haikaiTALKS: a saturday gathering! 14th June 2025

haikaiTALKS: Seasonal Words | a saturday gathering under the banyan tree

A Disclaimer

Responsibility for the originality of the haikai rests solely with the submitting poet. 

Should anyone feel it is similar to another haikai, they are encouraged to directly reach out to the concerned poet.

Triveni Haikai India will take action, if any, on the recommendation of the submitting poet.

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host: Srinivasa Sambangi

14th June 2025

haikaiTALKS: a saturday gathering under the banyan tree

Your host for haikaiTALKS: Srinivas Sambangi

haikaiTALKS 14th June 2025

Indian Saijiki:

For the next few weeks we will focus on haiku based on Indian seasonal words. We often refer to World Kigo Data (WKD) base for the seasonal words. There is a special section in WKD website on Indian Saijiki which was mostly contributed by Kala Ramesh. While the focus is on picking typical Indian seasonal words, I will choose three words every week which are not unknown to the rest of the world as prompts. Poets outside India my use their own kigo similar to what is discussed to write and post this week.

Unlike many other countries, according to the classical text of Ritusamharam, India has six seasons, each season comprising two months.

Spring - called Vasant（Basant) - in the months of Chaitra and Vaishakh

approximately March and April

Summer – called Grishma –in the months of Jaishthya and Aashadh

approximately May and June

Rains – called Varsha - in the months of Shravan and Bhadrapad

approximately July and August

Autumn called Sharad - in the months of Aashwin and Kartik

approximately September and October

Frost – called Hemant – in the months of Margshishya and Pousha

approximately November and December

Winter - called Shishir - in the months of Magh and Phalgun

approximately January and February.

The rainy season (Varsha ritu) in India starts in July and ends in August with some spill over on either side. This week, let’s explore rainy season Indian kigo.

Kigo chosen for this week are:

1. Independence Day

More than 150 countries in the world celebrate Independence Day, though the date varies from country to country. These dates commemorate the historical independence of a nation, often from colonial rule or other forms of external domination. India’s Independence Day, celebrated on August 15th, commemorates the nation’s liberation from British rule in 1947. All government and private offices, schools & colleges, armed forces and police personnel celebrate the day, hoisting national flag followed by patriotic songs and other cultural programs. Children participate in these events with a great fervour and these events remain as life long memories.

another

flag-draped coffin

Independence Day

-- Chen-ou Liu

Independence Day—

I let him touch

a little bit of me

-- Fay Aoyagi,

Frogpond, 24:3

2. Monsoon rain/puddles/raincoat

India receives 80% of its rain during monsoon season. India is a diversified country and the start and end of the monsoon varies from state to state, though it’s predominantly in July and August. Rains are lifeline for India, as 16 to 18% of the GDP is contributed by agriculture and more than 42% of the population’s livelihood depends on it. It’s a common scene in India, many commuters carry a raincoat/umbrella during this season

road puddles —

umbrellas dip

at each passing car

-- A.Thiagarajan,

Heron’s Nest, Vol VIII:4, 2006

monsoon rain —

a barber trims

the money plant

-- Srinivasa Rao Sambangi,

Failed Haiku, August 2021

3. earthworms/millipedes/centipedes

Earthworms, centipedes and millipedes are most active in the rainy season in India due to their preference for damp, moist environments. They are also found in some other seasons but they appear in abundance in rainy season.

marching with its shadow the millipede casts doubt

• Grix (Robin Anna Smith)

  from the book “the new green”

earthworm

the angle

of the robin’s head

-- Kat Lehmann,

Frogpond 2019

deserted train track

a group of millipedes

going south

--Srinivasa Rao Sambangi,

haikuKATHA, Issue 40, Feb 2025

Looking forward to see your haiku this week with any of the above rainy season kigo. While the above kigo is preferred this week, you (especially poets outside India) may choose any other rain kigo

Ref:

https://indiasaijikiworlkhaiku.blogspot.com/2006/12/seasonal-words-list.html

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KIGO WORDS

Shall we please try to include a kigo word in all the poems we share here?

Give the season and the word — under your poem. 

I'm quoting Lev Hart's request here: "This week’s goal is to compose two verses with toriawase, blending wabi, sabi, karumi, mono no aware, and/or yugen. Tell us which aesthetic concepts you mean to express in a line below the verse. Strive for originality. Avoid stock phrases and shopworn images."

For seasonal references, please check these lists:

“A Dictionary of Haiku Classified by Season Words with Traditional and Modern Methods,” by Jane Reichhold:

https://thehaikufoundation.org/omeka/files/original/7fb6654a1dfd1afef97369da920530f8.pdf

indian subcontinent SAIJIKI:

https://www.trivenihaikai.in/indian-saijiki

The Five Hundred Essential Japanese Season Words:

http://www.2hweb.net/haikai/renku/500ESWd.html

The World Kigo Database:

https://wkdkigodatabase03.blogspot.com/

The Yuki Teikei Haiku Season Word List:

https://yths.org/season-word-list/

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Thank you for this post, Srinivas.

I hope our poets take the challenge and create a haiku on these lines! You have been so well for the last many months.

Greatly indebted to you.

Dear Members,

Please give your feedback on others' commentary and poems, too. _()_

We are continuing haikaiTALKS grandly!

Keep writing and commenting! _kala