Assignment paper 203

 Name : Latta J. Baraiya 

Roll no : 11

Paper : The Postcolonial studies

Semester : M.A sem 3

Topic : The Story of The Madwoman in the Attic : Wide Sargasso Sea

Submitted to : Department of English Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University. 

Introduction

When we think of females in the past, they really had the worst situation at that time. The situation has not changed yet, but in some places it is improving a lot. Because of education women started understanding about themselves. If we look back, "Wide Sargasso Sea" is the best example to study feminism and the situation of female characters. How they were safereing and how they were treated. 

When I read Jane Eyre as a child, I thought why should [Bronte] think Creole woman are lunatics and all that? What a shame to make Rochester’s first wife, Bertha, the awful madwoman, and I immediately thought I’d write the story as it might have readily been. She seemed such a poor ghost. I thought I’d write her life. 

(Vreeland, 1979: 235) 

The study thoroughly analyzes how the female character in Jean Rhys’ Wide Sargasso Sea is given a voice in the novel during the post-colonial era and also how much of the voice she is able to use independently and powerfully. Although Wide Sargasso Sea is a re-writing of Jane Eyre, Rhys explores several issues which were left untouched by Bronte, such as patriarchal oppression and racial complexities leading to an individual’s loss of self and identity, as the circumstances demanded during that time. But what connects both the novels is the idea of the ‘other’. In Bronte’s Jane Eyre, Bertha Mason is a symbol of the racial other and as such she is isolated and rejected. The re-writing of Bertha Mason in the form of Antoinette is an attempt by Jean Rhys to give Bertha a voice and enable her to speak for the other side from the perspective of being caught between her English colonial identity and that of the Jamaican native as Gilman explains: 

“the anxiety present in the self-concerning its control over the world engenders a need for a clear and a hard line of difference between the self and the other.” 

(Gilman, 1985:27) 

She further explains, 

“the hard line is skin colour, but stereotypes, like commonplaces, carry entire realms of associations that form a subtext within the world of fiction.” 

(Gilman, 1985:27).

To analyze this one may argue that the other is a threat to what is considered as the original as the other has the potential of destroying the original. When a society is faced with this threat of the other, their strong mode of defense is attacking or alienating them from the society. In this case, Antoinette becomes a mode of alienation as she is unable to fit in the society and the society fears that being the other she has the potential of destroying the whole notion of identity that a society is based on.

The “Two Extremes”

Antoinette’s description of the two binary opposites sheds light on Antoinette’s dual thoughts and confusion. The narration of the atmosphere by Antoinette makes clear her struggles with being stuck between two things and not being able to belong to either. It felt as if the silent atmosphere is a reflection of Antoinette’s mind as she could perfectly read through the gaps and fill it with her own analysis.

The reader can also see Antoinette’s struggle to fill the gaps in the madness and silence of her mother in her childhood days. By showing Annette’s madness and coldness towards her daughter Antoinette, Rhys in a way tries to exemplify how the absence of a mother’s love and affection contributes greatly to Antoinette’s fractured identity and how she later inherits her mother’s madness in the novel. Antoinette craves her mother’s love and care, which she is deprived of, as her brother, Pierre, gets his share of the attention. 

“I hated this frown and once I touched her forehead trying to smooth it. But she pushed me away, roughly but calmly, coldly, without a word, as if she had decided once and for all that I was useless to her. She wanted me to sit with Pierre and walk where she pleased without being pestered, she wanted peace and quiet. I was old enough to look after myself. ‘Oh let me alone’ she would say, ‘let me alone,’ and after I knew that she talked to herself and I was a little afraid of her.” 

(Rhys, 1966:17)

Thus, it seems that Antoinette’s narration, her voice in the first part of the novel, is also full of silences, gaps and undisclosed emotions. 

