POEMS

WHITE PAPER
I do not ask
For the sun and moon from your sky
Your farm,your land,
Your high houses or mansions
I do not ask for gods or rituals,
Castes or sects
Or even for your mother, sisters, daughters.
I ask for
My rights as a man.
Each breath from my lungs
Sets off a violent trembling
In your texts and traditions
Your hells and heavens
Fearing pollution.
Your arms leapt together
To bring to ruin our dwelling places.
You’ll beat me, break me,
Loot and burn my habitation
But my friends!
How will you tear down my words
Planted like a sun in the east?
My rights: contagious caste riots
Festering city by city, village by village,
Man by man
For that’s what my rights are-
Sealed off, outcast, road-blocked, exiled.
I want my rights, give me my rights.
Will you deny this incendiary state of things?
I’ll uproot the scriptures like railway tracks.
Burn like a city bus your lawless laws
My friends!
My rights are rising like the sun.
Will you deny this sunrise?

This paper tries to fathom the pain of being rejected and outcasted by Dalits in a society that
equally belongs to them. Interestingly Dalits are not foreigners in Hindu society. At the same time,
they have not done any harm to any upper caste in India. Still, they are met with utmost hatred and
disrespect by other members of society. One cannot understand this reality with one’s rational
mind. In this paper, we shall try to realise what exactly they want from us. The poem like all other
Dalit literature is not just an aesthetic pleasure but also a social document. It is a reflective poem
that forces us to ponder on that part of India which belongs to those wretched people whom we call
Dalit. The term ‘Dalit’ is basically taken from the Sanskrit word ‘Dal’which means crushed. Dalit
includes Harijans, neo-Buddhists, Adivasis, landless farm-labourers, workers, the suffering masses,
nomadic and criminal tribes. Thus, the term denotes those unfortunate people in the Indian social
and cast structure who are denied even the basic rights of humanity.The title of the poem “White
Paper” is apt to its content. White paper is used in two main spheres: government and business-to-
business marketing. A white paper is “an authoritative report or guides helping readers to
understand an issue, solve a problem, or make a decision”. Thus, the title here denotes that it is like
an authoritative document that helps the readers to understand the problems of Dalit, at the same
time offering a solution. It is full of ‘Dalit consciousnesses.’Dalit consciousness is basically “the
revolutionary mentality connected with struggle. It is a belief in rebellion against the caste system,
recognising the human being as its focus.In the poem, Sharankumar Limbale expressed his deep-felt
desire to be treated as a human being. He rejected all the pleasures and temptations of this physical
world. The poem suggests the horrible and pathetic condition of Dalit people. For them, the other
gratifications of the body are unthinkable because they are deprived even of the very basic rights of
life.In the first stanza, he rejects all the physical, material, religious and sensual comforts of life that
are available to high cast people for centuries and in return just asks for his basic human rights,
which are essential for any human being existence. He says he desires for nothing. He does not
want the sun or moon from the sky symbolising the high ambitions of life. In the second line, he
discards the material wealth of the world—the land, farm, big houses and mansions. After rejecting
high ambition and material wealth in life he rejects religious and sensual comforts. He cast off all
the high status of high cast, superior sects and religion, at the same time he rejects lust by rejecting
woman in his life. Then he finally expresses his earnest desire to be treated as a human being. He
wants nothing but only his status as a human being. Here what is so remarkable is the deepest
yearning of a man who wants nothing from life but only wants to be treated as a human being.The
intensity with which this simple desire is expressed is a candid proof of that heinous deprivation
which Dalits face in their day-to-day life, which is beyond words.For them dreaming big is out of
question because it is considered sin for them. Especially when they are not even considered a
human.Because if they will start dreaming then they will start asking for their human rights which
are denied to them under high caste people’s craft.The first stanza was in a form of yearning while
the next stanza was in the form of warning or cautionary.He made clear that he wants his rights not
as a beggar but as a rightful recipient. He says that each breath from his lungs is proclaiming
violently for his rights.His voice is echoing everywhere; in their texts, tradition, hell and heaven.
Under this fear,the upper cast people are trying their best to silence them. They are destroying their
homes, beating them, plundering them. Thus, they are trying their best to break them emotionally.
But now he has learnt how to make his words immortal and perpetual. Now he has started
expressing himself through writing and his words have become eternal like a sun.Limbale says that
his rights are in the nature of contagious disease, which will soon spread from city to city, village to
village, man to man.Dalits are now well aware of their rights. They have reached their awakened
state. This is an incendiary situation. They will not get satisfied less than their rights. Does not
matter how high-handedly they were silenced or suppressed by high castpeople?He is all ready to
replace the old system. He says he will uproot the scripture like railway tracks, burn the lawless
laws that discriminate against them. In the closing line he compares his rights to rising sun. He
challenges high caste people that how they will deny the power of this sun. The structural device
that is used in this poem is illustrative. The tone is optimistic which asserts a better equitable world
for Dalits. The feeling of the poem is genuine and sincere. Indeed the whole Dalit literature is
genuine and revolutionary. Language is simply devoid of any ornamentation, euphuism, or figures
of speech; which are the natural consequences of translation. The message that Limbale wants to
convey is that—we cannot deprive people of their just rights on the bases of caste, class or colour.
The poem has a distinct aesthetic, which lies in its genuine feeling. It is in an autobiographical
mode, which is a common feature of all Dalit literature. Actually, the whole Dalit literature is
written in cathartic mode. It is nothing but the outpouring of Dalit people’s deep sufferings
suppressed thoughts and painful experiences. Dalits have been the most degraded, downtrodden,
exploited and least educated in our society. They had been subjugated and marginalized by high
caste people through three thousand years of history. Though the practice of untouchability was
formally outlawed by the constitution of India in 1950, it is still in practice. Despite all the laws and
constitutional rights, people, in general, do not have genuine respect for them.
OXFORD DON

