Hyderabad

By Vaishali Neotia

The call of fazhar,first prayer at dawn

Slowly awakens the sleeping city

For those sleeping past the wee hours of morn

The hourly temple bells chime to duty

The majestic Charminar stands blanched all over

Bathed in a plethora of colours by the sun

A temple upfront it shelters, some say towers over

The same sun on both bestows its benison

Soon there is much hustle bustle on the right

Its the laadbazaar known for its bangles

Colourful trinkets made of lac sealed tight

And diaphanous stones agleam from all angles

The man with the pipe opens shutters for the day

The bibulous man next door,apes his neighbour

"Bismillah Ir Rahman Nir Rahim" is ones say

"Jai Ganesh Kaato Kalesh" prays the other

The only language they speak there is business

Bargains galore, ask the haggling women

They come in flocks,each in a different dress

Colours are trite, equally respected as women

The paperboy cycles down the narrow pathways

Brandishing some in his free hand

The headlines scream trouble as always

Happy news for the front page is bland

Murders,honour killings,homicide,suicide

A panchayat nullifies an intercaste marriage

The picture shows the cadavers, man and his bride

There are none to cry over the carnage

Friendly greetings fill the morning air

Most vendors living nearby are double neighbours

For the houses are close set,no space to spare

Children jumping into terraces from each others

The woman devoted to anthropomorphic deities

For her house, wanted a new mandir

The first customer in "Ahmed and betis"

The artisan renowned for carved wooden mandirs

Lots of doves flutter about in chess paces

On the close set terrace squares

Some jump about some stay in their places

Moving to far ends, with no cares

Doves symbolise peace, they say

The turtle variety are known for love

"The city of pearls" they coo "is hearsay

This is the city of love"

By Vaishali Neotia