Silly enough to risk her own health And then they came en masse
needs that finally shortened her To rescue her back, after mass
precious life she died on 5th April 08. A mass, so genuine and germane
At her funeral as I stood in that From the concluded ritual profane
deep forest experiencing such glory One people, one body, hoisted her
such bonding and such blindness of It just couldn’t be any grander
the religion of my birth, I just could Such attention she once detested
not help penning these feelings on Now in slumber she just couldn’t resist it
the blackboard of my mind. I owe Yelling multitudes marched in rounds
this to her - the one who may never Drummers, trumpeters around the grounds
be remembered in history (and I am
sure couldn’t have cared less), but No Saints go marching here
who went on to make it……… No heaven’s inn to get in
No burning hell too to fear
As saintly women anointed her
To be their new ancestor
th
Xavier Dias 6 April 2008
i
The Adivasis of Jharkhand have been an unacknowledged people and kept in the darkness of any human rights.
ii
The Santhal festival of spring
iii
A beautiful spring flower of the Mahua tree a staple food as well as used to make alcohol.
iv
The number of shrouds people brought to cover her on her final journey was overwhelming