Corona has made Puja celebrations lacklustre, snatching livelihoods of many, rues Sarala, exclusively for Different Truths.

Goodbye September
See you next year, you left us too fast
With your 30 days and not more
With cooler air around
Filling our lungs!
Welcome sweet October with
Festivities throughout
Children clapping around
Thinking of new colourful clothes
For festivals, they are unaware
They have to wear the same clothes as last year as parents are not stepping
Out of fear!
There’s a slight nip in the air
As winter is not far away
Off and on a heavy downpour
And stormy nights and cloudy sky
Often roads flooded and rickshaw pullers
Struggling to carry passengers wearing masks and the shades down suffocating
with hopes in their hearts
for more money in their wallets!
They are the lifeline in my city
of Kolkata, helping you get anywhere
far or near!
Oh! October our expectations are high
But the pandemic fear
Is a stumbling block for enjoyment!
No exchanging hugs
Nor gifts of sweetmeats allowed
No pandal with a heavy crowd
Durga Devi with sad eyes watching
Her children in peril from her innermost heart!
She is surrounded by only the pujari
Wearing mask looking left n right
To see if anyone is sneezing!
Conch shells are blowing
In every house
Oh, October! You are so sweet n’ cool
With sweet fragrance
Of love in the air but with pandemic fear
Which is killing all the joys this year!
No puja merriment in the air
and no shopping has seen anywhere
Shops are empty, shopkeepers gloomy
No fun this year!
All wearing masks and sitting
Indoors when they should be
hopping around with happiness
all because of the criminal Corona
looking out for new prey!

Photo from the Internet

Feature painting on mask from fineartamerica.com

Sarala Balachandran

Sarala Balachandran was working with an import-export organisation in the administrative department for 38 years. She retired eleven years back. Married, with two sons aged 43 and 36, she took interest in writing recently. She writes free verses.

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