Introduction:
“Again, One Day, Walking by the River” is one of the most reflective and thought-provoking poems by Jayanta Mahapatra, a leading voice in Indian English poetry. The poem presents an ordinary afternoon scene by a river, where the poet carefully observes familiar sights such as a boat carrying hay, women repairing a road, smouldering tar, and lepers returning home. Through these vivid images of everyday life, Mahapatra gradually moves beyond physical description to explore deeper themes of time, memory, loneliness, suffering, and the mystery of human existence.
The repeated word “Again” in the title suggests recurrence and familiarity, emphasizing the cyclical nature of life and the poet’s continuous search for meaning in an unchanged world. The poem combines realistic observation with philosophical reflection, revealing the poet’s sense of alienation and his inability to fully understand the world around him. Rich in imagery, symbolism, and emotional depth, “Again, One Day, Walking by the River” is a fine example of Mahapatra’s ability to transform ordinary experiences into profound meditations on life, making it an important poem in modern Indian English literature.
Critical Summary:
This poem too depicts a scene. The use of the word “Again” in the title shows that the poet or the protagonist has already had an experience of the kind which he describes in this poem. As in an Imagist poem, here also we get a series of pictures though at the end there is a personal element which is alien to Imagism. The scene depicted by the protagonist is, according to him, the same which he had witnessed on a prior occasion. The river is the same; the sun is the same; and the town is the same. Out of the corner of his eye, the protagonist sees a boat loaded with yellow – coloured, fully dried hay. It seems to him that the large heap of hay is a prisoner in the hold of the boat; and it is a prisoner in the same way as a leaf, falling accidentally into a basin of water, becomes a prisoner there.
There is a tar drum lying in front of the – judge’s house; and the tar in it is smouldering as it is to be used for repairing the road. Four women workers are busy spreading the hot tar on the road which has pits and hollows on it and which, therefore, badly needs repairs. The time is two o’clock in the afternoon; and it seems to the protagonist that yesterday’s heat still clings to the old walls of the buildings around. The heat clings to the walls in the same way as salt may cling to a human being’s skin, causing him some irritation. The protagonist also finds that a light wind is blowing; but the wind is so weak and mild that he cannot judge from which direction it is coming.
The day is not yet over. (As already pointed out, it is the time of afternoon). Soon, says the protagonist, the lepers, with their bodies partly eaten away by their disease, would be walking homewards in their usual clumsy manner (after having spent all day begging money on the roads). The lepers would naturally have a look of helplessness in their eyes; and this helpless expression in their eyes would make the on – lookers indulge in all kinds of conjectures about them.
Then the protagonist abruptly says that he does not remember hearing anybody expressing his intention to mourn for him (the protagonist) at the latter’s death. What the protagonist means to say is that he knows of no one who is likely to express any grief or regret at his (the protagonist’s) death. The smoke emanating from the tar spreads imperceptibly over the surface of the water in the river nearby. The protagonist wonders where the day goes. What he means is that it is not known what happens to the day when it ends and gives place to the night. And he concludes the poem by saying that, even when the sun was shining brightly, he did not quite understand this world. Thus the world is a mystery to him during the day as well as during the night. This is a world in which he finds himself an alien.
Critical Analysis of “Again, One Day, Walking by the River”
Introduction:
“Again, One Day, Walking by the River” is one of Jayanta Mahapatra’s finest reflective poems, presenting an ordinary afternoon scene that gradually unfolds into a profound meditation on human suffering, loneliness, mortality, and the mystery of existence. The poem is deeply rooted in the landscape of Odisha, yet its concerns are universal. Mahapatra transforms familiar sights—a river, a boat, road workers, and lepers—into powerful symbols of the human condition. Through vivid imagery and philosophical reflection, he reveals that beneath the apparent sameness of everyday life lies an unsettling awareness of alienation and uncertainty.
The Illusion of Familiarity:
The poem begins with the repeated description of “the same river, the same sun, the same town.” This repetition suggests continuity and permanence in the external world. Everything appears unchanged, as though time has stood still. Yet the title itself—“Again”—indicates that the speaker has experienced this scene before. Although the surroundings remain constant, the poet’s perception has deepened. The familiar landscape becomes a mirror reflecting the complexities of human life rather than offering comfort or stability.
Vivid Imagery and Symbolism:
Mahapatra employs striking visual images that carry symbolic significance. A boat loaded with yellow hay appears trapped on the river, just as a fallen leaf becomes imprisoned in a basin of water. This seemingly simple comparison suggests the helplessness of human existence. The boat, despite floating, lacks complete freedom, symbolizing how individuals often become prisoners of circumstance, time, and destiny.
Similarly, the smouldering tar drum outside the judge’s house introduces an image of heat, labour, and hardship. The four women spreading hot tar on the damaged road represent the invisible labouring class whose physical suffering remains unnoticed by society. These images elevate ordinary objects into symbols of social inequality and human endurance.
Social Realism and Human Compassion:
A significant strength of the poem is its realistic portrayal of marginalized people. Mahapatra does not romanticize poverty; instead, he presents it with honesty and compassion. The women labourers work under the scorching afternoon sun, while the lepers, described with painful realism, slowly return home after begging. Their presence reminds readers of the neglected sections of society who continue to exist beyond the attention of the privileged.
Rather than offering political slogans or direct social criticism, the poet allows these images themselves to expose injustice. His sympathy emerges naturally through observation rather than emotional exaggeration.
The Theme of Alienation:
The poem gradually shifts from external description to internal reflection. The speaker suddenly remarks that he cannot remember anyone who would mourn his death. This unexpected statement reveals profound emotional isolation. Despite living among people, he feels disconnected from them. The loneliness expressed here is not merely personal but existential. It reflects the modern individual’s inability to establish lasting emotional relationships or discover a secure place in society.
This feeling of alienation becomes one of the poem’s central concerns. The external world continues unchanged, yet the speaker experiences himself as a stranger within it.
Time, Mortality, and the Mystery of Life:
As the afternoon slowly approaches evening, the poem becomes increasingly philosophical. The poet wonders where the day disappears after it ends. This simple question symbolizes humanity’s larger search for meaning. Just as the passing day vanishes into darkness, human life also moves silently toward death.
The concluding realization—“Even in the bright sun this was a world I did not know”—expresses the poem’s deepest insight. Light traditionally symbolizes knowledge and understanding, yet even in broad daylight the world remains mysterious. Human existence cannot be fully explained by reason or observation. This ending transforms the poem from a realistic description into a profound philosophical meditation.
Imagery and Poetic Technique:
Mahapatra’s poetic style is characterized by precision and economy. Instead of elaborate narration, he relies on a sequence of visual images that gradually accumulate emotional and philosophical meaning. The river, the hay-filled boat, the burning tar, the exhausted women workers, the lepers, and the drifting smoke all function as interconnected symbols. His free verse style allows thoughts to flow naturally, while the absence of regular rhyme enhances the realism of the poem.
The movement from objective observation to subjective reflection is one of the poem’s greatest artistic achievements. External reality becomes inseparable from the speaker’s inner consciousness.
Conclusion:
“Again, One Day, Walking by the River” is a remarkable example of Jayanta Mahapatra’s ability to transform ordinary experience into profound poetry. Through vivid imagery, symbolic landscapes, and philosophical reflection, he presents a world where familiar scenes conceal deep emotional and existential truths. The poem demonstrates that beneath the routine flow of daily life lie loneliness, suffering, mortality, and unanswered questions about existence. Its quiet tone, compassionate vision, and universal concerns make it one of Mahapatra’s most significant meditative poems and a distinguished achievement in modern Indian English poetry.