morning fog
morning fog is a song in guru vasist’s debut album rise 8 times..click here for the album overview...
south india, where I grew up, is known for elephants and elephant gods....but what I remember most are the sounds and the smells...the gentle bells and the camphor smells of ancient temples...the thunderous bursts accompanied by the sweet heavy smell of a monsoon rainstorm...the percussive splutter and the pungent sulphur of a passing auto rickshaw...
I found the mornings most memorable...they were filled with the beautiful aroma of jasmine and a quiet but palpable anticipation of a great variety of sounds... but often masked by a morning fog...
the words of this song are the observations of a 11-year-old girl, Amiti, who is simultaneously from deep inside and far outside this land...
this song is dedicated to Bengaluru, my hometown in south India
song lyrics:
monks in the temple, starting to work
chanting their mantras to a panoply of Gods
while the thick morning fog
lifts a thin veil of calmness
a rickshaw lurking in the winding street
looking for lone pedestrians with tired feet
children are laughing,
walking to school in their innocence
it’s too long! India where have you been?
I can't go on, India come to me!
ladies are dressed up, singing their prayer
jasmine adorning their long shiny hair
here’s a holy cow,
munching on garbage so greedily!
a beggar is a-begging for some sympathy
looking for a rupee for his coffee
you better show him some pity,
or he’ll get angry!
it’s too long! India where have you been?
I can't go on, India come to me!
the morning rush hour builds up quickly
honking cars, the bikes are plenty
in the smoke and unruly chaos...
patience, my friend!
waking up, after a restful night
reflecting in the soft sunlight
smiling I think, "this is home, sweet home!"
and it’s clear to me...
it’s too long! India where have you been?
I can't go on, India come to me!