A Secret Retreat

                                1)       Not famous like the Angel or Victoria falls
                                          Or of far-famed Niagara from lofty heights
                                          Not many know its name, and none recall
                                          In far interior woods, the path not straight--
                                          We ventured to search for the gushing sight
                                          Of silvery sheets of foaming delight.

                               2)        We went through crooked winding ways
                                          Gigantic trees with wide-spread branches made it dim
                                          Whither we go--a dark mysterious place
                                          Not a soul seen, the surroundings grim
                                          Through groves of silver oak and sandal wood
                                          We smelled faint fragrance as we moved.

                              3)         Abundant spicy creepers seen
                                          Of cloves,pepper and herbs so sweet
                                          In mid noon, nightly darkness seen
                                          No sound of bird or beast, no pricking heat
                                          As if in subterranean worlds we lost 
                                          No trace of gurgling water but dark jungle vast.. 
                                                                   
                              4)        A rugged path with twists and turns so hard
                                         Rough rocking jolts-- a risky ride
                                         We can't go back , we dared forward
                                       " Don't move onward " some strangers cried
                                         Too rough to scale--this thorny pathless wood
                                         Better go back--leave it for good.

                             5)        Still doubting we moved with defiant will
                                        Like ghosts through darker worlds in search of prey
                                        An abysmal ravine choked with shrubs and thistle
                                        Made us pause in stony silence and stay---
                                        Not to turn back with a sense of defeat
                                        Let us explore whatever comes or danger greet.
                         
                           6)         Through rocky boulders steep we made our way.
                                        Holding the stumps of twisted shrubs and trees
                                        Tightening our foothold along the slippery clay
                                        Bearing the brunt of stinging thorns and weeds
                                        To sink to the bottom-most ravine with care
                                        A distant rumble of stream we heard somewhere.

                          7)          Some merry sounds and shouts our gaze did draw
                                       Our goal so near -- we sighed with relief
                                       A cluster of  black rocky flats we saw;
                                       Like chains of swelling pearls from lofty cliffs
                                       Behold the leaping spouts of water there!
                                       From unknown heights with vibrant mirth somewhere.

                          8)         The ice-cool swirling torrent touched our feet
                                      This unexplored haven not so easily found
                                      Amidst green cover of wild trees this sweet retreat
                                      After laborious search through bushy uneven ground
                                      Far from the reach of common grassy plain
                                      With meandering paths this rocky terrain.

                        9)           As pure as Pierian  spring within these  forests deep
                                      A surprising picturesque waterfall
                                      A precious gem of Nature amidst mountains steep
                                      The surge of freedom untrammeled by artificial walls
                                      We made our way onward with rapturous delight
                                      No flashing lens can catch this charming sight!


                    10)            In saintly silence of the moon-lit night
                                     A mystic murmur echoes with cheerful beams
                                     What spirits or angels revel with fluttering delight!
                                     What aerial bodies perfume those silver streams!
                                     An awesome sight for common mortals to guess
                                     The charms of gloomy night in such a lonely place.

                                           ******************************

                             August 26th 2013.                                                         Gutala  Somaseshu

                      References:
                         a) Angel Waterfalls -- The world's highest waterfall located in Venezuela.
                                                            Its height is 3,212 ft. (979 meters)
                        b) Victoria Waterfalls -- Located on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe
                                                              Its height is 355 ft.(108 meters)
                      c) Niagara Waterfalls--  Located between the Canadian Province of Ontario and
                                                             New York State. Its height is 167 feet (51 meters)
                    d) Pierian Spring    ---  The famous water spring in Thessaly, said to be the abode                                                                     of the sacred Muses, goddesses of Knowledge.
                                                                  
                                                           

    
                                     

                       


                                         

   

TSUNAMI FROM SNOWY HILLs

The plight of stranded pilgrims

The destructive floods

Ravaged surroundings in front of the kedarnath temple

   

The raging Ganges near Rishikesh

                                                            



           

1.            1)    In large numbers the pilgrims struggled hard
2.                   An arduous climb to see their beloved Lord
3.                   The old borne in sedans--a sturdy task:
4.                 In unforeseen weather changing fast;
5.                   A warm sun now, and next a stormy blast;
6.                   The roaring river burst through rugged rocks.
7. 
   
8.            2)     Unmindful of weather, this ill-fated journey
9.                    No warning given-- all think of money:
10.                    The icy lakes leaped forth like monsters dread
11.                    From snowy mountains with hellish fury
12.                    Sparing none, not even a roof or tree
13.                    A huge expanse of muddy waters spread.
14. 
    
15.            3)     Like rolling pebbles, houses dragged by tide
16.                    In thousands pilgrims sank and cried
17.                    Like sinking ships in dreadful Charybdis
18.                    A huge avalanche of mud swallowed
19.                    Whole buses with pilgrims tumbled and bellowed
20.                    Drowned in gigantic mound of slush and debris.
21. 
    
22.             4)    Buried under the tidal blast in a flash
23.                    As all dwellings at once did crash
24.                    Whole families cut off by deadly waves
25.                    The temple echoed with loud piercing cries
26.                    All submerged under debris in a trice
27.                    Nothing remained and none to save.
28. 
    
29.             5)    Deprived of food and drink, frozen with cold
30.                    Wading through mire of sufferings untold
31.                    The pilgrims ran for their lives to hilly tops and cried
32.                    Losing all goods except their bodies bare
33.                    No help in sight to save them from rocky slides
34.                    From jaws of death engulfing everywhere.
35. 
    
