Friday, December 14, 2012

Land Of Man-Eating Tigers!



Posted for Poets United Wonder Wednesday #13 Postcards:


Tiger, or no Tiger,
it is exquisite!

The haunting beauty of
 lush green mangroves,
With a strong smell of forest,
Rhythmic flights of
Falcons and herons,
Sea of green waves
Flowing, slipping… relentlessly
Untouched by the wind
Eerie jungle-sounds,
Scarlet mud-banks covered
with swarming red crabs,
Yes…  all seems possible
In Bay of Bengal
A space…so crowded with life,
yet so dangerous at its roots…

The unsleeping water
Scurrying into ordained sea
Display its lust, its impatience…
The surface blushes and blinks
with mobility of the Sun
Sitting on a deck of a country boat
With fog frothing around the bow, even the
Soft lapping oar sounds prying;
Mind gets lost in the depths of channels
Thickened with legends of death!
The water tangled in mangrove limbs
Ebbs and flows langurously; it
carries the wind and the rain
The powers of the quiet nights
reveal the magnanimous universe
hidden under its fringes; 
And darkness lingers...

Naked

Defenseless

yet, shimmering in ecstasy.

In the perilous silence, I see
 and hear every object with clarity
'Forest murmurs rise in the darkness
The roars of the hungry tigers
The river lapping at the hull
Dolphins circling in tandem
The wind howling through the mangroves
Mosquitoes, flies scampering up and down
Massive jaws of the crocodile
A lunar rainbow in the sky.....'
All things take shape effortlessly; and
the place gets crowded with life
Silence heaves a sigh of relief....

Oh, the excitement is still present
The exact flavors of the Tide Country.



Answer is Sundarbans National Park--
densely covered by mangrove forests and biggest reserves for the Bengal Tiger.... 




The above  pic is from net....Disclaimer





54 comments:

  1. Wow! Great!
    I dream of visiting this place some day!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, Indrani...I have been there thrice, and wouldn't mind going back many more times! Come let's go together :D
      Thanks..

      Delete
  2. Sundarban truly is an epitome of a wonderland of natural beauty...!!!

    loved the way Sundarban been described in apt poetry...and the Pictures they are awesome as the place itself...

    Loved it a lot :)

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  3. I love the magic you weave with words ... they are so real ... love you poems ma'am :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Speck,
      I think, I have missed your take on the prompt. Shall read it shortly... soon...:))Thanks for your encouragement, you made my day!!!
      Thanks a zillion!!

      Delete
  4. Beautiful poetry and equally beautiful pictures!

    Thank you for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yolanda... I realize the worth of your comments very well. :)))You made me honestly happy!!

      Thanks for coming by... :))

      Delete
  5. ...well let say "save the tigers" to humans and "save the humans" to the tigers
    this is a place where both are equally hunted...
    reading between the lines.... every line speaks the enthusiasm you had had when u visited...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sathish...hahaha...you said it so well...." this is a place where both are equally hunted..."---pawsome!!:D
      Thanks for the feeling of satisfaction you give me with your comment.. :))Do visit again!

      Delete
  6. Sundarbans.. Must visit it sometime.. Excellent words and the photos too.. you always win the readers heart ji :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Harikrishna...if you have never been there...do plan out a trip! You'll never regret! Thanks or your words of encouragement... :)))))) Though it is never difficult for me... being a naturally verbose woman... :PP
      Thanks a bunch!

      Delete
  7. So many beautiful metaphors here and I love the pictures you chose to go with it. You are a very talented lady!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Awww MM...Thanks for the visit... and for your terrific compliments...:)))) made my day... :)))

      Hope I'll see more of you now...:))>3

      Delete
  8. Lovely poetry woven around beautiful pictures! I love the way you transform us to a different world through your words and pictures :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Awww... cheers to you, ME! Always a pleasure to have you visit! xoxo
      Thanks a lot!

      Delete
  9. Vivid imagery Panchali.
    I traveled with you
    into those entangling limbs
    trying hold water and life
    under the surface
    the mangroves.

    How brave of you. I have heard stories about the place.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Doc...Even in comments you write poetry...! Seriously... you're truly talented!!Thanks for coming over. Have a great weekend!!

      Delete
  10. Anurag..thanks for the offer. I don't think I am interested. But, it was nice to have you visit!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Wow ! what a beauty. The poem as well as the glorious Bengal tigers. Simply amazing. Mangrove forests are known for the tigers & its rich reserves of various other resources. :)Magnificent !! Take care Mam. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tanya, It really has been such a wonderful experience... :))))thanks a lot!!