The Struggle

Antoinette’s long-time struggle to find her own voice takes a turn after her marriage to Rochester as she begins to doubt her whole sense of individuality and existence. In the beginning of their marriage, Antoinette’s beauty attracted Rochester as he is seldom used to seeing such kind of beauty. While riding together he remarks: 

“Looking up smiling, she might have been any pretty English girl.” 

(Rhys, 1966:60)

This remark of Rochester shows how he perceives his wife, Antoinette, to be like any other perfect English girl, which is to be a girl with subtle and soft lady-like manners unlike the Creole personality that Antoinette engendered as she has a more direct and careless way of expressing herself. On the other hand, when insanity takes over Antoinette’s mind and she starts acting crazy, Rochester’s whole perception about her changes and instead of coming across as a beautiful swan, that same Antoinette comes across as a madwoman in Rochester’s eyes. When he sees her in that state for the first time he says - 

“Her hair hung uncombed and dull into her eyes which were inflamed and staring, her face was very flushed and looked swollen.” 

(Rhys, 1966:120). 

By describing Antoinette’s appearance in a negative way, Rochester in a way puts down Antoinette as a whole since his attraction to Antoinette is based on her appearance. Although, it is obvious from his words that Rochester feels a certain attraction towards this Creole girl because of her appearance, he disregards her emotions in his narration.

Use of Colours – Self Expression

Antoinette herself becomes aware of Rochester’s fascination with her physicality and for that reason Antoinette chooses to use it as a method of expressing herself and reaching out to Rochester. Colors’ play an important part to become a medium of expression for Antoinette and she is seen to be fascinated by the color Red. Red can be linked to female sensuality, passion, and emotion and it may showcase courage, danger and a sense of power within women. Antoinette has an obsession for the colour red as she thinks that it attracts the eyes of her husband Rochester, 

“I took the red dress down and put it against myself: ‘Does it make me look intemperate and unchaste?’ I said.” 

(Rhys, 1966:152)

But unlike her misconception the red dress has an adverse effect on Rochester’s mind as to him it makes her look like a desperate woman who is apprehensive of the dangerous warning that comes with red as it is a sign of rebellion. On the other hand, the colour white has a desirable effect in Rochester’s mind as it makes Antoinette look chaste and pure as white is thought to symbolize virginity and chastity. The colour white arouses desire in Rochester. However, Antoinette has a different personality than that of what Rochester wants her to be and so she sticks to the colour red, which she believes makes her presence felt in a stronger way, 

“Antoinette changes from the virginal bride wearing a white dress into the ‘rejected scarlet woman’ in a red dress.” 

(Olaussen, 1992,:67)

It can be said that colours work as metaphor for Antoinette’s identity and individuality and it also works as a form of expression for Antoinette as it exemplifies the fact that Antoinette is independent as a woman and chooses to express herself in the way that is comfortable for her and suits her. 

Individuality

Antoinette manages to express herself in parts despite Rochester’s constant attempts to not give her a space to voice her opinions. The essence of Antoinette’s personality comes to light when she ends up voicing her story to Rochester in order to defend her troubled childhood, which turns out to be a futile attempt. This clearly reflects Antoinette’s life-long struggle to find her individual place in a society. As Spivak explains, Antoinette 

“is caught between the English imperialist and the black native.” 

(Spivak, 1985:.243-261) 

Antoinette’s description of her childhood portrays Antoinette’s struggle to find a separate identity, being caught up between the English and the black communities. There is a pain in Antoinette’s voice as she describes her childhood when she was a shy, lonely girl, filled with the fear of rejection. 

Use of Sex

As verbal communication is decreasing between Antoinette and Rochester, sex becomes a form of communication and bonding between them - “men rob love with sex.” (Angier, 1990:543). As they lack mental connection, words fail and the only thing that attracts Rochester towards Antoinette is her physicality and physical communion plays an important part in his mind in this relationship. On the other hand, Antoinette’s way of communicating and feeling important and loved is through lovemaking. It feels as if, sex is the only form of love that exists with them. Rochester responds to her sexually like he never did before, as for some men, sex is the best form of communal bond between husband and wife. 

