O Mother!!!

The recently concluded nine days Navrathri festival consists number of elements that makes it special along with singing and story telling. As known to many the festival is dedicated to Mother Goddesses 'Om Shakti' who encompasses all forms of feminine forces, honoring women and rejoicing women hood. Concluding days of  the festival, young girls are seen as a manifestation of 'Shakti' and people worship them as a symbolic worship of  feminine divinity. Also married and unmarried women are integral part of the celebration. 

Welcoming Mother home during the festival and giving her all the comfort & dressing her up as a young girl is a wonderful feeling to every women and to me as well. 

Sharing a heart warming story of 'O Mother' as she as a young girl  wanted to wear bangles like any other small girl, appearing in a form of a young girl to a poor bangle seller truly touches the heart. She is expression of love & care to who believes in her. Stories of her told during this time make the festival even more special & lovable as i loved this cute little story of 'Maa' or 'O Mother'.

'MY NAME IS DURGA, I LIVE ON THAT HILL' by Kiran Dhar.

A bangle-seller, old and grey
 To a village small, did find his way.
 He was thin, his face was lined.
 The basket on his head was piled
 With glass bangles of all hues and size.
 And as he walked he softly sang
 "O Mother, show yourself to me but once
Before I go into the eternal night."

As he looked around he saw
 A little girl, of seven or eight, no more.
 In a red, gold-bordered sari she was clad
 And a crimson rose adorned her braid.
 She sat on the steps beside the pond
 Her lovely face was lost in thought
 She seemed not to see him at all.

 His heart was moved and he called to her,
 "My child, do come and some bangles choose."
 "Dear Sir", she softly replied, "I did not come, as I cannot buy."
 His heart was filled with love, and he said
 "Come take your choice, not count the cost.
 I only wish to adorn your arms
 With these coloured bangles and beaded charms."

 She ran to him, and looked amongst his wares
 And one by one, he put on her wrist,
 The best he had, emerald, ruby, gold and amethyst
 And when her arms could hold no more
 She got up and said to him,
 "Dear Sir, you are so very kind,
 May you be happy all your life."

 "What is your name, and where do you stay?"
"My name is Durga and I live,
 In the temple by the hill.
 The priest who lives there surely will
 For these bangles pay the bill.
 In the western corner of the shrine
 A plate of straw with coins you'll find
 Enough for what I have bought."

 Saying this she laughed and sang, and was so gay
 She quite stole his heart away,
 And then she merrily danced away
 To the mango grove that behind them stretched.
The old man slowly got to his feet
 And to the temple found his way.
 There in answer to his call

 The priest came swiftly to the temple door.
 "Why do you disturb me at this worship time?"
 "Dear Sir, I have come here to seek
 Money for the bangles your daughter bought from me."
 The priest in anger replied
 "I have lived alone here all my life
 I have no daughter, wife, nor child."
 They went to the western corner of the shrine
 And as she'd said, there was a plate of straw with coins inside.
 The sum was exactly the price
 For the bangles that she’d lovingly bought.

                                                                       

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