Ramzan Mela [Free Verse]

A fire flares
   up Mosque Road.

Orange flames burn brightly 
    beyond the ovals lit by 
    feeble streetlamps.

Some fat 's hit the fire,
    and the smoke 's
    rising high.

The throngs have arrived --
    hungry & huddled,
    with tiny plates of 
    jiggly cubed meat.

The pious --
    angry stomachs, 
    vibrating to sundown

&

Impious Instagrammers
    (or, at least, substantially less pious,)
    having their eighth tiny meal
    of the day
    (some spit into a bucket, Hollywood-style.)

All gathered to break bread --
    except there is no bread
    (save the occasional roomali roti) 

So, instead, they bite basa or mutton 
    or chicken or camel or prawns --

all smoky

all devoured. 

DAILY PHOTO: Brimming Waterfall

DAILY PHOTO: Russell Market, Bangalore

Taken in March of 2023 in Bangalore

DAILY PHOTO: Kodachadri Overlook in the Dry Season

DAILY PHOTO: Green Rice & Brown Hills

DAILY PHOTO: Views from Bidanur Fort

DAILY PHOTO: Post Monkey, Elephanta Island

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DAILY PHOTO: Chavundaraya Basadi, Shravanbelagola

DAILY PHOTO: Kashmir

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DAILY PHOTO: Pune After Dark