Kangri (Fire Pot)
Rayees Ahmad Kumar
Hugging close to our chests
Veiled by the winter attires
Infusing new life
To our dead and chilled bodies
Inseparable part of our rich culture
Centuries old, during the winter period
Choice of children, youth and adults alike
Immediately after the greetings
Arrival of the guests during the chill
Mark’s your glimpse and service prior to the tea
Kept unattended on the balconies
For months till the onset of
Chillaikalan, it is again looked for
Decorating it with multiple colours
Makes it special and expensive
And in wedding ceremonies the one
Used to welcome the bride- groom
Has been our tradition since time immemorial
In the age of modern gadgets and technology
You being the unique companion to every Kashmiri
Would you ever be forgotten?
Unlikely, because of the deep rooted bond
The one who first invented you
Skillfully designed and the art
Of making it passed through generations
Fetching livelihood to a big chunk of pop
Oh! Dear inventor of the Kangri
We owe a lot to you
For bestowing us with this priceless gift
From biting cold giving us respite
(The writer is a columnist and hails from Qazigund Kashmir)