Mapping
Eco-consciousness in Homen Borgohain’s Poem “The Snake”
Krishnangee Baruah
M.A. (English)
Martin Luther Christian
University
Shillong, Meghalaya, India
Abstract:
The
lush topography and cultural diversity found in North-East India are adequately
captured in the poem “The Snake” by Homen Borgohain using eloquent imageries
and emotions. This research aims to investigate such themes of
eco-consciousness in the poem. Borgohain not only captures the mysterious
environment of their region, but also reveals about the natural rhythm of life,
which means the presence of the thought of ‘death’ in the poem could portray
the exquisite balance in ecosystems and at the same time he endeavors to
generate an awareness of interconnectedness that exist between the natural ecology
and the balance needed for sustenance of life. While the term
“eco-consciousness” came to light in the 20th century, its core can
be associated to deep historical origins within Indian literature, mainly in
the literature of the North-East Indian region. While Indian classical
literature shows some feeling for nature, the literature of the North-East has
evolved in the warmth of nature.
Keywords: Eco-consciousness, Homen Borgohain,
Northeast Poetry, Ecocriticism
Introduction:
Homen Borgohain,also known
as the workhorse of Assamese literature, was a widely known writer, poet,
novelist, critic, editor and journalist columnist from Assam, who breathed from
1932-2021. He is looked upon as a very significant and esteemed figure in
Assamese literature. He achieved the Sahitya Akademi Award for his book “Pita
Putra”. “The Snake” by Homen Borgohain, is a poem that uses eloquent imageries as
they induce deep passion and emotions in the reader. It is set against the
scene of an alluring but scorching night and dives into the complex desire and
emotion of human beings. There’s the metaphor of a “dazzling golden snake”
which is used in the poem that juxtaposes freedom and dazzle, beauty and death.
In this poem, the contradictory entities of darkness, life and passion is
symbolized by the “snake.” The spirit of north east literature is well captured
in Borgohain’s poem where he employs vibrant imageries like “in a serpentine
motion, floating in the river of night’s darkness” to speak of introspective
themes like the region’s close association with nature
and spirituality, which reflects the environmental panorama of North-East
India. Serpents like snakes and rivers capture the spiritual significance of
some of the indigenous beliefs of North-East, which also comprises of shamanism
and animism.
This
research paper studies the enigmatic stanzas of the poem “The Snake”. In this
poem, the enthralling themes of environment, ecology and nature are woven
together. As we dive deeper into the eco-conscious perspective, we analyze the
symbolism of the dazzling snake, the darkness of night, as well as the golden
silence. This paper seeks to reveal the ways in which these entities speak more
about the graver connection that exist between the natural world and humanity.
We will unveil how the poet digs into the way in which the subtle balance
between flashiness and destruction goes with our contemporary comprehension
about ecological awareness.
Nature
often inspires writers across the globe and exposes its charm and power.
Moreover, environmental challenges and issues that human beings face are also
aptly showcased through the powerful means of literature. So, in order to face
these ecological issues, the contemporary literary theory of Ecocriticism
gained significant elevation in the 21st century. Ecocriticism is a
wing of study that scoops into the way in which nature is depicted in
literature, reflecting the subtle relationship that potentially exists between
literary works and the natural world. Literary works that belongs to North-East
India can possibly be divided into two main groups: indigenous literature and
ecocriticism. Although the concept of having compassion for the natural world
came into light in the 20thcentury, it has a deep-rooted
relationship with Indian classical literature, especially with North-East
literature. While Indian classical literature shows some feeling for nature,
the literature of the North-East has evolved in the warmth of nature.
It
is essential to admit the limitations that might affect our research. In spite
of rigorous efforts, the identity of the translator, in case the poem has been
translated, remains unknown. Nevertheless, this research possesses considerable
significance as it digs into the theme of ecocriticism that’s present in the
poem and by studying this, this research provides a significant awareness of
the subtle interaction between environment and equilibrium, which could inspire
people of the vital need to care and protect our shared ecology for the welfare
and continuity of all living beings.
Thus,
the poem “The Snake” by Homen Borgohain skillfully portrays significant
eco-consciousness. The symbolic portrayal of both beauty and death by the
eloquent imagery of “snake” mirrors a deep relationship between human emotions
and nature, just like human experiences that are related to beauty and
happiness could be intertwined with the inevitability of death. As we sail on
this voyage of exploration, this paper also seeks to contextualize the theme of
ecocriticism within the distinctive cultural and environmental scenario of
North-East India, striving to generate considerable awareness of
eco-consciousness and encourage people to introspect on their role in
contributing to the ecological harmony of the natural world.
Methodology
The primary methodology of
research for the collection of data for this research paper is the library
research method. In addition to this, this research paper uses comprehensive
analysis of eco-consciousness present in the poem. The research involves a
mixture of qualitative approach, literary analysis and contextual exploration.
The data used in this study are extracted from trustworthy online sources,
dissertations and scholarly journal articles that are appropriate for this
study. The most important source of data for this research is the poem snake by
Homen Borgohain. In this paper, the inherent aspects of the poem are studied by
tracing eco-consciousness in it and a sincere attempt is made to unmask the
poem’s symbolism, themes and imagery by carefully scrutinizing the poemand
taking relevant notes about the same that could inspire a sense of
eco-consciousness in the readers. This study also employs secondary data from
various sources to answer the research questions.
Results and Discussions
Borgohain’s
eminent poem “The Snake” significantly involves the theme of eco-consciousness
within the backdrop of North-Eastern Literature, and in the section to come, we
shall dig into the results of our comprehensive analysis of the same. We shall
also understand the way in which the poem’s imageries and vivid symbols further
highlights a larger essence of environmental consciousness.
