NINE NIGHTS: AN ANTHEM TO INDIAN MALE HYPOCRISY

Nine nights of sincere praise

Nine nights of holy reverence

While other nights and all our days

Are filled with callous indifference

We call her the Adhi Sakthi Mother

We call her the Divine Goddess

But then we don’t even bother

And then keep her under duress

Nine nights of sincere praise

Nine nights of holy reverence

While other nights and all our days

Are filled with callous indifference

We call her Maha Durga

The destroyer of all impurity

But then just abuse her

With such Maha impunity

Nine nights of sincere praise

Nine nights of holy reverence

While other nights and all our days

Are filled with callous indifference

We call her Tiripura Sundari

The lady with divine beauty

But to molest her we are ever ready

Forgetting that to protect her is our duty

Nine nights of sincere praise

Nine nights of holy reverence

While other nights and all our days

Are filled with callous indifference

We call her Annapurna

The mother who feeds us every day

But do you really know

How families fail to feed her everyday?

Nine nights of sincere praise

Nine nights of holy reverence

While other nights and all our days

Are filled with callous indifference

We call her the Divine Goddess Gayatri

The one who illuminates the consciousness

But fail to understand her per se

And rape her till she goes unconscious

Nine nights of insincere praise

Nine nights of unholy reverence

While other nights and all our days

Are filled with callous indifference

We call her Lalithambika

The giver of all boons

Then in buses we rub and brush

While she suffers all these goons

Nine nights of insincere praise

Nine nights of unholy reverence

While other nights and all our days

Are filled with callous indifference

We call her Lakshmi

We say she brings wealth

But then just tell me

Why we kill her in stealth

Nine nights of insincere praise

Nine nights of unholy reverence

While other nights and all our days

Are filled with callous indifference

We call her Saraswathi

The fount of all knowledge

But then refuse to educate her

And to her suffering, we pledge

Nine nights of insincere praise

Nine nights of unholy reverence

While other nights and all our days

Are filled with callous indifference

We call Mahishasura Mardhini

The vanquisher of the demon king

But in office we don’t let her work free

And try to exploit her like non-living thing

Nine nights of insincere praise

Nine nights of unholy reverence

While other nights and all our days

Are filled with callous indifference

We call her Raja Rajeswari

The protector of the weak

But only give her a lot of worry

So that she’s afraid to speak.

Nine nights of insincere praise

Nine nights of unholy reverence

While other nights and all our days

Are filled with callous indifference

This poem has been written on the occasion of the Indian festival of Navaratri which literally means Nine Nights. Navratri is a very important and major festival in most Indian states. During these nine nights and ten days, the nine forms or nine incarnations of the Mother Goddess a.k.a. Shakti/Devi are worshiped. The tenth day is commonly referred to as Vijayadashami or "Dussehra", a day of Victory over evil.  Navaratri in 2013 will start on Saturday, the 5th of October and will continue for 9 days until Sunday, the 13th of October.