Antoinette starts to use her physical attributes to lure Rochester and fulfill her desire for affection. Antoinette’s cry for sex is her cry for attention. Sex becomes a mode of expression in Antoinette’s life. Even though it gives Rochester the idea that she is not a proper lady, lacking the ladylike qualities and being influenced by her West-Indian mad manners as he once commented how he felt sick and disgusted by Antoinette’s behavior. Silence becomes prominent in Antoinette’s life. As the power of her voice has no effect on Rochester, Antoinette uses the silent power of sex as a way of getting the love that she feels she deserves.

Madness

The feeling of an absence of her own identity, her own voice, drives Antoinette to desperation. As Antoinette begins to lose touch with reality, madness overpowers her mind and body. Madness begins to feel real for her because it makes her feel alive. The attention she receives from madness makes her feel like she still exists. Madness gives her the power to make her voice heard to people who will not listen otherwise; power that she has been craving for since childhood. Madness is not a symptom of her constant feeling of a lack of voice and need to be heard; madness is a cure. 

On the other thing the argument is that the madness which takes over Antoinette is significantly caused by her husband Rochester’s opinion regarding her from the beginning of the marriage as he always thinks of Antoinette as this mad, creole girl. Antoinette understands and realizes that her husband Rochester’s intention is to empower her, dominate and change her sense of identity and in order to stop that Antoinette has no other way other than retorting to madness and rejecting his wishes. 

Conclusion

To wind up we can say that, Antoinette’s life is defined by a constant struggle between voice and silence. It is a struggle to find her identity and to express it in the most effective way; in a way that can be heard by others. In Jane Eyre Bronte’s essence is just her mad silence. However, Antoinette’s essence can be defined by both voice and silence. Jean Rhys gives this Creole character a new twist by giving her character a constant attraction to the extreme sides of everything. Antoinette believes in extremes and there is nothing mediocre in the manner in which she thinks and perceives things and people and for that reason, when she wants to say something, she uses extreme forms of expression. Antoinette, the Creole lady in Jean Rhys’ Wide Sargasso Sea, spent her entire life trying to be understood. The battles with her environment and her own demons leads to her constant shifting between different forms of expressions in order to make herself heard. And eventually, she succeeds.

As a Creole woman who is caught between the English imperialist and the black Jamaican, Antoinette becomes an outsider and a silent existence throughout her life. The control of English imperialist and tension of racial conflict cause the tragedy of her. As a weaker one in any interactions, she is never able to have a voice of her own. Though Rhys tries to give Antoinette a voice to tell her own story, the ending is the passive acceptance. Her voice is voiceless. The voiceless goes through her whole life from youth to marriage eventually to her madness and results in the tragedy of her life. 

References

Angier, Carole. Jean Rhys: Life and Work. London: André 

Deutsch Ltd, 1990:543. 

Azam, Nushrat. “‘Madwoman in the Post-Colonial Era’ A Study of the Female Voice in Jean Rhys’ Wide Sargasso Sea.” International Journal of Applied Linguistics and English Literature, Oct. 2017. 

Gilman, Sander L. Difference and Pathology: Stereotypes of Sexuality, Race, and Madness. New York: Cornell University Press, 1985:27. 

Lei, Guo. “Elements Lead to Identity Tragedy: The Voiceless of Antoinette in Wide Sargasso  Sea.” Saudi Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences (SJHSS), vol. 3, no. 7, July 2018, http://scholarsmepub.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/SJHSS-37-811-814-c.pdf. 

Rhys, Jean. Wide Sargasso Sea. Harmondsworth: Penguin 

Books, 1966. 

Spivak, Gayatri Chakravorty. “Three Women’s Texts and a Critique of Imperialism.” “Race, Writing, and Difference” 12, no. 1 (1985): 243-61.

