Himalayan Times (1956)

Six fiimnlBEmi *5iu>*» February 26, 1966

THE ECHO OF THE HIMALAYAS

The Himalayan moon
casts its silvery beams
across the virgin peaks.
The streams giggle. The
deer barks calling the
loved one to their ren-
dezuous. The stars peer
through the floating clouds.
The voice of nature speaks
to the lonely shepherd.
He tunes his 'TUNGNA'—
tring tring-tring-He looks
at the flunk of sheep rest-
ing peacefully after the
day's hectic march. He
looks above the starry
sky and the slumbering
bills around. He thinks
of his home and his sweet-
heart. There is a gentle
throb inside as he remem-
bers the vows made by
the cool colonnade of his
village. He bums a tune-
paipai-pai, his heart vib-
rates and the music of
his aching heart filled
the air—

When-0 when snows gather

On the hills yonder ?

When-0 when will stop
The babbling brook

and the throbbing heart.
He thikns of tomorrow

but fears it may not

corns again so he sings

on-
Through rivers and

mountains

Have I come to the
land unknown.,

M. M. GURUNG

Weep not 0 dear for
will return

^- If again I live to see
the dawn.

He sings high and
low like the one inspired
until the moon descends
low on the top of the
yonder hills. The deer no
longer barks. ') he Koyal
calls ko-ho-koho breaking
the silence of the sacred
night He » looks below
and between the valleys,
he sees the sacred Rung-
poo going hastily to mingle
into the great Teesta. As
the water shimmers in the
moonlit night he liuars
the giggling of the several
streams eager to mingle
into the fathomless bot-
tom. Only the greirt Tees-
ta appears to be calm and
motionless it sleeps like a
huge white serpent He
looks upon the shimmering
water playing hide and
seek with the silvery
beams and follows the
trail of the white line
until he 6ees it no more.
He thinks of the deep
blue ocean and smilingly
looks beyond the far away
horizon. He feels the
bliss of solitude and his
heart no longer aches.
His lips flutter and thja.
eyelids drop down dreami-

The cock trows to
welcome the early dawn.
The gentle doves begin
to coo. The village mu-
sician plays upon his
Sahanai the Raga-Bivasa.
The housewife wakes up
with a pang in her henrt.
The fire is lit and as the
flames rise she thinks of
the time when sh» had
bade farewell to her home
oTxchildhncd. Jiver since
Ibis Ruga-Bivasa has been
a sacred numoiy to re-
mind her trie days of
childhood. Many charges
have occured but how
well she remembers th)
pangs of her heart sung
by her old uncle—

The sky above shim-
mering with stars

Smiles bright.

Look beTow the earth
but weeps

In darkness.

Farewell to thee dear
ones.

Here 1 go with my

lord

Far far away.

The drum beats lou-
der and lo ! here the child
in the cradle cries. The
chain of thought breaks
off and the yesteryears
pass into oblivion. She
feels satisfied with life.
The cloudB thunder with