The Fall Of an Ancestral Home

This ancient mansion has been our home
For years as it stood in majestic splendour
Here we have come seeking solace in hours of gloom
In this haven of peace we have lived without a care

Cheerful childhood days spent in gay abandon
In this citadel of love with delight and fun
The spiritual bond with the home of ancestors
Strong as ever unbroken it remains

On festive days we have come here to rejoice
On days of mourning we shared our grief here
To laugh and to weep we came here together
Within these walls we felt secure and stronger

This glorious abode with tiled roof and wooden ceiling
Its rooms with coloured glasses cozy and cooling
Long porticoes with pillars huge and strong
Has been a symbol of our fraternal love

The love that binds us together in lasting oneness
The love bestowed on us by a father so beloved
Love showered on us by a mother so solicitous
Herein lies a host of memories we cherish

We watched in deep distress and pain
Its roofed entrance gate getting pulled down
And the old jackfruit tree being brought down
By ruthless hands that knew not its worth

As we wait for the highest bidder to set a price
A paltry sum for this priceless heritage
An agony too deep for tears fills our hearts
Helpless victims aren’t we all to fate?


[Written when the negotiation for the sale of ancestral home was going on ]