      Delete
  12. I get very emotional when I see anything remotely related to the Sundarbans, having grown up in the periphery of the tiger reserve, I could only say, you have done perfect justice to the place with your words, loved it Panchali. Following you from now on...

    ~Arnab
    www.arnabmaity.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Welcome to my space, Arnab. Very happy to meet someone who has grown up around that tiger reserve, Arnab! Wow...tiger-sighting must have been a regular ritual for you... :)))Lucky you!!
      Thanks for the follow, and warm comments.Would love to have you more here...Thanks!! Shall hop over to your space soon...

      Delete
  13. I am a hopeless fan of your poetry, This poem made me wish for wings and fly to sunderbans!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Meenakshi, So WONDERFUL to read about your comment..:))))..the plans that God has for you,
      will all soon unfold. Find your wings:D

      Delete
  14. Oh! Panchali!
    Fantastic post. Delicious.
    I admire your photos and show animals ...
    When shooting were not scared?
    I send many greetings.
    Lucia

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, thanks Lucia...you are such a wonderful friend. No, there were no sounds of shooting, it's a reserve forest and Govt is working well to keep the poachers away :)
      But, the jungle sounds were absolutely thrilling...we spent three nights four days in that forest!
      Greetings from me too!

      Delete
  15. 'unsleeping waters,ordained sea,blushing and blinking surface'....the personality you will the objects to take,can experience them.
    The night watchman,the slithering crocodile,the tiger in hamam,the spotted beauties,the overpowering silence in jungles.....the pen and pics took me to a trip which gives a feel......there are many treasures to explore,many stories to be told there in the silence and denseness.
    love
    namita

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Namita, Aah...This is one of the reasons I admire you. You get the point even without one trying to put it across...thanks re! You are right, there's so much to write about that pristine forest...I want to write a blog on Sundarbans one day!
      Thanks for the time and wonderful comments,
      hugz

      Delete
  16. Wonderful pics... and of course poem :)

    My visit to Sundarban was equally awesome.... great place isn't it?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Indeed Rajrupa...I have been there thrice...and don't mind going back to that place again n again :)))
      Thanks a lot!

      Delete
  17. I felt like I was on the boat all along, such vivid paintings through your words. Truly gifted you are, a lovely artist and your word painting did nothing more but gave a traveler two itchy feet! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was wonderful having you in my journey, Arti...and frankly you MUST visit Sundarbans. Come, let's go together sometime!:))
      Thanks for the encouraging words... it feels good when you say it. :))))
      Thanks a lot!!

      Delete
  18. PANCHALI!!!!!
    I invite you to Polish.
    We'll be a nice guy to me.
    I'll take you to the Market.
    Lucia

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Great...I shall be there...sometime....some day for sure :)) Thanks for the invitation...it will be nice to have you around me, Lucia. Am waiting for that day!!

      Delete
  19. PANCHALI !!!
    I have no objections. Of course, you can always give a link!
    I am very happy !!!
    Lucia

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am grateful and happy too, Lucia. My friends are enjoying the pic..I can see the likes :)))
      Thanks!!

      Delete
  20. wow ! I hope I am able to visit this place in this lifetime ! each line and photograph speaks for itself !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. TTT...You must, if you have never been to this forest...one takes lessons from completely unconnected places. :))
      Thanks!!

      Delete
  21. Wonderful.
    Excellent poetry and delightful pictures.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks a lot, Matheikal!! Glad you enjoyed the visuals..:)

      Delete
  22. Can't decide which is more beautiful --the write up or the pictures ---anyway exquisite is the word for both

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You keep me ticking, Rajni...! Good girl...! :))) Thanks a lot re..

      Delete
  23. Ha, you have just intensified my desire to visit that beauty - Sundar bans. :) Beautiful write ji, as always!!

    Do visit my blog! Would love to see you by! *cheers*

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Awwie..Kappu :)) Thank you for unerringly understanding my poetry! Ishall be in your space soon...:))Thanks a zillion!

      Delete
  24. The water tangled in mangrove limbs
    Ebbs and flows langurously;

    Ah Panchali,you paint pictures with your words.Superb!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh Indu....Coming from you, this is a very gratifying compliment. Thanks... :)))

      Delete
  25. A lovely and engrossing capture of the Sunderbans through poetry and visuals, Panchali:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you very much, Rahul...Sooo pleased you liked it....!

      Delete
  26. beautiful poem and awesome pictures mam

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Vinisha..:) Happy you enjoyed reading the sets....

      Delete
  27. An exquisite, grand post!
    Thank you Panchali:)

    ReplyDelete

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