Bangle sellers are we who bear
Our shining loads to the temple fair…
Who will buy these delicate, bright
Rainbow-tinted circles of light?
Lustrous tokens of radiant lives,
For happy daughters and happy wives.
Some are meet for a maiden’s wrist,
Silver and blue as the mountain mist,
Some are flushed like the buds that dream
On the tranquil brow of a woodland stream,
Some are aglow with the bloom that cleaves
To the limpid glory of new born leaves
Some are like fields of sunlit corn,
Meet for a bride on her bridal morn,
Some, like the flame of her marriage fire,
Or, rich with the hue of her heart’s desire,
Tinkling, luminous, tender, and clear,
Like her bridal laughter and bridal tear.
Some are purple and gold flecked grey
For she who has journeyed through life midway,
Whose hands have cherished, whose love has blest,
And cradled fair sons on her faithful breast,
And serves her household in fruitful pride,
And worships the gods at her husband’s side.
Word-notes
- Lustrous: Shining or glowing with light.
- Maiden: A young unmarried woman.
- Flushed: Having a reddened or rosy complexion.
- Cleaves: Adheres closely to; clings to.
- Limpid: Clear and transparent.
- Aglow: Glowing with warmth or excitement.
- Tinkling: Emitting a light, clear, ringing sound.
- Bridal: Related to a bride or a wedding.
- Blest: Blessed; favored by fortune or divine grace.
- Cradeled: Held gently and protectively.
- Fruitful: Productive; yielding good results.
- Cherished: Held dear; deeply loved or valued.
- Journeyed: Travelled; gone through a journey.
- Midway: At or near the middle point.
- Faithful: Loyal; steadfast in allegiance or duty.
- Tokens: Symbols or signs representing something else.
- Tranquil: Calm and peaceful.
- Luminous: Emitting or reflecting light, especially in the dark.
- Tender: Gentle and loving.
- Agile: Able to move quickly and easily.
- Bloom: The state or period of greatest beauty, freshness, or vigor.
- Circlets: Small circular bands or rings.
- Radiant: Emitting rays of light; shining brightly.
- Shimmering: Glowing softly with wavering light.
- Heed: Pay attention to; take notice of.
Prose
Semester I
- An Astrologer’s Day – R K Narayan
- The Swami and Mother- Worship – Sister Nivedita
- Amarnath – Sister Nivedita
Semester II
- The Garden Party- Katherine Mansfield
- Alias Jimmy Valentine- o’ Henry
- Of Studies – Francis Bacon
- Nobel Lecture – Mother Teresa
Verse
Semester I
- Composed Upon Westminster Bridge- William Wordsworth
- The Bangle Sellers – Sarojini Naidu
- The Second Coming – W B Yeats
Semester II
Rapid Reader
Semester I
Semester II
