An Indian autumn;
Shiuli flowers lie scattered.
In air, winter’s clue.
Heralding celebration
Of woman’s act of valour.
Note- 1. This tanka refers to a popular and important festival celebrated in autumn in the eastern part of India. The festival is a celebration of a woman Goddess's brave fight to destroy evil forces.This is the time when the bold/brave facet of women is celebrated. 2. The shiuli flower is a beautiful flower which is also referred to as the night jasmine. Typical of the autumn season, it blooms late in the night and falls off from the tree in early dawn. 3. Clue/valour has been used to imply hint/bold.
Copyright @ Goutam Dutta
Straight From My Heart 
Goutam, this is a beautiful tanka! I especially like the use of the word “shiuli” in your native tongue, instead of calling it night jasmine. It adds a sense of India to your words. As I am a believer in many goddesses, I also love how you wrote about the things important to you. Well done!
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Thank you so much Colleen for your words of praise and encouragement. We, in India have a whole range of Gods and Goddesses to choose from..330 million is what is commonly said. 😊
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I’m a pagan and a Buddhist, so I understand. ❤️
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I really love this poem, and appreciate the information you’ve provided. Wonderful to celebrate women, and I can imagine the flower is quite lovely and fragrant.
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Thank you so much. 😊
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You’re most welcome 🙂
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Amazing
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Thank you so much. So happy to note that you enjoyed my write. 🙂
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My pleasure
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I loved the line, “In the air winter’s clue” That perfectly describes autumn in any country. Thank you for the poem and the mini lesson. I had no idea that any country worshipped 330 million gods and goddesses. It would take several lifetimes to get to know them all.
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😀 If you ask an Indian, I can bet that he/she wouldn’t be able to provide names of more than 20-25. Many of them are nature’s elements like Air, sun, etc whom we have elevated to God’s status. Thrilled to know that you enjoyed my write. Thank you. 😊🙏
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Beautiful… love that word “shiuli”, even sounds beautiful. Love the info at the end. It added greater meaning for me. Thanks.
Pat
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Am so happy that you enjoyed my write and found it informative as well. Thank you so much. Yes, the flower “Shiuli” is a very beautiful flower though it’s existence is very short lived and hence sometimes associated with melancholia as well. It falls away and can be found littered on the ground early morn of autumn. It has a typical fragrance and leaves a pleasant yellow stain on hands if rubbed.
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Sounds like this cactus I read about. It blooms ONE night per year. A night-blooming cereus flower. Pretty cool.
Pat
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Naah…not a cactus but a tree which yields beautiful flowers….the English name is night jasmine…scientific name..Nytanthes arbor-tristis . The flowers are sometimes associated with melancholy by poets because of it’s short life- one usually finds them lying scattered on the ground in the morning. 😊
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Cool 😊
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Goutam, this is a wonderful poem. I liked it a lot for all of the reasons mentioned above and more, your poem certainly heralds celebration of itself and its intricate passion 🙂
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Thank you so much for your wonderful comments. Autumn season heralds festivals in India and a time for celebration. This year is going to be a pretty depressing autumn though, thanks to this pandemic. Thanks so much once again for letting me know you enjoyed reading my write. 😊
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