Spirituality empowers us, while religious dogmatism blinds us. Kabir finds the former in Durga. She helps us become socially responsive, in the special feature, in Different Truths.
I do not know whether She came from Kailash or not I do not know whether the Puja divides anyone or not I do not want to know because I love to know less I know that She introduces herself with music Even when the birds are asleep the Veena starts playing Departed lovers meet as the sun meets the earth Roads become crowded with unknown fellows They belong to different ideologies but have a common thing A warm smile whenever they hear Supriti Ghosh Tagore starts penning his creation too with a humming sound Devotees starts gathering their siblings Making them well dressed to invite the Mother Who resides in their every joy and sad phase! My Durga Puja is not about finding logic It's about finding the right thing in the wrong And it seldom needs me to be critical My Durga Puja is not just a regular meeting It's about meeting the same people differently Seeing the same river with a metaphor deep inside Walking over the same lane with steps that is not a habit My Durga Puja is not filled with figurative knowledge It's about engrossing my soul in decorating my home Making the Durga idol land on my doorstep Lifting her like a baby to feel the aura in the innocence My Durga Puja is not about craving for love It's about believing that my love is mine She will walk with me miles to enjoy the smell Of the burning coconut skin creating a silhouette of Florence Dancing with me along with the tunes of Dhaak My Durga Puja is not about reading books of defeat It's about inhaling a new but known smell It's about getting Samaresh, Sunil, Mahashweta Together, like friends meeting after a long time Durga Puja is not meant to be a deception It is a festival where religions unite deliberately It’s about getting a new attire to make the world know What it means to be a companion of evolution I fail to be in a prison in Durga Puja For I have known many failed days and night Where I met the derailed flower Now I just need them to bloom, like always.
Picture design Anumita Roy, Different Truths