What Language Breathe Thee O’ Chitravathi…

Rarely we see a poem pulsating in nature’s perfect tune…As a stream flowing silently by the night in ecstatic swoon…Catching up with the mood of Holy River Chitravathi, that earned the rarest heavenly boon by being the ‘playground’ for the Avatar’s Divine Sport, narrating her current plight, Sri Satish Kumar Dua writes poetically silently praying to the Holy River, Mother Chitravathi to rise once again in sovereign queenly rage…Sri Satish Dua was formerly President Of Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations – Haryana, currently serving the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, Prasanthi Nilayam in its extended Drinking Water Supply Project.

 

Begotten to the Harlhareshwar Hills north of Nandidurg,

Sibling to Pinakini bow of Nandeeshwar, the presiding diety

Who else than Shiva Himself could bless thee urge

Lisping little ears, the auspicious Chitravathi

 

One step down Nandidurg started a journey

One drop to another add up to a lake

Up and down, straight now turney

As water rushes down to make

 

Silently steadily collecting into Mylavaram fill

Embracing for travel together now Kushawati

Placid, exploring, humming, honing rock and hill

What language breathed thee O’ Chitravathi

 

Cajoling, Cooling, Caressing in Cascade

Bubbling, boisterous, swish and splash

Invigorating one who dare it wade

In mirth and laughter saw you flash

 

Friend to all fauna and flora

Fearless seated in your lap

In singsong chirp with an aura

Rainbow wings when they flap

 

The Sun-rise glisten in your water

Reflecting light in myriad way

A process of photo synthesis cater

To growth of plants at break of day

 

Moon at night casts its image

On the transparent lens of lucidity

Twinkle brightly the stars lineage

In majestic theatre of sublimity

 

Peaceful tranquil as it still

Invite all human, bird and beast

Come unto me; bend have your fill

Drink swim, squirm not the least

 

When you breathe in calm

And slowly slyly shyly glide

Blowing a breeze of cooling balm

On lookers float on air ride

 

Shining crystals with the first sunny ray

The cradle of soft sandy bed

From night’s toil unto dream, rising each day

With hope of Lotus Feet to be held

 

In the distance, echo Suprabhatam

‘Chitraavathi Thata Vishaala Sushaantha Soudhey’

Smilingly it muses; recital of its own mahatam

What beauty in cosmic vibration at break of day

 

Proudly then thou flowed flaunting the treasure

A nature’s gift of Liquid Love

Quenching thirst, irrigating crust beyond measure

With soothing ambience from heaven above

 

It is only since a couple of years

You have become circumspect

Listen you now with searching ears

Do we recite what we meant

 

Always a home of beneficence

All are welcome as they please

To wash or dig without a pretence

Patiently resigned as you tease

 

As strangers settle and thickly grow

Stealthily throw all dirt and paper

Be it you to feel the floundering flow

A caution wrapped in sludge by sapper

 

Now home to microscopic matter

Forced to foul pollution cater

Mute to answer; closes eyes

The innocent fish when it dies

 

They need my hollow to fill in muck

They plough my bed to grow their fodder

They pollute my water to make a buck

Contaminating poor me; with foulish odour

 

Helpless, handicapped no hands no feet

Struggling to find my right of way

Crippled to walk or beat retreat

Blindfolded in my own creeky bay

 

Alas, Mother Nandeeshwari, I could retrace to Thee

But only the blessed gift of nature in a stream

Can’t turn back ‘what language now thou breathe O’ Chitravathi’

Your course is land locked, voice choked to even scream

 

Be it you to read, colour deluded

The writing on the wall

Be it you to write, the Divinely seeded

The Truth, that is all

 

Recall, what language once breathed thee O’ Chitravathi

Rise once again in sovereign queenly rage

The wind and storm thy eternal breath be

Bash them all, prince or page

 

Mother Chitravathi, holy elixir of life

You can’t be the exiter due such strife

Bless us striving yet to hold

And restore serenity in thy fold.

 

II Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II