I BA LITERATUREIV HOUR13TH JULY 2011SPIC HALLBYS. NEHRU

IMPORTANT IDEAS

• This poem is a critique of the poets praising only the glory of the river

• Ramanujan presents what the other poets failed to do

• Poets, both ancient and modern simply glorified the river

• Ramanujan says that their claims may be true only once in a year

IMPORTANT IDEAS

• Flooding of river is not only a sign of prosperity but also a cover for the fatal consequences of the same

• Flood is capable of bringing adversity at times • Summer takes away the charm of the river • The symbol of cow and buffalo is effectively

used• He presents identical twins [cows]. They signify

the old and new poets who glorified the river

In Madurai,city of temples and poets,who sang of cities and temples,every summera river dries to a tricklein the sand,baring the sand ribs,straw and women's hairclogging the watergatesat the rusty barsunder the bridges with patchesof repair all over themthe wet stones glistening like sleepycrocodiles, the dry onesshaven water-buffaloes lounging in the sunThe poets only sang of the floods.

In Madurai,city of temples and poets,

Madurai is a city of temples. It is also aCity of poets. Several poets lived in MaduraiAnd contributed for poetry

who sang of cities and temples,

The poets sang about cities and temples.

Madurai is described here.

every summera river dries to a tricklein the sand,

In Madurai the poet goes to a river. It may be any riverHe did not use definite article. Though the poet did not mentionThe name of the river it is evident that he speaks of the River Vaigai

Trickle means, water falling in drops or flowing in to thin stream.In the sand one could find the flow of few drops. Here the river in summer isDescribed when there is no water

Usually poets praise the river when it is flooded. But, Ramanujan is unusual inPresenting the dry river

baring the sand ribs,

Sand ribs

The river is left only with thin streamOf water and sand ribs

straw and women's hairclogging the watergates

Water gates are the opening for the water through which water passes

Obstructing or hindering-clogging

The straw and women’s hair prevent water from flowing out of waterGates. Here the scarcity of water in the river is presented.

at the rusty barsunder the bridges with patchesof repair all over them

Under the bridges the iron bars gained rust. And the bridge requiredRepair in some parts. The bridge was used less because there was no water

Rust formation. Rust is formed When iron material is not maintained. Rust is the formation of brown layer inThe iron. When any iron object is not in use for long time rust is formed

the wet stones glistening like sleepycrocodiles

The wet stones are shining like sleeping crocodiles

the dry onesshaven water-buffaloes lounging in the sun

Buffalo lounging in the sun.Lounging-wandering-moving from Here and there

The dry stones look like the buffalo

The poets only sang of the floods.

Here the poet finds fault with other poets sayingThat they sang only about floods. Before Charging so the poet brings out the river whenIt is dry during summer.

In the first stanza the poetintroduces a river. He presents the

river when it is dry. He presents images to suggest the dryness of

the river. Towards the end he says that the other poets sang the praise

of the river when it is flooded.

First StanzaSummary

Sites.google.com/site/englishdepartmentvoccollege