Summer Lunch That Odia Likes Poem by Kumarmani Mahakul

Season of summer has hotness in days,
Middle day meal is designed accordingly,
A formal meal attracts attention of all,
Rice is cooked and water is added more,
This is seasoned in little oil that floats,
Lemon juice is added in its container,
With many recipes, curry and fry,
Water rice know as, ‘Pakhala, ' tastes nice.

A person belongs to our sweet state of Odisha,
He or she is known as Odia as we convey,
There is no such Odia who does not like this,
Pakhala is famous and liked by everyone,
In our land Pakhala is food queen of summer.
Water rice benefits many giving satisfaction,
Water of this rice is known as, ‘Torani' or ‘peja'.
In Western Odisha this water is known as, "Thir, "
A person returning from hard work of day
While returns home after little rest he searches,
With great pleasure he takes water rice,
And he or she drinks torani as nectar of summer.
Farmers love pakhala and rulers and officers too.

A poetic mind observes the grace grains of God,
The Great grains of rice cooked in pure water,
That water is charged with pure vibrations,
After connecting to God through meditation,
At time of moment of nectar known as, ‘Amrit Vela, '
Food prepared with love, care and Godly mind,
This deeply impacts mind and gives calmness.
Our water rice is ready on dining table,
Fry of ivy gourd also known as scarlet gourd,
It is ready and served with curry of cabbage,
Seeds of green peas are visible little in fry,
A lovely meal that contains God's grace,
Taking this we feel grace of summer and love.
As onion and garlic are excluded from spiritual food,
For attaining more purity the food we intake,
We prefer vegan dishes without these.

However in general, persons include onion and garlic,
Both believers and non-believers of God sometimes prefer,
Onion and garlic added in curry or also in raw forms,
Whatever curry they take with water rice in love,
This tastes more and more from work to rest.

Persons practicing spirituality and deep meditation,
They avoid onion and garlic in any form by any means
But in summer water rice with pure vegetable fry or curry,
Offering God first, they love to take with great pleasure.
Pakhala oh dear pakhala, you shine in dish on dining table.

© Kumarmani Mahakul,02 May 2018. All rights reserved.