Home -The Great Dhauladhar Poem by KATOCH P C K PREM

HOME III

the great dhauladhar

I walk up a short distance,
mountain Dhauladhar* stands tall
I go close and it embraces with love and warmth
never gets annoyed but blesses the valley.
It welcomes all and offers love
without distinction
I remember old days walking along
the wide dusty path,
Deodars **whispered as cool breeze
touched bare skin
it kicked and I wove dreams of sky and beyond,
I stood in a queue and prayed to god
I did not understand,
boys in rows with wide-opened eyes whispered
and looked up,
a teacher counselled to look within and believe
someone within speaks a great truth and conveys
ideas of life and hope in idyllic flow.

Walking in joy on a flat ridge it was
as small rivers flowed.
Moul and Bheral ***still flow after many years
but one cannot see huge boulders
and large flat stones,
and flowing water nor hear its music
of decades back.
I see huge structures on its banks and garbage
of the town stuck up,
and telling how man behaves.

I do not find old deodars and pine trees
I cannot listen to the music of the flowing water
and cool breeze as cawing and cooing soothe not
many wires, towers, discs and howling
on wayside stalls
tease and irritate but tell of growing time,
I walk along the black road and see growth
but air does not speak, dhauladar range is silent
and tall
and looks at the valley with a sad face but blesses.


1. Dhauladhar -one of the significant ranges of Himalaya
2. Deodar -a name of a tree
3. Moul and Bheral - names of small rivers (khuds)