the rains now and the freezing cold,
Its as if the moning sunshine had come in days of old.
It washes the hill sides as it pelts and it roars,
Yet leaves behind puddles and mud ridden floors.
How soon it is evening and the clouds are no more,
Its as if someone has shown them the quick exit door!
The sky for a moment is blue then its gone,
And the draping of purple is spreading like a gown.
A fleeting glimpse of the mountainscape can also be seen,
As it robes in dark purple like a mourning queen.
The night skies then twinkle with innumerable treasures,
Reminding me, I have witnessed to, nature's foremost pleasures!
 |
| Early dawn, Darjeeling |
 |
| Rising sun, Darjeeling |
 |
| Morning splendor, Darjeeling |
 |
First streaks of orange on white Kanchenjungha, Darjeeling |
 |
| The day begins, Darjeeling |
 |
| A hundred rupees denomination in India carries a picture of the Kanchenjungha! |
 |
| Later during the day...the rising clouds!! A song from the Bengali movie Kanchenjungha! |
Comments