Good Morning, India!!

The first rays of the rising Sun
Gradually brighten the Eastern sky
Courtyards, main gates, front door entrances
Swept, cleaned and watered
White rangoli designs decorate
Main thresholds and entrance floors

Strains of lilting music
Subhalakshmi’s suprabatam
Adding divinity to the morn;
Mystic smell of incense, jasmine
Lighted lamps and camphor
Mantras, slokas, prayers and aartis
While the lady of the house
Folds her hands in silent prayer
Before the Tulsi plant to Lord Krishna
Culminating the purity of the hour

The morning newspaper lands over the threshold
The milkman scurries to his bicycle with milk packets
The flower lady bargains over a jasmine garland
The hawker sorts his fresh green vegetables
The domestic help is half way through her chores
As the strong aroma of filter coffee fills the air

Morning joggers group together and gather more pace
Senior citizens heatedly debate over headlines,
A passerby offers ‘prasadam’ after his visit to the temple
So much activity packed into the hour before seven
So much love, joy in sharing, caring, bonding
So much beauty, unity in diversity
Above all so much humanity
Good Morning, India!