Επιμέλεια: Εύα Πετροπούλου Λιανού
Purbasha Mondal is a bilingual poet from Kolkata, India. She works as an Assistant Professor of English at Saltora Netaji Centenary College (affiliated to Bankura University). She has received Wegrow Academic Excellence Award (2020), International Global Award 2021, International Women’s Day Achiever Award 2021, Education Excellence Award 2021, Social Activist of the Year Award, HUMANITARIAN AND PEACE AWARD, Honorary Doctorate Degree, Honorary High Degree, Dr. B. R. AMBEDKAR 130th BIRTH ANNIVERSARY MEMORIES AWARD 2021 etc. Her poems have been translated into English, Bengali and French. She has read her poem, “Matua” in Paper Fiber Fest in 2022. She can be reached at [email protected].
Holy Words
Purbasha Mondal
The blackgown of night
Stares at us.
We chant Lord Hari’s Holy Words!
We chant Lord Guru’s Holy Words!
With the stars
We are awake.
Are we free from daring sin?
Are we free from the eyes of jealousy?
We chant Lord Hari’s Holy Words!
We chant Lord Guru’s Holy Words!
In Harisabha
Women and men are in equal world
They hug each other with no fear.
In Harisabha
We chant Lord Hari’s Holy Words!
We chant Lord Guru’s Holy Words!
Thus comes His Message
Through the soft rhythm
Of Kartal.
In the tears of Kamanasagar
Purbasha Mondal
When Sunset dies
Your red Nishan floats
on the bosom of sky.
In the pious days of Matsab
They are in love with you.
They chant:
“Joy Harichand Thakur
Joy Guruchand Thakur”.
In the pond
The flower whose eyes were closed
Opens her eyes.
Now she chants:
“Joy Shantimata Devi
Joy Satyabhama Devi”.
For them
Family is everything
Their great virtue!
They reject Veda
They are believers of Karma.
Amidst the stars
They are looking for you!
In the tears of Kamanasagar
They are looking for you!
Notes:
Kamanasagar a holy pond in Thakurnagar
Matsab religious festival
Nishan red flag of Matuas
Devotion
Purbasha Mondal
After taking bath
In Kamanasagar
We offer pious flowers
To Shantimata Devi
Peace resides
In the globe of mind
Remembering Aswini Gosain
We spread smell of love
We spread dust of bhakti
We dance
With the grass
We dance
With the white wind
We spread smell of love
We spread dust of bhakti
In the heart of Thakurnagar
