Joshua Bodhinetra

Poems and Text

Pratishtha Pandya

Editor

Atharva Vankundre

Illustration

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Once upon a time,
in the enchanted kingdom of LaLaLand, the god-king Amandi Derron ruled with an
iron (deficient) fists. He didn&#39;t eat, he didn’t let anyone eat either, hence
the magnanimous (d)eficiency. What? A missing letter? Oh, it got auctioned off
to Antigua Adam, the dwarven lord of the western realms.

One day his
majesty&#39;s elvish priest Hamasith had a nightmare, he saw a highland Uar
usurping the throne. Surely a terrible portent it was, for the Uars were a
savage race who practiced evil customs like democracy and whatnot. Hurriedly
the council of wizards gathered, and lo! They divined a magical solution! A 108-foot-long
incense stick must be crafted from the purest dung of Agatamu, the fairy
goddess of bonds.

Thusly Agatamu&#39;s
bowels were dredged, all necessary bonds collected, and finally the incense was
lit. But the smell! Oh the sweet, sweet farmer-loathing jumla-loving smell! It
is said that as the frankincense smoke slowly drifted across the starving sky,
king Derron himself danced with Antigua and Hamasith. Well, perhaps the omen
was averted, perhaps not, who can say? All we know is that LaLaLand lived
happily (n)ever after.

A hundred and eight feet incense stick

ایک سو آٹھ فٹ لمبی اگربتی

నూట ఎనిమిది అడుగుల సాంబ్రాణి కడ్డీ

நூற்றியெட்டு அடி ஊதுபத்தி

ਅਗਰਬੱਤੀ ਇੱਕ ਸੌ ਅੱਠ ਫੁੱਟੀ

ଶହେ ଆଠ ଫୁଟିଆ ଧୂପକାଠି

एकशे आठ फुटी उदबत्ती

നൂറ്റെട്ടടി നീളമുള്ള മെഴുകുതിരി

ನೂರಾ ಎಂಟು ಅಡಿ ಉದ್ದದ ಅಗರಬತ್ತಿ

पत्थर की मूर्ति और गोबर की बत्ती

એકસો આઠ ફૂટ લાંબી  અગરબત્તી

एक सौ आठ फुट ऊंच अगरबत्ती

एक सौ आठ फीट लमहर अगरबत्ती

এশ আঠ ফুট দীঘল এডাল ধূপকাঠী

একশো-আটের ধূপে ভোটের বালাই

Sonarpur

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A hundred and eight feet incense stick

Long after the buzz over God and His fanfare have ebbed at His temple, a poet's sharp and witty limericks force us to take a hard look at the changing fabric of the nation

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