Vreeland, Elizabeth. “Jean Rhys: The Art of Fiction [Inter-view] LXIV.” Paris Review 21.76, 1979: 218-37. 

Assignment paper 202

 Name : Latta J. Baraiya 

Roll no : 11

Paper : Indian English Literature post-independence

Semester : M.A sem 3

Topic : Comparison of Final Solution and Gora

Submitted to : Department of English Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University. 

Introduction

In the 21st century we become more liberal in the comparison of early time. We are thinking more critically now. Our view of looking at others is changing. But because of some people the relation between Hindu and Muslim become controversial. People are provoked by political persons and group leaders. They take help from religion for their so-called vote. And people also derived in that direction also. So that religious matters are very important to study as a student of literature. 

Here I'm going to compare the two works. One is play "Final Solution" by Mahesh Dattani and the second is novel "Gora" by Rabindranath Tagore. Final Solution we have studied and when I read the summary of Gora, I feel like, there is some similarities between these two works. So let's see what the similarities are between them. 

Final solution

This is the play written by Mahesh Dattani. In the realism of Indian English drama, the theme of communal violence has successfully been presented by two eminent dramatists – Asif Currimbhoy in Refugee (1971) and Mahesh Dattani in Final Solutions (2005). In Final Solutions, Dattani uses his pen to present the insecurity and mental crisis of the victims of partition. In this play, his intention is not to construct the dark pages of Indian history like that of Karnad’s Tuglaq but to deconstruct the lingering effect of the communal prejudices on the survivors of both the communities, Hindus and Muslims. He explores the psyche of discontent, exile, contempt, homelessness and alienation often affecting the sensibility of Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims. The communal animosity between the Hindus and Muslims have turned into the fatal disease affecting the peaceful existence of individuals in the Indian subcontinent.  

In her analysis of the play, Deepali Agarwal observes:

"Mahesh Dattani puts the eternal question with his play Final Solutions that every now and then rankles our consciousness – are the human beings real humane. It propels us to perennial problems as to what’s that we should have priorities – our religion, our perennial ideals or our compassion for other human beings". 

• (Agarwal, Deepali : 81) 

In the play Final Solutions, Dattani represents the three female characters – Hardika, Smita and Aruna. 

Gora

Now let's see a brief introduction of "Gora". This novel is written by Rabindranath Tagore. Tagore’s creativity makes one think of the Himalayan range stretching its immense bulk wall above the snow-line and, from that elevation, thrusting peak after peak. As in poetry, so in fiction also Tagore’s creativity reached great tall peaks. Gora is a novel of ideas. A good pool of it is filled with Polemics. The polemics in GORA seems inevitable in view of the time of its composition. 

Dr.Isola Rajagopalan observes, as a creative writing Gora has secured and assured an indelible place in literature. Its real purpose lies not in the pages of brilliant dialectic, but in the penetrating projection of ideas in the form of living images. Gora is contemporary and yet timeless; it is set in a certain social class, a picturesque rendering of their life and mind, and yet it reaches out towards the Universal. Two prominent questions occupied the thoughts of the intellectual and enlightened citizens of Bengal in those days – the Hindu – Brahmo controversy and the need for political freedom. In his presentation and portrayal of the characters Tagore exposes whatever was ridiculous or false not only in the old religious system but also in the orthodoxy of the new and the enlightened. Let's jump on the character of  

Comparison 

If we compare both the works we find many similarities between them. So let's compare and contrast these two works. We see the two women characters are similar.  

Religious Conflict

If we look at the religious conflict in both the works we find that in "Final Solution" and "Gora" the conflict between two communities. These two community people have their own biases and arguments also for their religion. As we seen Final Solution is play about conflict between

Hindu - Muslim

And this "Gora" have religious conflict between two religion

Hindu - Brahmo community

In the "Final Solution" Ramanik Gandhi, his wife Aruna, mother Hardika and daughter Smita belong to Hindu religion. And Javed, Bobby, Tasnim and Zarin and her family members are Muslim. So in the play we see Ramanik Gandhi have liberal thoughts, his daughter also thinks in that way. They respect other religion. At that time Hindu Muslim Riots were going on. They both are ready to kill eachother ! But the main point is the communal devine and communal riots.

