Happy Independence Day!

On the occasion of the Indian Independence day, greetings and good wishes! Here is an old poem of mine entitled "Pulse of India". You may read this and many more at http://www.uramamurthy.com/mohan_gems.html

Pulse of India -

Where can you listen to the pulse of India?

Where, with bowed heads and folded hands,
people greet the rising sun
with reverence and anticipation,
there can you listen to the pulse of India.

Where, with closed eyes and crossed hands,
people welcome the dark night
with contentment and fulfillment,
there can you listen to the pulse of India.

Where, water is not wasted, but kept pure,
Where, earth is not exploited but nourished and nurtured,
Where, the mountains are scaled to renew the spirits,
Where, the air is considered the breath of gods,
Where, the fire is thought as the spark of creation,
there can you listen to the pulse of India.

Where, places of worship resonate with chants of peace,
Where, tears and laughter converse as identical twins,
Where, life is welcomed, but death is not chastised,
Where, children's laughter is music to the ears,
Where, all problems, mundane and mighty, are discussed and dissected,
Where, the unlettered and the well-versed seek the Truth,
Where, eternity alternates with ephemerality everyday,
there can you listen to the pulse of India.

Where, the golden dawn is hopefully welcomed,
Where, the vibrant noon is joyously experienced,
Where, the peaceful night is accepted with calm,
Where, the morrow is anticipated with fortitude,
there can you listen to the pulse of India.

Where, work is a synonym for worship,
Where, service to humanity is equivalent to worship of God,
Where, equality means the god in one saluting the god in the other,
Where, freedom of body, mind and spirit create harmony,
there can you listen to the pulse of India.

Where, all guests are invited into people's homes,
Where, all faiths are respected in communities,
Where, gods with different names are considered One,
Where, peace is established through nonviolence,
there can you listen to the pulse of India.

Where, the three rivers of Truth, Goodness and Beauty
converge and flow forward as a single stream
in the conscience of learners and seekers,
there can you listen to the pulse of India.

Sometimes, India exists in India;
Sometimes, India exists not in India;
Sometimes, India exists in unsought nooks of the world;
Sometimes, India exists in unsought nooks of the heart.

India is not just a nation
with mounatains and seas as borders;
Golden Ind is an immortal notion,
an amrosial mass churned out of the ocean of knowledge,
a primordial spark that lights countless lamps in the human psyche.

At times it may be feeble and at times it may be strong
But, the pulse of India beats in all human beings.

Regards! - J K Mohana Rao