haikaiTALKS: a saturday gathering! 21st 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

21st June 2025

haikaiTALKS: a saturday gathering under the banyan tree

Your host for haikaiTALKS: Srinivas Sambangi

haikaiTALKS 21st June 2025

INDIAN SAIJIKI

For two more 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 each week which are not unknown to the rest of the world as prompts. Poets outside India may 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 Phalgunapproximately January and February

This week our focus will be on Autumn (Sharad Ritu) and Frost (Hemant). Sharad Ritu in India starts in Septmber and ends in October with some spill over on either side. It’s followed by Hemant Ritu which lasts until winter solstice. Hemant is the season of early winter in India. Sharad and Hemant are full of festivals beginning with Ganesh Chaturdhi.

Kigo chosen for this week are:

1. Sharad Purnima/the moon/harvest moon

   
   

Sharad Purnima is Autumn moon in English. Sharad Purnima is known for its exceptionally bright and clear moonlight. In Hindu tradition, it’s believed that the moon shines with all sixteen kalas (qualities like divine form, beauty. strength etc.,) on this night, making the rays particularly beneficial. Some people stay awake and meditate under the moonlight on Sharad Purnima, believing it aligns the mind, body and spirit and brings out a sense of peace and balance. It’s also celebrated as a ritual by farmers because it signifies the beginning of harvest season bringing joy and prosperity. This year it will be celebrated on October 6th. 

harvest moon —

I circle the pond

all night

        — Matsuo Bashō   (Tr. D. Lanoue) 

my children

with their lovers tonight

harvest moon

            --Bruce H. Feingold

a peasant’s child

stops hulling rice

gazes at the moon

             --Matsuo Basho (Tr by Jane Reichhold)

2. Teacher’s day

India and its culture has always given paramount importance to the relationship between teachers and students. Taking the tradition a step forward,  every year on September 5th  the nation celebrates Teacher’s Day to honor the contributions of the teachers in shaping the sudents’ and hence the nation’s future. This date is chosen to be the Teacher’s Day to commemorate the birth anniversary of one of India’s most revered scholars, educator and former president of the country, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

parent-teacher meeting

taking the longer

way home                

       -- Tomislav Sjekloća, Haiku Dialogu, March 18, 2020

the focus

on students less bright

astronomy class

       --Srinivasa Rao Sambangi, Failed Haiku, Issue #99

3. Marigold/chrysanthemum

A variety of flowers like marigolds, chrysanthemums, roses, dahlia, pansies bloom in autumn and winter seasons in India. These flowers are used in abundance for various festivals like Dussehra and Diwali to decorate deities, temples and household. Though the domestic demand for Indian flowers is substantial, they also get exported to the countries like USA, Germany and UK.

       chrysanthemums

       the thread slips from

       the granny’s needle

-Srinivasa Rao Sambangi, Modern Haiku, Issue 49:3, Autumn 2018

       restless child

       popping the heads

       off bright marigolds

               --Michelle V.Alkerton (from the book Echo revised)

       dusk;

       a bee burrows deeper

       into the marigold

               -- Emily Romano. Modern Haiku XIX:1 1988

       Before the white chrysanthemum,

       The scissors hesitate

       A moment.

-Buson (Tr by R.H.Blythe)

(According to the article, the link of which is given in the reference, the above haiku is by Soseki, not Buson though it’s attributed to Buson by R.H. Bylthe)

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

Ref:

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

 https://www.graceguts.com/essays/s%C5%8Dseki-not-buson-attributing-the-white-chrysanthemum

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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 doing 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