Much has been drawn
In the shifting sands of time
And simmering surfaces of stone.

Peddlers,
Or Fashionable Travelers
May stop at Konarka*
Alike, amid stones
That have stood the test of Time.

Overwhelmed
By the lack of Success
One is uneasy ever among Friends
.
Time loses focus
Yesterday and Today
And lost in thought.

Stones reveal history
As one comprehends
Their joys and sorrows.

I imagine Konaraka
In the lap of Chandrabhaga**
Now absconding.

In the stretching sands
The dead, faltering
Ask questions.
A sea of sorrowful tears
Reaches out to the past.

Deep scares
On Konaraka
Strike fear in my tearful heart.

They say a lotus blooms
In every stone;
With each breath
One may touch the sky.

Still,
Konaraka makes me cry-
The further I go,
The louder the call in my ears,
Of pleasant fantasy
Our culture in Konaraka
Sculpted tales of desire.

Now remain
Only rains and silences,
Jealousy hidden desires
Between sandcastles.
Shattered rocks grope
For mere shadows of men.
The soulful poetry of Konaraka
May occasionally be heard
In the thoughtful silence.

* the world famous Sun Temple, situated on the Eastern India (Orissa)
is a wonder for all art lovers throughout the globe.

** it is a river, which flows near Konaraka.
The epic story is that Chandrabhaga was a beautiful angel
whom the Sun God desired and subsequently followed.
To escape from the mighty Sun,
Chandrabhaga ran away and vanished.
The present day research says that the river Chandrabhaga
was flowing very close to the Konarka temple.
Now it has shifted its course.

(Original poem in Oriya : Translated by Sharat Chander)