Another letter, another town. This time, I take you on a voyage to Harihar; and yes, my heart beats for Harihar in so many of its beats and so many ways. You see, it is the town I grew up in and lived my entire childhood in, all the way till I was 18 years old and headed out of town to a college elsewhere. So today as I approach the letter H, my heart remembers Harihar, and I decided to share the wonders of this in the middle-of-everywhere (used to feel like the middle-of-nowhere when I lived there, but is a more sprawling place now – grew from town to city after all!) childhood place.
This post contains Amazon and other affiliate links, that at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission. Please see the full disclosure for more information. I only recommend products I would (or have already) use myself.
My Heart Beats for Harihar
My Heart Beats for Harihar
Come, all you travelers, listen to me,
Of a town that’s part of many a sweet memory.
My heart beats for Harihar, oh, so true,
This city the river Tungabhadra flows through
Chorus:
Ho, ho, one and all, let us hoist the literary sails,
We’re bound for Harihar today, and we cannot fail,
Through wordly rapids and bends, we’ll make our way,
To the town of Harihar, where we’ll rest and play.
Harihar city, with its legends so old,
Of gods and goddesses, of stories untold,
From Harihara to Mother Mary, they abound,
Their blessings on the town, forever profound.
(Chorus)
Hear this legend of the demon Guhasura
Who lived on the banks of the Tungabhadra
Appeased the Lord Brahma and got a pretty cool blessing
That neither god nor mortal would bring his life to an ending
(Chorus)
So yes, with this boon, he soon became a menace..
having the devas seeking assistance
Thus, Shiva and Vishnu came together as HariHara
And with their combined power, they killed Guhasura
(Chorus)
Thus they say, this place got its Harihara name
and the Hoysala-era temple brought it more fame…
Today, the city is bustling with industry
A smooth intertwining of modernity and history!
(Chorus)
Harihareshwara temple is indeed an amazing sight
You can see the left is Vishnu and Shiva is the right.
In its architecture, are marvels you shouldn’t miss
and the coolness of its soap stone pure bliss!
(Chorus)
This city is its state’s geographic center
and of languages and cultures, a cool juncture.
People from all over, call this place their home
Creating a harmony, that’s felt wherever you roam.
(Chorus)
Harihara, where the Tungabhadra flows,
Is a town so green, where life’s hectic pace slows,
The gentle breeze and sunshine bright,
Make each day a pleasant delight.
~ Vidya @ LadyInReadWrites
The Sea Shanty to Harihar
For day 10, the optional prompt for NaPoWriMo is to write a sea shanty, so I tried using that to tell my tale of Harihar, the place of my childhood.
References and Further Reading
My H Books
Heartbeat
Heartbeat by Sharon Creech (Stories in Verse /Children’s Multigenerational Fiction | 8 – 12 years, and up)
Twelve-year-old Annie ponders the many rhythms of life the year that her mother becomes pregnant, her grandfather begins faltering, and Max, her best friend and running partner, becomes distant.
So I have read a few of Sharon Creech’s books and loved each one of them; like Love That Dog. And this book is no different. From the very first Footfalls to the very last page, Creech’s words keep us moving forward and too soon, we are done and run out of words to read. This amazing free-verse narrative about friendships, family, and more is a must-read.
Here’s a Little Poem
Here’s A Little Poem: A Very First Book of Poetry compiled by Jane Yolen and Andrew Fusek Peters, and illustrated by Polly Dunbar (Children’s Poetry | 1 – 3 years, and up)
Carefully gathered by Jane Yolen and Andrew Fusek Peters and delightfully illustrated by Polly Dunbar, Here’s a Little Poem offers a comprehensive introduction to some remarkable poets, even as it captures a very young child’s intense delight in the experiences and rituals of every new day.
My little review of this book of little poems – delightful!! Both in the selected poems and the sweet, tender, colorful artwork!
And Now, the End of This Post
Linking up to BlogChatterA2Z, Blogging from A-to-Z April Challenge, NaPoWriMo, and the Ultimate Blog Challenge.
Vidya, you are amazing. Thank you for all this. I am so glad you have fine and fun memories of Harihar. Now what is this structure in the final photograph? Is that the temple? Do you ever wonder who came up with the complex details of its design? Who thinks this stuff up? Thanks for another great post.
thank you Kebba, for your encouraging comments and unwavering support! Yes, that is the front of the temple.. And it is amazing how these temples were built centuries ago.. each time I visit this temple, I marvel at its beauty and its complexity and at the marvel it is!!
You are so talented! Love these poems and hearing about all of these new places and parts of your culture.
Who doesn’t love a sea shanty! I have had many phrases emanating from the lives of sailors in my A to Z theme this year and this poetry form – so ably illustrated by you is great!
[…] running in April and rather than do two separate posts, Vidya gives us a mash-up or fusion. so in My Heart Beats for Harihar, her H post, Vidya writes a poem celebrating the town she grew up in as a Sea Shanty – the […]