The same way we can see that in the "Gora" Hindu community and Brahmo community have conflict with eachother. Characters like Krishan Dayal, his wife Anandamoyi and their childrens are Hindu and Paresh Babu, his wife Baroda Sundari and their childrens are follwer of Brahmo community. Both community have conflict with eachother. Family leaders restricted to talk with eachother also. So here also we see religious conflicts. 

Characters

Aruna and Anandamayi

Aruna :- 

Aruna is wife of Ramanik Gandhi and mother of Smita Gandhi. As Suman Sigroha said, Aruna makes a Hindu counterpart to Javed. Like him she has confidence in her faith. She is a strong believer, takes pride in her religion and inheritance and finds protection therein. She is neither confused nor wavers till her daughter Smita attacks her faith. Daksha/ Hardika had once questioned the blind faith held by her mother in an idol God because that God had failed to protect her father. Smita and Aruna reflect Daksha/Hardika’s own situation, though in two separate characters. The former resents the blind idol worship being practiced by the latter, and shatters her own perfect world when she gets the opportunity to vocalize what she has always wanted to in front of her mother Aruna. At Smita’s telling her the falsity and hollowness of her faith, Aruna does take a stand before crumbling in the face of opposition,

And I will not have it all perish to 

accommodate someone else’s faith. I have enough faith and pride to see that it doesn’t happen. I shall uphold what I believe is the truth...because I will not accept that from someone who is not proud of her inheritance. You cannot criticize what you are running away from. You will be prejudiced...I have always taken pride in my religion. I was so happy knowing that I was protected. 

• (Dattani 2000: 210, 211)

Despite this Aruna still has a conception of identity and holds on to it though a little tenuously. Javed acknowledges the similarities between himself and her when he says,

What I told Babban, you told her...you wouldn’t listen to her criticism because she was not proud of her–what did you call it?– inheritance. I said religion. Same thing I suppose. We are not very different. You and me. We both feel pride. 

• (Dattani 2000: 214)

It means Javed and Aruna are somehow similar. Both think that they are right, but they were very much religious or we can say blind followers of religion. But at the end she accepts boby and Javed. She thinks that humanity is the thing that we have to keep in mind. 

Anandamayi :- 

She is mother of Gora and wife of Krishan Dayal. In the beginning she was a very religious person. Gora is her adopted child. Her family gave refuge to one Irish woman, the real mother of Gora. Anandamayi and her husband are strictly followers of hindu religion. They do not even believe in the Brahmo community. They had fought several times with them. Anandamayi is portrayed as a mother India in the novel. She is women 

"When she travels she keeps fast, not to eat anything from anyone"

But in the end she changed. As she accepts Gora as her son. She also respects the other community people. 

So we see that both women characters are very strict towards their religion, but at the end they understand that we have to be liberal. We have to respect other religions also. And we have to respect their choice also. 

Ramanik and Paresh Babu

If we look at the character of Ramanik Gandhi in "Final Solution" we find he is more liberal than other characters. He respect all religions and he has helping nature also. So we can say that he is very kind person in the novel. 

If we talk about Paresh Babu in the novel, we find he is also liberal man in compare to others in the novel. He also respect other community and their peoples. 

So here we see these two characters also have similarities in the context of liberality. Ramanik Gandhi helps to muslim boys and gave them refuge. So we find this similarity in both works. 

Ending

Both the works ended with some kind of acceptance. We see that, in "Final Solution" at the end Aruna accept Javed and Bobby. She understands the similarities between her and Javed. How they blindly follow their religion and also force others to follow them. But at least she behaves nicely with Javed and Bobby. 

