Arun
Kolatkar, a social, simple, truthful and skeptic poet of Indian English poetry
contributes a lot for the development of Indian English Poetry. He helps to
bring renaissance in this genre of poetry.
Jejuri
is a village situated about 30 miles (48 km) from the city of Pune in the state
of Maharashtra. It is a famous temple
situated near Pune in Maharastra. Here he visits the temples and witnesses the
blind faith of the people, the attitudes of worshipper and different gods. He
shows all these and wants to access the truth of all these.
In
Jejuri, one can find different value systems and quest and investigation behind
all these. Primitive religious tradition, modern civilization in urban society
and the life principle are found in his poetry. He is in a kind of dilemma
between modernity and tradition, artificial and real, truth and legend,
skepticism and belief and his own perception regarding religion and he do all
these to find the actual truth. The poet tells that-
“You
look down the roaring road.
You
search for the signs of daybreak in
What
little light spills out of the bus.”
The
head lights of the Bus which again dispel the darkness of a little area are
symbolic of the solace the human mind experience through these religious
rituals. The only sign of daybreak that Manohar sees is the sight of his own
divided face. The speaker’s own face appears to be on either side of the bus
when he gets off.
This
poem clearly stands out for its direct attack on the religious heads of the
temple community. It takes a satirical tone displaying the ugly image of how
religion has become a business. Kolatkar throws light on the dishonorable
practices of the priest. The offerings get more importance, than the faith. And
while the devotees are making offerings, the priest awaits as to see how much
he can get out of it.
The
priest is dependent on this faith of the people for his living. Hence, he is
waiting eagerly for the bus. He is standing outside the temple under the hot
sun looking for the bus. He is thinking about how much he can earn this day and
whether or not he’ll get a puran poli in his plate. Puran
poli is a sweet dish cooked during auspicious times in Maharashtrian
homes. It is an expensive dish and hence is seldom cooked.
The
priest also indulges in unhealthy bad habits like chewing a betel leaf. He is
turning it over and over as though he is chanting a mantra. Priests are
supposed to be holy people who have to chant mantras, but here the scene is
otherwise. He is perhaps praying for the bus to arrive soon.
His
foul materialism is mirrored time and gain in the poem. The source of his greed
is dishonesty. But now he has been doing it for so long that he doesn’t seem to
feel guilty at all. A priest vows that he will be away from all the worldly
pleasures. But this priest is engrossed in counting the offerings. There is no
simplicity in his thinking and living, the catgrin on his face symbolizes that.
“At
the end of the bumpy ride
With
your own face on either side
When
you get off the bus”
The last line of the poem “you don’t step
inside the old man’s head” makes it clear that the pilgrims enters Jejuri, with
the same urban skeptic mind, without succeeding in his efforts of getting
adjusted to the religious temperament of the common people, Indians. This poem
establishes the theme of perception and alienation.
From
the above discussion it is clear that the poet’s motif to visit Jejuri is
actually to know what is Jejuri about and what the truth is behind these
rituals. Here he takes every stone, culture, tradition under his investigation
to seek the actual story behind these. It can be noted that materialism,
commercialism, artificiality, hypocrisy and blind faith are the causes for this
deterioration of tradition and rise of skepticism and quest.
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