Globalization has immensely contributed to the recognition of poets and poetry in general. It has transformed our life at immense speed not only to bring to light the past talent but also serving as a platform for those who are creatively responding to it. Today, it has succeeded in making people take note of these changes in culture, poetry and other genres of creative writing. Thanks to all these developments, I could enrich myself.
Incorporating the works of great writers, poets and thinkers into the curriculum is a contribution to the cause of nation. These great personalities, through their writings, are permeating the young minds with the spirit of patriotism and respect for country. It is an honour and the supreme way to pay homage to literary souls who enriched the literature. It is popularizing the talent, otherwise which would have restricted to a limited people. In comparison to social sciences the chief advantage for a man of letters belonging to language and literature is; his work can be included in the curriculum. The purpose of the government behind this is each and every literate must know the contribution, the role played by such people in the history of India. This can be used constructively to enable students to reach a refined level of awareness. It outlines experiences in teaching English Literature, creates a curiosity and interest, especially if it is related to something which most students can identify with.
In recent years, English- language writers of Indian origin are being published in the West at an increasing rate. In June 1997, a special fiction issue of The New Yorker magazine devoted much space to essays by Amitav Ghosh and Abraham Verghese, a short story by, Vikram Chandra and poems by Jayant Mahapatra (16 volumes of poems) and A.K.Ramanujan and profiled R.K.Narayan and Arundati Roy’s “A God of Small Things.”
Indians began to use English for creative expression much before Macaulay’s “Minutes” and the implementation of his policy on English education. [On March 7, 1835, the Governor General William Bentinck agreed with Macaulay's Minute and wrote, "the great object of the British Government ought to be the promotion of European literature and science among the natives of India," thus promoting and establishing a permanent position for the use of English language in Indian educational institutions.] For instance in 1823, Henry Derozio’s volume of poems was published and in 1830 Kashiprasad Ghose published his volume of poetry entitled The Shair and the Other Poems. This two eminent Indians may not be great as poets, but their historical importance is great, for they belong to that small group of Indians who wrote in English much before Macaulay. Michael Madhusudan Dutt, who has left behind two volumes of poetry, was a Bengali poet of talent whose one ambition in life was to win recognition as a writer of English verse. He was the first to make a conscious effort to use Indian imagery, express Indian sentiments and tell an Indian story. Madhusudan was born with rock-like determination. He proved himself to be a student of exceptional gifts, and his teachers and professors with no difficulty recognized in him a fast-blossoming intellectual figure
Besides a few minor poets of the 19th century, B.M.Malabari is another of repute. In his poems he laments the loss of the virtues of Indian character, ethical values. In such verses speaks the heart of India, yearning for freedom from the foreign clutches.
Swami Vivekanandawas a towering spiritual personality, born in on 12th January 1863, who awakened the slumbering Indian consciousness with his soul stirring vision of a dynamic spirituality. He is often viewed as the patron saint of modern India and many great figures acknowledge the life and works of Vivekananda. He reached Kanyakumari, the southernmost tip of the Indian subcontinent on December24, 1892. He swam across the sea and started meditating on a lone rock. He meditated for three days and said later that he meditated about the past, present and future of India. The rock is presently popular as Vivekananda memorial and is a major tourist destination.
In 1893, Swami Vivekananda went to America to attend the Conference of World Religions in Chicago. He earned wild applause for beginning his address with the famous words, “Sisters and brothers of America.” Swamiji mesmerized everyone in America with his masterful oratory. Wherever he went, he dwelt at length on the greatness of Indian Culture. He spoke with spontaneous ease on every topic, be it History, Sociology, Philosophy or Literature. The Union Government has declared his birthday as National Youth Day.
Sri Aurobindo Ghosh is another great Indian nationalist, scholar, poet, spiritual philosopher and above all a renowned “yogi”, who brought laurels to his motherland, was born on 15th august 1872. Although he wrote mostly in English his major works were translated into 9 foreign languages in addition to 11 Indian languages. “Auroville” is a universal township in the making for a population of up to 50,000 people from around the world. Aurobindo strived for the Transformation of our superficial, narrow and fragmentary human way of thinking, seeing, and feeling. Being into a deep and wide spiritual consciousness and an integrated inner and outer existence and of our ordinary human living into the divine way of life.
