Incomplete Pictures

                           INCOMPLETE PICTURES

I took pictures

In Jagannathpuri

Of the sunrise at the sea,

Of the floating boats and

The nets suspended in the air,

But I removed

The fisherman from the scene

I took pictures

In Bastar and Balaghat

Of Sal and sagon forests,

And of tendu leaves

But I pushed aside

The laborers,

Plucking bidi leaves and

Picking sal seeds

In Khajuraho and Konark

In halibid and Belur,

I took pictures of

Yaksh, kinnar and gods,

Of charming danseurs

Of erotic postures,

But I couldn’t trace

The fiftieth generation

Of the sculptor

I took pictures in Mysore

Of palaces & Dashehra,

Of elephant rides,

Of silver doors and

Golden cenotaph,

But I came back

Without capturing the

Titles, medals and citations,

Conferred by the Raj

From Jabalpur came

Mahadev to preside,

In the temple at Tanjore,

The bridge he built

Between north and south-

I saw it only in the temple,

Lost sight of it sooneth

I stepped out on the road

Standing on the Hasdev barrage

I took pictures of sunset,

Also, in Hirakud and gangrel

I took pictures of

Sluice gates and of canals,

But my camera

Could not track

The laborers & engineers,

Gone with their dismantled tents

I went to public meetings and rallies

And took pictures of great guns,

Laying foundation stones,

Inaugurating projects and

Giving speeches,

I captured

Their radiant faces,

Swirled the camera on the crowd,

And sent their pictures to the press,

But the people in the crowd

Were resigned to the fate,

Or where they restless,

I could not fathom

Quite often,

This happens with me,

I take pictures of

Flowers and gardens, but

The gardener doesn’t

Fit in the frame,

The priest disappears from

The pictures of temples,

Structures loom large, but

The artisans are not seen

It’s beyond me,

How to handle this camera,

I will give it to my children,

They sure will take,

Better and real pictures

Than me.

A poem in Hindi by Lalit Surjan

Translation by Vani Xaxa