In "Gora", in the beginning Anandamayi was very strict towards her religion but at the end she also respect the Brahmo community. She behaves nicely with them. She became liberal at the end. 

Conclusion

So at the end we can say that there are similarities between these two works. We also see that the theme of cast, community and race were portrayed very well in both works. If we look around, there is no place who haven't any conflict with other religion. Because, people now days provoked easily by group leaders and politicians.  It becomes hard to think critically by our own. So if someone is telling us to join any religious activity we supposed to think critically about it. Then and then to join them. 

References

Agarwal, Deepali. “Fair, Faith for a Final Solution”. The Dramatic World of Mahesh Dattani: A Critical Exploration. New Delhi: Sarup Books Publishers, New Delhi, 2009. 

Dattani, Mahesh. Collected Plays. New Delhi: Penguin Books, 2000. 

Kumari, Dr. Pankaj. “Final Solutions by Mahesh Dattani, a Post-Feminist Analysis: Ashvamegh.” Ashvamegh Indian Journal of English Literature, Ashvamegh.net, 15 Aug. 2016, https://ashvamegh.net/post-feminist-analysis-final-solutions-mahesh-dattani/. 

Rajagopalan, Dr.Isola. “A Study of 'GORA' .” A Study of 'GORA'  , vol. 1, Apr. 2013, http://www.shanlaxjournals.in/pdf/ENG/V1N2/ENG_V1_N2_003.pdf. 

Sigroha, Suman. ROLE OF MEMORY IN SHAPING  CHARACTERS’ IDENTITY IN MAHESH  DATTANI’S FINAL SOLUTIONS, vol. 13, Dec. 2013, pp. 227–238.,  http://journal.unika.ac.id/index.php/celt/article/download/26/pdf 

Assignment paper 201

Name : Latta J. Baraiya 

Roll no : 11

Paper : Indian English Literature Pre-independence

Semester : M.A sem 3

Topic : There is No God in The Temple

Submitted to : Department of English Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University. 

Introduction

If we talk about literature the main work of literature is to portray reality and truth. When we study any literary text, we get something that is connected with our today. That connection taught us lots of things. And that is why if we want to study society, we have to study the literature of the society first. Poets, writers, authors, and novelists also express their views on the matter that can not be spoken openly, because other people can't accept it. Some points are not much talked about, because some people have binaries when their sentiments are hurting them. 

When critics make arguments on the matter of religion, people bully them, Harass them and also punish them. This poem also speaks the truth about religion and God. There is also conflict going on between Hindus and Muslims. Hindus and other religion's methods of worshipping are different. Hindus believe in idol worship, Muslims are not believers in idol worshipping. But they both have blind faith in God. So let's discuss it in detail. First I would like to give a brief introduction of Rabindranath Tagore.

Rabindranath Tagore :-

Rabindranath Tagore was born on 7 May 1861. At some time towards the end of the seventeenth century, his forefathers had migrated from their native lands to Govindpur, one of the three villages which later came to constitute Calcutta. In the course of time, the family came to acquire property and considerable business interests through the pursuit of commercial and banking activities. They had particularly benefited from the growing power of the British East India Company. Rabindranath’s grandfather, Dwarkanath Tagore, lived lavishly and broke the Hindu religious ban of those times by travelling to Europe, just like his contemporary, Rammohan Roy, the nineteenth century social and religious reformer. 

Rabindranath Tagore's contributions to Bengali literature and the Indian modern art movement, as well as his philosophies and accomplishments as an artist, educator, and activist are widely known throughout India today. During the first half of the twentieth century, Tagore bridged the intellectual divide between East and West at a time when the Indian nation was 

struggling to break free from the oppressive rule of the British Empire. Tagore is a globally recognized poet and philosopher and his ideas about cross-cultural communication are relevant even today. He wrote prophetically about the dangers of globalization, commenting that ''the modem age has brought the geography of the earth near to us, but made it difficult for us to come into touch with man." Tagore presented his solutions to this modern globalization by encouraging "generous and creative" communication between nations. In this way he hoped that the global community could "come into touch with man" through mutual understanding and respect. 

