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In 'A River,' Ramanujan critiques the romanticized view of Indian life by depicting the harsh realities of rural existence, highlighting the neglect of human suffering amidst natural disasters. The poem contrasts traditional poetic themes with the tragic consequences of floods, emphasizing the emotional pain of loss, particularly through the imagery of a pregnant woman and her unborn twins. Similarly, in 'Obituary,' Ramanujan explores the burdens of family responsibilities and the impact of death on social and cultural practices, illustrating how life continues amidst grief and the ordinary realities of existence.

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6 views1 page

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In 'A River,' Ramanujan critiques the romanticized view of Indian life by depicting the harsh realities of rural existence, highlighting the neglect of human suffering amidst natural disasters. The poem contrasts traditional poetic themes with the tragic consequences of floods, emphasizing the emotional pain of loss, particularly through the imagery of a pregnant woman and her unborn twins. Similarly, in 'Obituary,' Ramanujan explores the burdens of family responsibilities and the impact of death on social and cultural practices, illustrating how life continues amidst grief and the ordinary realities of existence.

Uploaded by

akhaikumartripura4
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

In “A River,” Ramanujan sets the poem in Madurai, described as a “city of temples and

poets.” This immediately reflects the rich cultural and religious background of India.
However, instead of praising this tradition, the poet presents a realistic image. During
summer, the river “dries to a trickle,” exposing “sand ribs” and waste like “straw and women’s
hair.” These images show the neglected and harsh side of Indian life, especially in rural
areas. The use of familiar images like “water-buffaloes” and “crocodiles” connects the poem
strongly with Indian environment and culture.
Ramanujan then shifts to the flood, which is usually praised in traditional poetry. People talk
about the “inches rising” and the “cobbled steps” covered by water. But the poet focuses on
the real tragedy—the flood “carried off three village houses,” “a pregnant woman,” and cows
named “Gopi and Brinda.” These details show the human suffering behind natural events.
The naming of cows reflects Indian culture, where animals are part of family life. However,
the loss of human life, especially the pregnant woman “with perhaps twins,” adds deep
emotional pain.
The poet strongly criticizes both old and modern poets. He says that poets “only sang of the
floods” and ignored the real suffering. Even the “new poets” simply “quoted the old poets”
and failed to mention the tragic death of the woman. This shows that Indian literary tradition
sometimes ignores reality and focuses only on beauty. Ramanujan uses irony in the final
lines, where he describes the unborn twins in detail, like “different coloured diapers,” to show
how people talk about small details but ignore real human tragedy. Thus, the poem presents
Indian life as a mixture of tradition, suffering, and social indifference.

A. K. Ramanujan in “Obituary” shows Indian life and culture through the death of the father.
The poem begins, “Father, when he passed on, left dust… left debts and daughters,”
showing family burden and responsibility in Indian society. The phrase “debts and daughters”
reflects economic and social duties.
The line “a bedwetting grandson named… after him” shows family tradition, where names
continue across generations. The image of “a house that leaned slowly… on a bent coconut
tree” suggests instability in family life.
The poem also presents Indian death rituals. The father “burned properly at the cremation,”
and the sons follow the priest, “facing east where three rivers met.” This reflects religious
customs and beliefs.
Ramanujan shows how life becomes small after death. The father “got two lines in an inside
column of a Madras newspaper sold by the kilo.” This shows the ordinary reality of life and
death. The newspaper is reused for “salt, coriander, and jaggery,” showing daily life
continues.
Finally, “he left us a changed mother and more than one annual ritual,” showing emotional
loss and cultural practices.

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