An analysis of “Listen Mr Oxford don” by John Agard tells us that the

The characters in the poem include the speaker, who is a Caribbean immigrant, and
Mr Oxford don, an imaginary English professor from Oxford University. Mr
Oxford don represents educated English people who see immigrants in a negative
light.

The poem’s language reflects how many immigrants often use dialect and non-
standard grammar. Since some English people condemn immigrants for how they
use the English language, the speaker uses non-standard grammar on purpose to
take ownership of this aspect of his culture, and uses it as a weapon to speak
against discrimination.

GOODBYE PARTY
Friends,

our dear sister

is departing for foreign

in two three days,

and

we are meeting today

to wish her bon voyage.

You are all knowing, friends,

What sweetness is in Miss Pushpa.

I don't mean only external sweetness

but internal sweetness.

Miss Pushpa is smiling and smiling

even for no reason but simply because

she is feeling.
Miss Pushpa is coming

from very high family.

Her father was renowned advocate

in Bulsar or Surat,

I am not remembering now which place.

Surat? Ah, yes,

once only I stayed in Surat

with family members

of my uncle's very old friend-

his wife was cooking nicely…

that was long time ago.

Coming back to Miss Pushpa

she is most popular lady

with men also and ladies also.

Whenever I asked her to do anything,

she was saying, 'Just now only

I will do it.' That is showing

good spirit. I am always

appreciating the good spirit.

Pushpa Miss is never saying no.

Whatever I or anybody is asking

she is always saying yes,

and today she is going

to improve her prospect

and we are wishing her bon voyage.

Now I ask other speakers to speak

will do summing up.

The speaker addresses the colleagues and subordinates as friends in a party to bid goodbye to a
subordinate He tells them that their dear sister, Miss Pushpa is leaving for a foreign country and
they all wish her happy journey.
In these lines the speaker reminds the friends of Miss Pushpa’s sweetness which is both internal and
external. He tells of Miss Pushpa’s good and amicable nature. She always puts on a smiling face. It
is obvious that Nissim Ezekiel is ridiculing the habitual use of the continuous tense even where it is
ungrammatical and inappropriate.
The speaker continues his address at the Goodbye Party and tells the audience that Miss Pushpa
belongs to rich family. Her father was a famous advocate in Bulsar and Surat but he does not
remember the correct place.
In these lines the fun is made of the wayward mind of the speaker who forgets the occasion and
starts talking about his days in Surat with the family of his uncle’s old friend. The speaker is
informed by someone in audience that the place was Surat and he remembers and talks about his
experience in Surat. The speaker’s digression to Miss Pushpa’s father, and hanging on it, the
speaker’s connection to Surat and then to his/her uncle’s very old friend and his wife there—are
typical of the unprepared, spontaneous speech, characteristic of many Indians who lack propriety in
such grave formal functions.
In the concluding lines, the speaker says that she was always ready to help whenever asked by him
or any other colleague. Today the speaker and the other colleagues have gatherd to wish her happy
journey as she is going abroad to improve her prospects. After this speech is over, the speaker asks
other speakers to speak and says that Miss Pushpa will sum up, after the colleagues’ speech.

