ATTIPAT KRISHNASWAMI RAMANUJAN Born: March 16, 1929, Died: July 13, 1993,

POEMS PUBLISHED “LOOKING FOR A COUSIN ON A SWING” “A RIVER” “OF MOTHERS AMONG OTHER THINGS” LOVE POEM FOR A WIFE I” “SMALL SCALE REFLECTIONS ON A GREAT HOUSE” “OBITUARY” “THE STRIDERS” IN 1966 “RELATIONS POEMS” IN 1971

TOPIC :- Discuss the role of memory in the Poetry of A.K RAMANUJAN A.K RAMANUJAN IS BORN POET TO WHO HAS GIVEN NEW DIRECTION TO INDIAN POETRY IN ENGLISH. HE IS A POET WHO COMPOSED POEMS IN ENGLISH AND KANNADA WITH EQUAL COMMAND AND MASTERY. HE SAYS, “ BY THE TIME I WAS SEVENTEEN, I SPOKE TAMIL DOWN STAIRS, ENGLISH UP STAIRS AND KANNADA OUTSIDE “

HE WRITES, “ OF COURSE POETRY IS MADE OF WORDS ARE LIKE OBJECT THEY HAVE A SOUND, LOOK EVERYBODY USES LANGUAGE YET WHEN I USE IT I MUST USE IT SUCH A WAY AS IT SAYS SOMETHING NEW’’ WE FIND INDIAN SENSIBILITY IN HIS POEMS. FAMILY IS THE MAIN METAPHOR IN HIS POETRY HE TELLS US ABOUT HIS FAMILY IN HIS POEMS. HE LIVED IN U.S.A. FOR OVER TWO DECADES BUT HIS LOVE FOR INDIA AND HIS FAMILY IS ALMOST SEEN IN HIS POEMS.

I N HIS POEMS HE TELLS ABOUT HIS WIFE, FATHER, MOTHER AND ABOUT HIS COUSIN WHO WAS HIS CHILDHOOD FRIEND. F AMILY IS THE MAIN THEME OF HIS POEMS. IN THE POEM “OBITUARY” HE TELLS ABOUT HIS FATHER. HE REMEMBERS HIS FATHER’S DEATH. HIS FATHER WAS POOR. HE DID’NT LEAVE HUGE BANK BALANCE AND OTHER THINGS. HE TELLS, “ FATHER WHEN HE PASSED ON LIFT DUST ON A TABLE FULL OF PAPERS, LEFT DEBT AND DAUGHTERS. ”

HIS LOVE FOR HIS FAMILY IS DEEP ROOTED FOR HIM. WE FIND THE ROLE OF MEMORY IN HIS POETRY WHILE IN AMERICA HE REMEMBERS HIS CHILDHOOD DAYS WITH HIS COUSIN..HE USED TO PLAY WITH HIS COUSIN WHO WAS ABOUT THE SAME AGE. THEY WERE INNOCENT CHILDERN.THE HAPPY DAYS OF CHILDHOOD PASSED,CAN NEVER COME BACK. THE POET DESCRIBES THOSE DAYS AND SAYS, “ WITH EVERY LUNGE OPF THE SWING SHE FELT HIM, IN THE LUNGING PITS OF HER FEELINGS AND AFTERWARDS WE CLIMED A TREE.”

IN THE POEM “OF MOTHERS AMONG OTHER THINGS ” HE DESCRIBED THE IMPRESSION OF HIS MOTHER AT DIFFERENT STAGES. AS HE SAYS, “ I SMELL UPON THIS TWISTED BLACKBONE TREE THE SILK AND WHITE PETAL OF MY MOTHER’S YOUTH.” IN THE POEM “ LOVE POEM FOR A WIFE I’’. HE TELLS US THE DISHARMONY BETWEEN A HUSBAND AND WIFE.THE POET SPEAKS ABOUT HIS WIFE.THE CAUSE OF DISHARMONY IS NOT TO SHARE ABOUT THEIR CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES WITH EACH OTHER.HE TELLS THE WAY OF SUCCESSFUL MARRIAGE IS, “PROBABLY ONLY THE EGYPTIANS HAD IT RIGHT. THEIR KINGS HAD SISTERS FOR QUEENS TO CONTINUE THE INCESTS OF CHILDHOOD INTO MARRIAGE ’’.

NO, INDO-ANGLIAN POET HAS WRITTEN SO MUCH ABOUT HIS FAMILY AS RAMANUJAN HAD WRITTEN. RAMANUJAN’ S POETRY IS SYMBOLIZED AND IMAGISTIC. HIS WHOLE POETRY IS IMAGE ORIENTED. RAMANUJAN IS ONE OF THOSE GENIUS POETS WHO HAVE SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO SAY. HE KNOWS HOW TO EXPRESS HIMSELF. HIS POETRY FULL OF REALITY. HIS TECHNICAL SKILL REMAINS MATCHLESS IN INDIAN ENGLISH POETRY.

THUS HE IS CERTAINLY ONE OF THE GREATEST MASTERS OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE AMONG THE INDO – ANGLIAN POETS. THE END

STUDENT’S NAME AND FATHER’S NAME TARANNUM JAHAN MR. HABIBURRAHMAN ARBIYA AKHTER MR. AKHTER HUSSAIN NAHID SIDDIQUI MR. ASHRAF SIDDIQUI PHOOL JAHAN MR. MUKHTAR AHEMAD