Each year
Our myth
Comes alive
From the pages of Purana
The demoness*
Holika steps out
Taking Prahlad
On her lap
To sit on the pyre
The flame touches the sky
Prahlad lives while Holika dies
The intent is to kill
The child devotee Prahlad
Who sees his God Vishnu
In every atom of the universe
It is a blasphemy of course
So the child is sentenced to
death
By his father, a demon
To make the job easy
Prahlad’s aunt Holika
Comes forward
No fire could burn her
But Vishnu wills otherwise
So Prahlad lives while Holika
dies
Each year
The myth
Comes alive
The old mother Earth Herself
Becomes Holika
Spreading Her firewood arms
She becomes Her own pyre
Where She sits perhaps mourns
Having lost Her magical charm
She lets Her children set fire
Her sputter bursts into a painful
flame
That reaches the infinite sky
We utterly do not know
Who will live and who will die
Each year
The myth
Comes alive
*had to use this un-English(!) word for a female demon
A very in depth analysis of Holika and like the way you compare her bonfire as burning of mother earth.
ReplyDeleteOwOOO. how beautifully ypu present this myth. How do children take to this story? Not knowing who will live or die! But ultimately, the earth mother protects the child. maybe even forgives his/her tresspasses?
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful description of this celebration - I like that it is about Mother Earth
ReplyDeleteA lovely contrast of the elements bringing mythology to life...
ReplyDeleteThis is very powerful, especially, as Vandana notes, the comparison to Mother Earth. Great response to the prompt, Sumana!
ReplyDeletewow. would be very interesting to see the ceremony and attach it to the myth behind it as well...ugh on trying to kill the child. but good on the god for turning the tables....
ReplyDeleteSumana, I enjoyed the way you told this myth. I think I read that it is acted out each year...quite a tradition.
ReplyDeleteHow essential is was to try to explain the working of the world when science was in its infancy. I think demoness is fine. The English language grows like Topsy to accommodate almost anything!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this myth. I am not familiar with the characters but your poem had introduced them to me.
ReplyDeletePrahlad then became a Holika with the same trait as Holika before.
The last part seems to be a metaphor too to the prsent times :)
I like how mother earth entwined in this myth, and words: 'We utterly do not know
ReplyDeleteWho will live and who will die' ~ everything in god's power...sigh ~ thanks for sharing with us this bonfire myth x
Not knowing who will live or die - that's life, a mystery. Love this Sumana. I was enthralled by the story.
ReplyDeleteFascinating myth you've told us here.
ReplyDeletethis reads like a ritual and it fascinates me because religion is involved--Hinduism. thank you for always stopping by Sumana so here's my payment. a feel-good comment cause i seem to picture myself right now in India going through your bonfire with admiration and great devotion to Hinduism in another life. have a great weekend.
ReplyDelete