ODISHA

Swathed in The Mahanadi,

Lying peacefully in the arms of Thee Dam,

A frontier of Steel guards,

Meandering forests feeding wildlife,

And the great Chilika,

Such is her serene beauty,

Mesmerizing, scenic,

Who could bring her on canvas?

Says the painter, blind.

A LORD so dear,

HIS yatra to be,

Alone, another, leper or me,

Miniscule of dust flocking,

There again the Chandrabhaga waits,

A Sun to rise, never to set,

Colossal faith, drowned in believe,

Offering herself to Divine,

O ! look at the devadasi , sublime.

Bright, might , all independence fight,

Her Pride forever, Madhusudan,

Who challenged otherwise,

What a philanthropist, Utkalamani !

The Panchasakhas dare,

Another Senapati’s literary flare,

Or Bande Utkala, Kantakabi,

What should I write of her beauty ?

She is herself poetry.

Timeless creations, grains of sand,

The bomkai blending a filigree, so silvery,

Applique of Pipli, Patta Chitra unfolds history,

Her expression of grace, Odissi,

Firmness, Chau,

Revelry of numerous festivities,

Food, like fare,

An insatiate sweet appetite,

She is one soaring kite.

Odra, Wu-Che, Utkala or Kalinga,

A name or change,

Call her Mother, Matru or Maa,

She is ODISHA.

Poem © Copyright Salvwi Prasad (POETICbug)

TRIVIA

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{ April 1^st 1936 , the day , then Orissa and now Odisha was born. My motherland, matrubhumi.  I haven’t seen her well yet. But the little that I have seen, read and heard about her is all this poem manifests. }