In the poetry of Toru Dutt the soul of India is revealed at its best. Many critics revere the first translation, of about 200 French poems, as “transcreation”.
In the words of Edmund Gosse, “Toru’s chief legacy to posterity is her verse collection Ancient Ballads and Legends of Hindustan (1883) which includes the ancient Hindu stories of Savitri, Sita, Prahlad, Dhruva, and many such appeal to the emotions of love, devotion filial piety, gratitude, etc. it is for the first time purely Indian themes being treated in English against a purely Indian background.
It is Sarojini Naidu, the eldest daughter of scientist-philosopher, Aghornath Chattopadhyaya, and Barada Sundari Devi- a poetess, was born on 13 February 1879 in Hyderabad, who carries forward the task left incomplete by the early demise of Toru Dutt, that of interpreting the soul of India to the West and creating an authentic Indian atmosphere. Her father was also a linguist, a crusader, who established the Nizam’s College in Hyderabad in 1878, pioneering English and women’s education. Sarojini was a bright child who passed her matriculation at the age of 12 standing first in the Madras Presidency. She studied at the King’s college, London and Girton College, Cambridge for a while. During this period her creative urge found expression in poems. She also happened to be a good singer. Her ability to sing charmingly fetched her the title ‘Nightingale of India’.
During 1903-17 Sarojini came into contact with Gokhale, Tagore, Jinnah, Annie Besant, C.P.Rama Swami Iyer, Gandhi and Nehru. She began her political career in 1906. From 1915 to 1918 she lectured all over India on welfare of youth, dignity of labour, women’s emancipation and nationalism. After meeting Jawaharlal Nehru in 1916, she took up the cause of the indigo workers of Champaran. In 1925 she was elected as the President of the Congress.
Sarojini Naidu, The Nightingale of India, was a great patriot, politician, orator and administrator of India her birthday is celebrated as “Women’s Day”.
The rhythmic quality of her poetry is mesmerizing frequent references to Hindu mythology accentuate the Indian atmosphere of her verse. She was able to harmonize Indian and foreign elements in her poetry. Poetry is perception. No doubt we may have different parameters to judge the genius of a poet, yet what is your perception matters a lot. Highly original and startling similes and metaphors come out of her, as do sparks from a chimney fire. Her originality of expression is commendable with regard to imagery. Highly vivid pictorial and visual imagery are exploited by her to delight and surprise the readers. The figuring of the moon as a caste-mark on the forehead of heaven is in itself a unique achievement of the imagination in poetry and also representative of the Indian ness of her poetry.
A caste mark upon the azure brow of heaven
The golden moon burns sacred, solemn, bright.(Leili)
The image of the river flowing out of the city gates, curved like “the tusks of an elephant” is based on personal observation, and those who have seen the river Musi flowing out of the gates of Hyderabad city can appreciate its justness.
See the white river that flashes and scintillates
Curved like a tusk from the mouth of the city-gates.
Her poetry seems to sing itself, as if her swift thoughts and strong emotions sprang into lyrics of themselves. Though she has been criticized for her many hyperbolic and violent expressions, for her, there are a few critics who defended and asserted boldly that her metaphors and similes.
According to Rajyalakshmi, Sarojoni’s similes and metaphors are “pictorial blocks of imagist perceptionand new way of organizing poetic emotion.”
The work produced by this writer like John Keats, may not be great in quantity, it is great in quality. She will be remembered for a few fine pieces like The Indian Weavers, The Flute Player of Brindavan, To a Buddha Seated on a Lotus and others.
Though a number of themes are conspicuous in her works they can be classified into five major themes: The Folk Theme, Nature Theme-Spring, The Love Theme, Life and Death Theme and patriotism.
One of the interesting aspects of Sarojini’s poetry is the folk theme delicately treated by her. Palanquin Bearers is a perfect example of the true folk-song, a common experience in India