5000 steps leading to a temple
streams of pilgrims crawling up like ants
bags of fear on broken backs
steered by hopes of a miracle
rocky terrains beneath tired feet
cottony clouds reading thoughts
I’m tempted to ask the Goddess
to descend from assumed heights
meet believers and negotiate
terms of contract
spelt in red threads
-wishes tied on wavering branches
I’m sure she wants to
shrug the burden of expectations
mourn the loss of powers she held
run down the majestic stairs
find a place to uncrown
-to just be herself
Creative Experiments and More 
Excellent poem, Reena.
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Thank you so much!
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I wonder if those pilgrimages have always been like that, that you have to pay for even climbing… Or they get robbed all the time… And many have some graffiti and such…
As a god I would surely escape such a place.
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They don’t have to pay for climbing. They offer gifts in the temple as per their financial capacity.
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oh, perhaps it’s different then, the places I wanted to go to asked for a fee. Even one of the churches did here…
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Gods should not ask for piedestals and reverence… to me it probably has more to do with priests and human power.
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Yes. Priests create seats of power by using God as a backdrop.
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That’s exactly what Jesus, God’s Son, did!
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Gods need a platform to speak.
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Now that’s an interesting proposition , Gods and Goddesses, wishing to negotiate a new contract with us humans. That’s a whole story in itself.
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Go ahead and write it 😃
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interesting perspective… to be a human with all our weaknesses… i can remember catholics climbing stairs to visit the tomb of a dead saint… i had to go too to see what was there… it was sad to read how the temples are being robbed….
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Only once in my life, I had been to two spots located in the same city – a Dargah and a temple.
I found the same malpractices in both places to fleece visitors. An appointed representative (not commissioned) takes charge to guide you, and keeps asking you to pay at least 4 points.
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A lot of pressure on a Goddess….
An intriguing poem.
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If devotees keep asking for favours instead of leading honest and contented lives, I’m sure the gods want to escape places of worship.
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Kalika Mata has a terrifying appearance, often depicted with dark skin, a necklace of skulls, and a lolling red tongue, but she is deeply revered by her devotees as a loving, protective Divine Mother.
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There are so many goddesses with the originals and reincarnations that I’ve lost track.
The latest scandals are huge quantities of silver and gold disappearing from temples, or being replaced with cadmium. The robberies make a mockery of faith and offerings. Might as well pray at home.
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