The Sarpanch — Abnish Singh Chauhan

With a hookah1 in his hands,
the sarpanch2 sits
on his cot,
eagerly awaiting
someone’s arrival.

He waits patiently,
hoping someone will arrive,
decorate his door,
fill his courtyard with rangoli,3
and perform puja4 for his deity.

He waits for someone
to sing songs of joy,
to dance in his honour.
And as evening falls,
he will depart for home,
offering his best wishes
and heartfelt gratitude.

One more thing
the sarpanch desires—
when that fellow
leaves for his home,
he should not ask
for anything in return?

***




Footnotes:
1. Hookah: A tobacco pipe with a long, flexible tube that filters smoke through water in a bowl.
2. Sarpanch: The head of a village.
3. Rangoli: An art form in which patterns are created on the floor with coloured powders.
4. Puja: The sacred offering to the divine.