My friend Nandan Tavanandi, recently posted this amazing capture of a Brahminy Kite on a sunny morning somewhere in Goa, and what came through was the amazing posture, look, and sense of power exuded by the bird.
The dignified gliding, sharp eyes, and general tendency to be away from proletarian slogging fluttering birds suggested a character of a "Khot"; a typical name given to a Kokan (of which Goa is a part) landowner, de-facto head , and powerful personality who employs folks to till his lands for him, pays them in kind with fruits of the land, and quietly assumes leader properties.
First thought of in Marathi. Certain words in Marathi have no counterpart in English. But like the proletarian folks, one tries and slogs on , in English.....
(photograph by Nandan Tavanandi)
धूतवस्त्र सोवळे लेउन
प्रातक्काली आदित्य पूजन करून, कल्पवृक्षावरून पृथ्वीवर दव अभिषेक करून आपल्या जहागिरीचा फेर फटका मारायला निघालेली घार खोत … गरीब बिचारी पामर कुळे गडबडीने आवरून सकाळी सकाळी गचडी करून, बोचकी घेउन विद्युत गाड्यांमधून चेंगरत चेंगरत लोम्ब्काळत आपापल्या कामाला रवाना होतात, आणि इकडे मांडवी वर घारीचा एक फेरफटका संपन्न होतो…. |
Wrapped in a freshly washed sundried worship habit, offering prayers to the Sun, and anointing the earth with blessings of Dew from its perch on the Palm, the Brahminy Kite, now ready to glide around its kingdom far and wide surveying properties and lands being "worked". Meanwhile, the unfortunate slogging occupancy tenants rush with their mind luggage, fighting crowds as they hang in and rhythmically rock in electric trains on their way to a daily thankless slog Somewhere above a tranquil flowing Mandovi the gliding Brahminy Kite has just finished a survey of its verdant lands.... |
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