I used to wear
A strange dress
Called ghalek and lungi.
I looked strange
While others around me
Flaunted their gunyu choli
I always thought
Why only me?
Why do I look so alien?
My vernacular words
Seemed tongue twisters
To my new neighbours
So I thought of
Learning their language
And ended up
Speaking their tongue.
My culture and tradition
Started looking ages-old
And I don't know
How I started following
New customs and traditions.
It all happened
Gradually and gradually
Till I lost
My own identity.
So,
One day I decided
To get rid of
My old fashioned name
Chhedingmo
And started callling myself
Parvati.
***
Parvati Kunda is a religious high altitude wetland in Rasuwa district of Nepal bordering China. It's called Chhedingmo by Tamangs, the indigenous people of that region.
Republished from my Instagram account.
No comments:
Post a Comment