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morning fog

morning fog is a song in guru vasist’s debut album rise 8 times..click here for the album overview...

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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!

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