“As
if a dazzling snake…
Golden
is whose colour, the cruel emotion of death is whose eyes.”
We
can comprehend the symbol of “The Snake,” used in the above lines, as a means
used by the poet to connect humanity to the natural world. The poet compares
the snake to a dazzling, flashy and gorgeous yet dreadful entity that might
give off some threat as well. It is possible for the snake to act as a symbol
of the flora and fauna found in North-East. Moreover, it expresses that they
are equivalent to the snake – which is so dazzling and flashy yet has a
potential to be dangerous and dreadful. This further suggests that the
environment in the North-Eastern part of India is so delicate and so it demands
to be well maintained and that we should stay in harmony with it.
The
poem juxtaposes ideas like life and death, darkness and amazement etc. It shows
how various opposite entities are present together in the environment. It
further reflects the beauty of the world and makes the area’s environment worth
of appreciation. This is because it captures the true intricacies of the world
and the balance that exist between the entities in the ecosystem as a whole.
For example- In the place where the poet belongs to, i.e., Assam, the ecology
comprises of both the opposite poles of life and death and darkness and
amazement, the lush green vegetation of the region where animals live can
symbolize “life” and the areas where the wild and ferocious live, that makes
life challenging can symbolize “death.” In the same way “night” can symbolize
darkness and mysteriousness because it’s difficult to see at night and that’s
the time when everyone sleeps, but at the same time it can also symbolize
wonder and fascination because certain sounds, fragrance and emotions can only
be felt at night.
The
poet pays significant attention to the features of his environment as he
notices the different aspects and duality of nature. He also represents how
people in his region value nature. We understand this because when a person
takes notice of their environment and values its complexities, its more likely
that they’ll care for it and be more responsible for it.
“In
a serpentine motion, floating in the river of night’s darkness”
The
movement of the snake is explained as a portion of the darkness of the night
which portrays a deeper connection between the snake and ecology. It means that
every element of the natural world is somehow connected and has an effect on
one another. It further means that the snake isn’t doing everything in
isolation, in fact, it’s functioning in harmony with the larger landscape of
nature. For example, the night has a rhythm of its own and the snake’s movement
in the night to that rhythm makes the it even more alive. This can even mean
that every entity in the natural world has a worth and purpose in it.
The
snake that’s floating in a river during a dark night symbolizing silence and
wonder can also portray the region’s close relationship with nature and
spirituality, which reflects the environmental panorama of North-East India.
Serpents and rivers capture the spiritual and natural significance of some of
the ethnic beliefs of North-East, which also aligns with shamanism and
animism.For example: The shamans believe that one can connect themselves to the
spiritual world via communicating with nature, and the serpent’s movement can
be also seen as a symbol of such kinds of communication, which the shamans
often seek for. Therefore, an essence of spirituality could be felt here where
the nature becomes a channel for interacting with the higher power. Moreover,
the North-Eastern rivers like Brahmaputra, Barak and various tributaries has
deep cultural and spiritual aspects. Rivers play an important part in
ceremonies and occasions, as ethnic communities of this place perceive the
rivers to be sacred. This depiction also rolls on with the belief that
environment and ecology has a special and sacred place in the hearts of the
people of North-East.
“The
way I love the mind, like tar the colour of whose body, a prostitute”
The native people belonging to North-East India has a
profound and practical relationship with the natural world in their region. One
of the beliefs that the indigenous people hold is that spirits dwells in
different entities of nature, like rivers, mountains and forests. This can be
one of the reasons behind cultivation of a deep respect for the natural world
in the hearts of indigenous people of North-East India. In addition to this, in
the practical sense, the native people of this region foster great traditional
environmental knowledge about their region’s ecosystem. They acquire this
knowledge through a lineage of generations which is important for their sustainable
use of the resources of nature. Whereas the rich biodiversity of North-East
India has become a space prone to attack by the activities of human beings like
coal mining, deforestation, habitat destruction etc. This has the potential to
pose a threat to the region’s diverse ecosystems.
In context of the above lines, the poet perhaps used the
poetic device of ‘allegory,’ to reflect the contrast between native people’s
deep connections with nature and harm posed by humans on the ecology. This
could also reflect a duality in human actions: the deep-rooted respect that
they have towards nature, and at the same time they also have the audacity to
attack on the rich biodiversity of the region.
“The way I love the mind” perhaps represents this tension
which is mentioned in the above paragraph. It’s a conflicting feeling with
regards to human consciousness, and in addition to this the poet is perhaps
aware about the dual role of human beings. Also, the representation of the
harmful on the area’s ecosystem through human activities like pollution could
be represented by “tar” and “prostitute” might symbolize the exploitation or
misuse of nature.
Conclusion
Thus,
the poem highlights a strong bond between North-East India’s eco-cultural
identity and the ecology. It might portray that the environment doesn’t just
run in the background of humanity but also plays a significant role in the
molding of a person’s psyche, beliefs and also in giving shape to their
culture. In this poem, we also come across a complex balance between the
glitter and wonders of nature and the harsh realities of nature as well. It is
possible to understand it as an urgent requirement for eco-consciousness, in
order to maintain the beautiful ecosystems and culture of the North-East India.
When we pursue intense research on matters like eco-consciousness, we may
embrace an intimate understanding of this complex cycle of human connections
with the nature with respect to the eco-cultural aspect which significantly
marks the people of a particular region like the North-East.
Works
Cited
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William. Literature and Ecology: An Experiment in Ecocriticism.In The
Ecocriticism Reader: Landmarks in Literary Ecology, edited by Cheryll
Glotfelty and Harold Fromm, The University of Georgia Press, Athens, Georgia,
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ARABINDA NATH. The Assamese Scene: Neither Rosy, Nor Bleak.Indian
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