Deeno Daan poem :- 

“There is no god in that temple”, said the Saint.

The King was enraged;

“No God? Oh Saint, aren’t you speaking like an atheist?

On the throne studded with priceless gems, beams the golden idol,

And yet, you proclaim that’s empty?”

“It’s not empty; It’s rather full of the Royal pride.

You have bestowed yourself, oh King, not the God of this world”,

Remarked the saint.

The King frowned, “2 million golden coins

Were showered on that grand structure that kisses the sky,

I offered it to the Gods after performing all the necessary rituals,

And you dare claim that in such a grand temple,

There is no presence of God”?

The Saint calmly replied, “in the very year in which, twenty million of your subjects were struck by a terrible drought;

The pauperized masses without any food or shelter,

came begging at your door crying for help, only to be turned away,

they were forced to take refuge in forests, caves, camping under roadside foliages, derelict old temples;

and in that very year

when you spent 2 million gold to build that grand temple of your’s,

that was the day when God pronounced:

“My eternal home is lit by everlasting lamps,

In the midst of an azure sky,

In my home the foundations are built with the values:

Of Truth, Peace, Compassion and Love.

The poverty stricken puny miser,

Who could not provide shelter to his own homeless subjects,

Does he really fancy of giving me a home?”

That is the day God left that Temple of yours.

And joined the poor beside the roads, under the trees.

Like emptiness of the froth in the vast seas,

Your mundane temple is as hollow.

It’s just a bubble of wealth and pride.’

The enraged King howled,

“oh you sham cretin of a person,

Leave my kingdom this instant’.

The Saint replied calmly,

“The very place where you have exiled the Divine,

Kindly banish the devout too”.

— Rabindranath Tagore, 

Why has this poem become so popular ? 

Originally written in Bengali, 'Deeno Daan' is a part of Tagore's poetry collection 'Kahini'. It was signed by the Nobel laureate some 120 years ago (Bengali calendar 1307). In 'Deeno Daan', Tagore writes about a sage who criticizes a king for getting a temple built in the name of God using “two million gold coins” while turning away the poor during a drought. And so, the sage goes on to say that the temple has no God but only “royal pridel”. 

The poem is about a sage who tells a king that the temple which has been built with "two million gold coins" does not have a God inside. Upon hearing this, the king gets angry, calls him an atheist, and asks if such a grand temple could be empty. The sage replies that it isn't empty but in fact filled with the king's pride. The sage then reminds the king that it was wrong on his part to spend the riches in building a temple in the same year when the people of his kingdom were struck by a calamity and had nothing for themselves. 

With remarkable prescience that prophesied this year’s plight of the migrants and others in the aftermath of the lockdown, Tagore had written: “In the very year in which twenty million of your subjects were struck by a terrible drought… pauperised masses without any food or shelter, came begging at your door crying for help, only to be turned away…. in that very year when you spent 2 million gold to build that grand temple….”

The poem crossed the language barrier, too, thanks to a Calcuttan who now lives in Delhi. The Facebook user translated “some excerpts” of the poem in English. 

This poem and its English translation was shared on social media by Banojyotsna Lahiri, an alumnus of Presidency College and JNU, on August 5 and since then the poem has gone viral on the internet. It is widely shared by Tagore's readers on social media and personal messengers.  Talking about the coincidence of the poem and the current situation of the Coronavirus pandemic and migrant issues in India, Lahiri said to The Telegraph, 

“I found it extremely meaningful and topical. I saw the poem being shared by more and more people on social media. There are many non-Bengalis on my friend list. I thought they should also know the essence of the poem. I translated it in English and shared a second post in the afternoon." 

