Upon the bier of your holy journey,
I offer my submission, my tears, my choked emotions,
And flowers of my deepest reverence.
Your resolve never to remain indebted to anyone,
Has left me indebted to you for lifetimes to come.
They say when time runs out, the play must end.
With that final dialogue—”Everything is over”—
Courage shatters, and faith dies too,
With that very last breath.
In the comforting hand offered by someone else,
The feeling of kinship is no longer there.
A handful of rice served on a leaf is all that remains,
To signal your painful absence.
Do all mothers leave their nests like this?
After teaching their children to fly by giving them wings,
They don’t stay to watch them cross the ocean.
Adorning and organizing the entire house,
They gather the fruits of all their deeds.
The fasts, the rituals, the secret vows,
All remain neatly arranged on the prayer room shelf.
Suddenly, the cry of “Maa…” fades into the distance,
Near the cremation ground.
Amidst the crowd of the final journey,
All the virtues of a holy life flow silently away as tears.
—————–
— Ratnamaya Tripathy
Adhyayana, Balangir
—————–
Original Odia : Ratnamaya Tripathy
Translated by : Dr. Khyatimaya Tripathy
A Brief Reflection on the Poem
This poem captures the profound grief of losing a mother. It beautifully contrasts her lifelong selfless devotion—teaching her children to fly, keeping fasts for their well-being, and organizing the home, with the stark, sudden emptiness left by her departure. The transition from a bustling household to the quiet of the cremation ground is captured with immense sensitivity.
Want to read this poem in Odia ? Click Here
Want to read this poem in Hindi ? Click Here