THEMES- HUMAN FOIBLES, SATIRE ON INDIAN ENGLISH

THE PATRIOT
The narrator is a patriot and claims that he stands for peace and non-violence. He
questions why the world is fighting and why we aren’t following Mahatma Gandhi and his
wisdom. The narrator reads the ‘Times of India’ to improve his English, in it, he read
about a student who threw a stone at Indhira Gandhi. Modern people have adapted to
foreign habits, such as drinking wine over the Indian drink-lassi and claims that wine is
only for drunkards. The world cannot be at peace when the bordering countries of India
like Pakisthan and China want a war. Indians are brothers and sisters, and Gujaratis,
Maharashtrians, Hindiwallahs are one. By this time, the opponent person seems to have
lost interest, so the narrator says he’ll be ready for the other’s company anytime.

his poem was written in 1977. The poem ‘The patriot’ is an ironical poem that criticizes
the Indians of adapting foreign habits. The narrator of the poem is a patriot. Patriotism is a
much bigger concept, yet Nissim prefers to define it with simple and ridiculous acts we all
have adapted from foreign cultures. It is narrated in the first-person point of view in the
present continuous tense.

The poem outlines different trends that Indians adapt from foreigners defeating Indian
culture and tradition. The narrator criticizes them though he himself is a hypocrite.
I (narrator) and non-violence yet the world is fighting. I am confused about why India does not
follow the ideal leader-Mahatma Gandhi. There is a repetition of the word ‘fighting’ to emphasize
meaning.
he wisdom of our passionate leaders is true, not just 100% but 200% correct. There is clearly no
such thing as 200%, it is an emphasis on how true the wisdom is for the narrator. However,
modern people ignore it and are busy with indulging in fashion and foreign habits/trends.
The narrator was reading ‘The Times of India’ an English newspaper to improve his English. In it,
he reads that a fellow threw a stone at Indhira Gandhi. The reader comments about how we are
indulging in habits of foreign culture, yet he reads an English newspaper to learn a foreign
language. The contents of the newspaper also reveal disrespect for an Indian leader, which is a
metaphor for patriotism.
The fellows that threw stones at Indhira Gandhi must be students. “Friends, Romans, Countrymen,
I am saying (to myself), Lend me the ears” are the lines of Shakespeare, again referring to foreign
language. It can be considered as a mockery or appreciation of the language. “Regeneration,
Remuneration, Contraception”, refers to the ’20 point program’ for regeneration and the forced
sterilization of people to control the population.
He asks the Indians to be patient. He makes a comparison between ‘Lassi’ and ‘Wine’. Lassi is an
Indian drink that helps indigestion. Wine is meant for drunkards only and the poet does not
consume it.
The narrator questions what the readers think about the world becoming peaceful. He points out
that India cannot be at peace when the bordering countries-Pakistan and China are always
provoking a war. The narrator is very much disturbed by it.
He again questions is all of us are brothers and sisters. Even though the Gujaratis, Maharashtrians,
Hindiwallahs have adapted to foreign trends and habits we are all one. We tolerate each other. The
Kingdom of Ram surely will come one day.
Now, the opponent hearing all this seems to be uninterested. The narrator says that he will
visit one day and that he enjoys the company. The line, “I am not believing in ceremony”
contrasts to “One day Ram Rajya is surely coming”. The narrator believes that the
Kingdom of Ram will come one day when he says he doesn’t believe in ceremony.

The poem contains simple language(colloquial) and diction. The language used is
Indianized and relates to English-speaking Indians. This poem has touches of the post-
independence era and how Indians picked up habits of foreigners even after independence.

PROSE

DECOLONISING THE MIND

http://sujarithasaravanan.blogspot.com/2019/02/decolonising-mind-by-ngugi-wa-
thiongo.html

INDIAN TAKEOUT

In Indian Takeout, Lahiri writes about her childhood memories she would take to Calcutta,
and various packed food items her parents would bring back in a suitcase, an effort to
prolong the vacation through their taste buds. As with most of Lahiri's writings, the piece is
laced with a quiet sense of sadness, with very little joy other than when her parents take to
eating jalebis and mangoes during the brief stay in Calcutta.
https://www.foodandwine.com/news/indian-takeout

THE DAY THEY BURNED BOOK

GARDEN PARTY

https://medium.com/@liyasaraw/analyzing-the-garden-party-8133e6ad78ae