36.             6)   Looted by vendors, the pilgrims wept
37.                   Hounded by deceit and cruel theft
38.                   Tottering through dead bodies they went
39.                   So many died famished with dry parched lips
40.                   None gave them water at least to sip
41.                   Others moved forth dying each and every moment.
42. 
    
43.           7)     Through rocks and pits they had to tread
44.                   Through vast desert of countless dead
45.                   No trivial clue to find their near and dear
46.                   In freezing cold begging for water and bread
47.                   Pierced by fangs of poverty they bled
48.                   No helping hand approached to wipe their tears.
49. 
    
50.          8)     Help came too slow to starving souls
51.                  Ill-planned confusion: no clear goal:
52.                  The choppers flew, too few to clear
53.                  The running pilgrims with languishing eyes
54.                  The weak and old pushed back by greedy guys
55.                  Thousands left behind with streaming tears.
56. 
    
57.          9)     In midst of this dire torrential doom
58.                  In dusky chambers of silent gloom
59.                  Dweller of Burial Ground, the mighty Lord
60.                  Unshaken dwelt in meditative mood
61.                  Steadfast Nature's powers withstood
62.                  In deep penance unperturbed by raging discord.
63. 
    
64.       10)     Who can uproot Thee, All-Pervading Lord?
65.                  Maker of million Spheres with Thy nod:
66.                  Thou, radiant Glow above this earthly cage!
67.                  Thy temple too withstood the rushing onslaught
68.                  Of rolling rocks in muddy deluge fraught.
69.                  Why Death razed so many before Thy gaze!
70. 
    
71.       11)      Though Death had taken a heavy toll
72.                  Untouched by her destructive role
73.                  Thou Lord of Kedar, stay in placid state
74.                  As pilgrims' bodies lie like faded flowers
75.                  Amidst the broken homes and fallen towers.
76.                  Can't You behold, Oh Lord! their wretched state!
77. 
    
78.       12)       The Sacred Bull before Thee Knelt so firm and calm
79.                   With faith profound in majestic form
80.                   None can explain Thy acts, a mystic maze:
81.                   This sacred place, now, turned a burial ground
82.                   A ghastly sight of corpses strewn around:
83.                   Protect thy devotees,this vast disaster assuage:
84.       
85.      13)       Why such dire punishment? What have they done?
86.                   A tremendous shock to thousands that none
87.                   Can withstand or relieve this stunning blow;
88.                   Deprived of wealth and losing all their near and dear
89.                   Poor survivors struggled with utmost shocking fear:
90.                   Oh Lord! Protect them now, Thy mercy show!
91. 
    
92.     14)         Is it Nature's response to pollution?
93.                   Men ruined rivers with devilish ambition
94.                   A heinous crime deprived of vision!
95.                   Murdering forests and harmless cliffs
96.                   Not sparing wild life with destructive grip
97.                   God's gifts with vile misdeeds undone!
98. 
    
99.     15)         Let us not doom ourselves with devilish greed
100.                   Exploiting Nature with selfish deeds:
101.                   Once Nature ruined, no redeeming cure:
102.                   Let us leave rivers,woods and mountains free
103.                   Let us maintain their status pure:
104.                   Feel for every creature and find divinity.
105. 
     
106.            ( Dedicated to the Lord Of Kedarnath with humble devotion)
107.                                     ******************************
108.                                                                                                                                                                        
109.         August 1st 2013                                   Gutala Somaseshu
110. 
     
111.          Reference: Charybdis-- In the Odyssey, a monster that 
112.                             swallowed sailors travelling in ships. It is also
113.                             a whirlpool on the Sicilian side in the straits of Messina.
114.                             
115.        Note: Kedarnath is one of the most famous temples dedicated to Lord Shiva located in the Himalayan valley at a height of 11,755 ft. on the banks of the river Mandakini, a tributary of the Ganges. The great spiritual teacher Sri Adi Shankara renovated the temple  in eighth century. He attained siddhi or final liberation here only. The  construction of too many hydel projects, buildings and roads with so many tunnels and deforestation resulted in huge land slides and flooding of lakes,destroying so many lives and causing enormous damage to property and projects on the fateful day, June16th,2013.
116. Yet the temple remained in tact in midst of tons of debris and massive boulders. In the name of modernization these holy places only suitable for simple life and pious living are converted into busy crowded areas without any regulation and planned organisation. Only people should be allowed in limited numbers just to have Darshan and not to indulge in luxuries or treat this as a holiday trip.
117.  We should bear in mind that in the name of development we have no right to disturb the serenity or meddle with ecological balance putting at stake so many lives including flora and fauna.
118.                                     ==============
119. 
     
120. 
     
121. 
     
122. 
     
123. 
     
124. 
     
125. 
     
126. 
     
127. 
     
128. 
     
129. 
     
130. 
     
131. 
     
132. 
     
133. 
     
134. 
     
135. 
     
136. 
     
137. 
     
138. 
     
139. 
     
140. 
     
141. 
     
142. 
     
143. 
     
144. 
     
145. 
     
146. 
     
147. 
     
148. 
     
149. 
     
150. 
     
151. 
     
152. 
     
153. 
     
154.                          
155.                      
156. 
     
157.                
158. 
     
159.                
160.                                  
161. 
     
162. 
     
163.                                  
164.