The Meenakshi Temple

a poem by Bijay Kant Dubey

I see the temple
And stand aghast to view it, spellbound to say
Something about
How was the temple built
Who built it
Everything but wrapped
Flapped
Again, ask I out of curiosity
Who were those builders
Construction workers
Architects and planners
And concept-makers
Idea-givers
On whose idea and plan
Was it
The grand temple
The grand Meenakshi temple?

How the old structure
How the modern renovation and resurrection
Whose soul and spirit moving it in between
How the myths wandering
Faiths flickering as a lamp
How the folktales connected
The whispers and hearsays
Handed from generation to generation
How did Vishnu give his sister Meenakshi to Siva
How the story of Meenakshi and Sundareswarar,
How the rathyatra taking place and Gollu dolls so happy
To see and celebrate
Siva Sivam?