• Banojyotsna Lahiri

Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone in Ayodhya for the Ram temple on August 5 which received mixed reactions from Indians. A day after the public ceremony, a 120-years old poem written by Tagore has gone viral. The reason: Tagore's poem 'Deeno Daan' has an uncanny resemblance to the present times we live in. The temple construction is expected to cost around Rs 300 crore. Now what is the use of that temple ? 

“The Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown has had a similarly devastating effect with millions robbed of livelihood and crying for help. And here we have hundreds of crores being spent on a temple” 

• Lahiri

The Ram Mandir celebrations were on at a time when the Covid-19 pandemic situation in India has reached its worst phase, with over 50,000 cases being reported on a daily basis. The deaths from Covid-19 on the same day crossed the 40,000 mark; this is the fifth-highest in the world. 

What is the massage of Tagore through the poem :- 

If we look at the message that Tagore wants to give us, there are some blind people, like the king, who are wasting money and time to build temples, statues and buildings by using poor people's money. Only because they are in power. The true responsibility of the king (government) is to help poor and needy people, not to waste the money on that kind of stuff, which is totally useless. 

Yes, there is not only the government responsible for this, people are also responsible for this. I want to explain with an example that some organizations and groups of villages asking money for school building, and for school repairing people hesitate a lot to donate, but if people ask money for temples and religious matters people donate money like anything ! And said that

ધરમ ના કામમા ઢીલ ના હોય ! 

And yes the main point is that what is the true need of the generation ? Education or religion ??? 

The other thing is that the government has money for statues, buildings and temples but they haven't money for poor people who are needy people. We have to note here that,

“Tagore was against institutionalised religion. He was not an atheist but he denounced institutionalised religion because it spoke of power and reeked of arrogance and monetary wealth.” 

Based on 2019's PPPs International Comparison Program, According to the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDG) programme, 80 million people out of 1.2 billion Indians, roughly equal to 6.7% of India's population, lived below the poverty line of $1.25 in 2018–19. 

Why is the government not working for those people ? There are people who don't even have food for themselves. Government should bring them above the poverty line. 

Conclusion 

To wind up we can say that, from the time of Tagore to now the situation hasn't changed !! We are still that much blind !  I don't know whether we are not aware about it or we are pretending like we are not aware about it. But I want to say that, if we will not ask the question, who will ? Yes we may face the situation like Harmit has faced ! And that is happening also. Whoever is speaking against the government, they are thrown away. They are bullied, harassed and lynched ! So the solution to this problem is, we have to educate people more and more. Education is able to remove that blindness of religion, that veil of religion can remove through education. 

References

Desk, Sentinel Digital. “Deeno Daan: Find out Why This Rabindranath Tagore Poem Is Going Viral on Social Media - Sentinelassam.” The Sentinel Assam, The Sentinel Assam, 8 Aug. 2020, https://www.sentinelassam.com/national-news/deeno-daan-find-out-why-this-rabindranath-tagores-poem-is-going-viral-on-social-media-493855. 

Mukherjee, Raka. “'There Is No God in the Temple': Rabindranath Tagore's Poem 'Deeno Daan' Goes Viral a Century Later.” News18, 6 Aug. 2020, https://www.news18.com/news/buzz/there-is-no-god-in-the-temple-rabindranath-tagores-poem-deeno-daan-goes-viral-a-century-later-2762815.html. Accessed 21 Oct. 2021. 

“Poem Penned by Rabindranath Tagore 120 Years Ago Goes Viral, Here's Why - Times of India.” The Times of India, The Times of India, 8 Aug. 2020, https://m.timesofindia.com/life-style/books/features/poem-penned-by-rabindranath-tagore-120-years-ago-goes-viral-heres-why/amp_articleshow/77419051.cms. 

Yadav, Ritu. “A Study of Literatures and Ideas of Rabindranath Tagore: A Great Indian Writer.” A Study of Literatures and Ideas of Rabindranath Tagore: A Great Indian Writer - Ignited Minds Journals, http://ignited.in/I/a/120233.