Sunday, 11 November 2018

Um...lend me your ears...maybe...??








I've been reading my poetry lately - first for the Colours of Life Festival last month, and then for a Diwali poetry fest this past week. So I thought I'd try doing it here as well. Let me know what you think...if you'd rather read...or if this is moderately tolerable? 

Incidentally, in Bengal, a tiny rag dipped in a runny rice paste is used to draw patterns on the floor on major festival days - mostly auspicious symbols such as (goddess) footprints going in, overflowing pitchers etc. The folk artform is called 'Alpona,' done by women with great artistry. You need dark earthen or plain cement floors to show them off.  Also need knowledge of the traditional designs. And of course, massive rag control. 

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8 comments:

  1. Elephant's Child11 November 2018 at 06:13

    I love it.
    Though I would also like the text to read.
    Darkness is indeed a festival too...

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    1. Nilanjana Bose11 November 2018 at 09:29

      Thanks for the feedback! I'm going to try incorporating the text into the visuals. Just have to figure how :)

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  2. Joanne12 November 2018 at 06:55

    I agree. I enjoyed hearing your poem. But when I see the text I can read and re-read, let the words sink in.

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  3. Jui13 November 2018 at 19:53

    Wonderful poem! I like this experiment of reading poetry very much. :) Looking forward to read and hear more from you.
    Jui Positive Cookies

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    Replies
    1. Nilanjana Bose14 November 2018 at 09:57

      Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for your encouragement.

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  4. The Silver Fox14 November 2018 at 01:24

    Very nice. Love that last line especially. (And guess what? My town's new library supplies headphones so I can actually listen to things here!)

    I'd never heard of Alpona before! How original. Who comes up with these things?!? Every time I encounter something obviously developed by someone with a unique outlook on what you're "allowed" to do with certain objects (or groups of objects), or certain foods (like tapioca, or coffee, etc.), I admire the mind behind it and also think "You know they came up with that long before we had television to occupy and/or waste our time."

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    1. Nilanjana Bose14 November 2018 at 10:05

      Thank you for listening :) Your library sounds supercool.

      Alpona is essentially a folk art and a religious ritual practised by women in Bengal. Its origins are uncertain but go back at least 3500 years ago...probably much longer back. Certainly no TV back then haha. Bengali culture is a rice growing culture and all religious rituals celebrate or involve rice in some form or other.

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