From where I stand.

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Bombay is evolving, 
Oh, it is Mumbai now! It already has. 
I see little elves walking on the stones that they laid,
Trucks dumping earth on the seabed.

Decades ago, there was water where I live today.
Dad and his friends also grew up on this coast
They swam to kill time. 
 
When the sea hit hard, they feared. 
When the sea hits hard, we no more fear,
Mankind envies concrete jungles.
 
My children will only hear stories and see pictures.
Will they be able to sit by the sea?
It is like your favourite season of the year.
Gushing winds and stormy days.
Roaring waves and conch shelled coasts,
Hues of the sun, remains of the day!
 
How do I vocalize? 
Watching coconut trees swaying on full moon nights, 
Shoals of fish in the water when looked at closely,
Flocks of white migratory birds during December mornings!
 
My grandfather sailed his way to this city, 
Fruits of his labour, we devour today.
Legacy gave us houses and the coast.
The coast, we believed was ours.
The coast that daily wage labourers and multi-millionaires look at,
Every, every day! 
 
Oh, how shall this be the end?
My loved ones haven't stepped on it yet,
You and I were meant to be!
 
Facebook recalls, 
The Holi we celebrated in the waters a few years ago,
High tides and fathers guarding their children when they went dip dip!
Dip! Dip!
Rituals the elders told, 
Holi colours only wash away when you take a dip in the sea.
 
I escaped my house, 
But I went looking for you in every city I spent a night in!
Our affair dates back to the time when dolphins came to our shore and Bombay was still civilizing!
 
Delhi is landlocked, but Bombay isn't.
Every rumour I want to believe,
Every reason for the ill-fated project to stop
Every prayer for the truck to slip off
Every little moment,
The water is getting pushed and they’re progressing.
 
Like never before, will it be you and I again? 
No land is your land. 
My eyes are on you, the government says. 
What was there till yesterday will be history hereinafter. 
Change is the only constant. 
 
I am waiting to take that road, 
Maybe it really helps connect and communicate,
I shall one day look at the world from the newly built road and(maybe) come to terms with this evolving city.

Comments

  1. Shrushti Jadhav21 August 2020 at 04:48

    This is really amazing. Loved it❤️❤️

    ReplyDelete
  2. Unknown21 August 2020 at 05:34

    Beautifully written!! I can totally relate with this because it's something that you and I have experienced & grown-up looking at it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Nima24 August 2020 at 13:24

    👍👍👍

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous25 September 2022 at 11:35

    Look at you, Manthra. What a wonderful piece! ☺️

    ReplyDelete

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