At Salsette Island

 

At Kanheri,

The caves were what we always saw

Until that day, walking to the top,

We saw all of Salsette island,

A sprawling city,

Topped by a golden pagoda

 

This was the Buddha

Of the future:

Yesterday’s stone turned to gold

Statue turned to stupa

While we connected this flow

Of time, and space

 

I see monsoon colours in your eyes

As you smile, disagree –

There need be no continuity, you say

We are but specks of loneliness

Boats of existence

Floating from isle to isle

 

Sometimes, caves of distant past

Sometimes, ashes of the Lord

We, who cannot feel

The streams within us

What rivers of time

Do we claim to join in this cosmic ocean?

Indigo clouds arise

Under the moist eyes of the Buddha

For a brief moment,

You and I, still islands

Form an archipelago

In the sea of existence…

 

20^th Jan, 2026

 

Salsette Island, in Maharashtra, India, is a densely populated island forming the core of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, home to most of Mumbai, Thane, and Mira-Bhayandar. Its name comes from "Sashti" (66), referring to its historic villages, and it's known for its diverse geography, including the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, major lakes like Vihar and Tulsi, and significant wetlands. Historically a collection of smaller islands, they were connected to form greater Mumbai, a project that began in the 18th century.