The south-bound Dhauli wades through the air
as a child in water to pluck the lily;
taking people to their homes,
their dear ones eagerly await
their arrival at stations after stations…
I see through its small window
a vast canvas, painted on it
in different shades a herd of cattle,
two lambs resting under the tree,
farmers at a distance looking as black dots,
and a group of kids on their way to school.
In neck-deep water a few maidens
have let loose their long plaits,
a dozen black cobras as if have surfaced,
each in search of its mate…
A few birds on their wings
and a lone heron stands as a saint!
On this wonderful canvas
through the small window
I see a patch of peace moving with me,
though the painter remains ever unseen.
The superfast Dhauli moves on,
some get in, some get down,
different is each one’s destination. Dhauli is equipoise as if a saint in meditation!
(Recently I travelled by train from Kharagpur to Bhubaneswar in the picturesque coastal plains of north Orissa.)
Thank you, Rupradha for your loving appreciation. Train journeys are wonderful everywhere, in India, in Europe and in USA, too. One comes across lovely landscapes and meets unforgettable persons, too.
