Introduction of the Poem: “A Country” (1983) is one of Jayanta Mahapatra’s overtly political poems in which he suggests that suffering is universal, no matter what the social or the political order may be. It is not a poem about some particular country. In fact, it is a comment on all poverty – stricken Asian … Read more
Introduction of the Poem: While in “Dhauli” Mahapatra deals with a significant historical omission, in “Grandfather” (1983) the disasters of the Orissa famine of 1866 are viewed from a biographical perspective. The poet tries to recreate and re – enact the harrowing experience of his grandfather, Chintamani Mahapatra, who was compelled to convert to Christianity … Read more
Introduction of the Poem: “Dhauli” (1979) is a sensitive account of the Kalinga War (261 BC) that wiped off thousands of lives to satiate a single individual’s hunger for power. Mahapatra does not hail the power and military exploits of Ashoka. His sympathy reaches out instead to the vanquished and the dead who find no … Read more
Introduction of the Poem: In “Hunger” (from The Rain of Rites, 1976), the dramatic narrative, which unfolds in four taut stanzas, is based on the privations of a poor fisherman who drives his young daughter into prostitution. Hunger for food merges with the hunger for sex as the narrator – protagonist accepts the fisherman’s offer … Read more
Introduction of the Poem: “Ghanashyam” appeared in Kamala Das’ Stranger Time (1977). Ghanashyam is another name for Lord Krishna, who used to play, frolic and flirt with women all of whom adored him; they would be ecstatic when they heard the notes he produced on his flute. A married woman Radha fell in love with … Read more
Introduction of the Poem: Luminol, taken from The Old Playhouse and Other Poems (1973), has been named after a sleep inducing pill. This irregularly written fourteen – line poem, is about the poetess’ longing for deep slumber from which nothing can arouse or awaken her. Critical Summary: Her husband’s treatment of her, particularly during … Read more
Introduction of the Poem: In The Old Playhouse, taken from The Old Playhouse and Other Poems (1973), Kamala Das recounts the unsatisfactory and disappointing conjugal life with her husband, and expresses her resolve to free herself from the prison of her husband’s house. Critical Summary: The poet compares herself to a swallow and her … Read more
Introduction of the Poem: “The Dance of the Eunuchs,” The first poem in Kamala Das’ collection of poems, Summer in Calcutta (1965), set the tone and the temper of all the poems in that anthology, the tone being one of frustration and the temper being the futility of love. The eunuch is incapable of performing … Read more
Introduction of the Poem: In The Looking – Glass, Kamala Das offers a few suggestions to woman on how to maximize their pleasure during the sex act with their lovers and admirers. When he leaves her and she does not find an equally existing and stimulating partner, she despairs and life loses its charm. … Read more
Introduction of the Poem: The poetess here recalls her experience of having sex with one of her lovers. He went away after making love to her but she could not forget the delicious experience and its bitter – sweet memory continued to haunt her. Critical Summary: One day the poet felt as if a … Read more