Dance bhangara or gidda all night Arjun
For it is your first Lohri,
People have come in extravagant numbers and from far
To keep rhythm with you.
Whether you pray to Surya or Agni,
Whether you eat gur or gachak,
Now is the moment for you to show us all
Your fire and vigor, your love and masti.
Winter solstice has just started
And hopes for longer and warmer days have taken seed,
We want the giddiness and spirit of summer
To enrapture us.
For years we were waiting for you,
Finally God mercifully listened
And gifted you to us –
Our everlasting prize.
Dance on and on around a bonfire
Till the wee hours of the morning,
So people will remember your first Lohri
With mirth and sharp memory.
Suffern, New York, January 19, 2018
maharaj.kaul@yahoo.com
