Meghdutam: A Fictional Diasporic literary piece by Mohakobi
Kalidas
Sayani
Roy,
Ph.D. Research
Scholar,
Department of
English,
School of
Language and Humanities,
Mahatma Gandhi
Central University,
Bihar, India.
Abstract: The concept of Diaspora Literature is related to the
dispersion with homeland. The origin of this word is from the Greek word
“diaspeirein” which can be divided into two parts, one is ‘dia’ means across
and ‘speirein’ means ‘scatter’. Diasporic writing is like a pendulum which
swings between “imaginary homeland” and “shifted land”. Diasporic literature is
an enormous idea written by authors who stays outside their native country but
presents their nostalgic image regarding native country in their literary piece.
From almost sixteenth century people started migrating to another places or
countries basically for economic and educational issues. After shifting in a
new place or country, the Migrants face a mental trouble unconsciously along
with the excitement and enchantment. The well-known contributors of this area
are SALMAN RUSHDIE, V.S. NAIPUL, BHARATI MUKHERJEE, ANITA DESAI, KIRAN DESAI,
J.V. DESANI, AMITAV GHOSH, DHALCHANDRA RAJAN, SANTHA RAMA RAO, VED MEHETA,
NIRAD CHOUDHURY, CYRIL DABYDEEN, DAVID DABYDEEN, SHIVA NAIPUL, SAM SELVON, M.G.
VASANJI, SUBRAMANIAN, K.S. MANIAM, SHANI MUTHOO, MARINA BUDOS. Diasporic literature usually talks about
migration to another country but this Diasporic literary issue is also related
to the displacement in different region within the native country. This paper
will focus on a classical text Meghdutam written by Mahakobi Kalidas. In this
text a demigod [yaksha] is exiled in a different region [near Ramgiri Mountain]
within the native country and explains his pain and nostalgia for his
‘imaginary homeland’: ‘ALAKAPURI’ in a dramatic monologue. The basic summary is
that the demigod sends some message to her beloved by cloud. But this paper
will explain this text “MEGHDUTAM” from Diasporic point of view as Diasporic
literature deals with location-dislocation, alienation, rootlessness,
nostalgia, identity crisis etc.
Keywords:
Diasporic literature, Meghdutam,
Kalidas, Migration, Existential Crisis
Diasporic
Literature is a vast concept in literary world. From literary point of view
Diasporic Literature develops an idea of separation with native land. In
summary it’s a literature of minor community who is far from his native land.
So, here the focal point is the native land. The first diaspora was Jewish
diaspora for the Babylonian exile in 586 BCE.
The term diaspora come from Greek word diaspeiro which means to spread
about. In ancient Greece diaspora signified colonisers who migrated to their
conquered land from native country. The translator of Hebraic Bible into Greek
coined this new word Diaspora. Modern diaspora has an important role in the
growth of economic and educational section of their mother land. But if the
history is being cultivated, then it can be seen that diaspora is related to
EXILE. The separation with the residential land [HOMELAND] of a man initially
makes a complex amalgamation between nostalgia for native land and desire for
the new home. Here adaptation comes in power. The concept of minority-majority
is created from here. The new comers are included in minority group and they
start to face multiple challenges.
When British
colonised Africa, the Africans were exiled from their native land as slave to
coloniser’s land. India is not behind
from others in the case of Diasporic literature. The earliest Indian Diasporic
writings are Anita Desai’s “BYE-BYE BLACK BIRD” and Kamala Markandayais “THE NO
WHERE MAN”. Diaspora means not only
leaving own country, leaving own residential area also comes under Diaspora.
Mohakobi Kalidas’ epic poem “MEGHDUTAM” can be considered as an Indian
Diasporic literary piece. This paper will focus to describe “Meghdutam” as a
fictional Diasporic writing.
This paper aims
to reach the India’s antique literary piece to the worldly readers and to show
that diaspora is not a new concept for India; it is in the ancient Indian
Literary piece. This paper also aims to enhance people to cultivate Sanskrit
literature more. Moreover it will focus on finding Diasporic features in the
poem “Meghdutam”. This research paper “MEGHDOOTAM: A FICTIONAL DIASPORIC LITERARY PIECE BY
MOHAKOBI KALIDAS” is discussed through analytical and descriptive method. At
the time of preparing the research paper, it has focused on the Diasporic
features depicted in it and by the analysis of this aspect; this paper has talked
about Indian myth, northern Indian geography etcetera.
This paper is
divided into four chapters. They are:
·
A
brief discussion on author
·
A
little introduction of the poem
·
Analysis
of the poem as fictional Diasporic literary piece
·
Conclusion
“Meghdutam” by
Kalidas has been taken as subject matter of this paper. But there is limitation
of time. As per the limitation of time, it is not possible to cover all the
aspect of the Epic poem. Hence this paper has been focused on only some portion
of Diasporic area of this poem. As Diaspora is a very old and vast subject,
many researchers have been done on this topic such as “Diaspora and Diasporic
Literature: Condition to Consciousness” by Bhawana Pokharel, “Indian Diasporic
Writers in Diasporic Literature – A Study” by K. N. Uma Devi and Dr. M.
Nagalakshmi, “Discovering Myself Through Indian Diasporic Literature” by
Nandini Patwardhan, “Diaspora in Indian English Literature” by Dr. R.
Vadiveiraja etcetera. Not only Diasporic
concept, Kalidas’ “Meghdutam” is also a very widely researched subject matter
such as “Meghadūta by Kālidāsa – An Introduction” by Hetal M. Kamdar, “Meghaduta - Kalidasa - Ancient India History
Notes” by Patil Amruta, “The portrayal of nature and language in
kalidasa’smeghaduta” by Dr. Bhagvanbhai H Chaudhari etcetera. But there are
almost no research done on “Meghdutam” from Diasporic aspect. But the basic
information are taken from some article and books and they are mentioned in the
reference section. Now this research paper enters into the main discussion. As
it is said in the section of methodology, at first the author will be
introduced.
Kalidas is
usually known as Mohakobi in all over the world. He is one of the epitomes of Sanskrit
language and literature. His incarnation was almost before 6th century
BCE. There is a story about him. It is
not proved even now that it is myth or reality. But it is said that Kalidas was
not scholar in his earlier stage. After getting a shock for his stupidity, he
learnt a lot from people daily lives and became an eminent scholar in the court
of emperor Vikramaditya. Kalidas’
greatest works are “Kumarasambhava”, “Raghuvamsha”, “‘Malavikagnimitra”,
“‘Vikramorvashiya”, “‘Abhijnana Shakuntala”, “‘Ritusamhara”, “Meghdutam”. Among
these “Kumansambhava” and “Raghuvamsha” are the two epic poems of him,
Malavikagnimitra”, “‘Vikramorvashiya”, “Abhijnana Shakuntala” are celebrated
plays and “Ritusamhara”,
“Meghdutam” are come under poetic
fiction. These eminent literary pieces give us a distinct idea about ancient
natural and political India; these are the spade that helps to find out Indian
cultural roots. Kalidas is often compared with epitome of renaissance William
Shakespeare.
Sanskrit
Literature has two division and those are in Sanskrit pronunciation
“Srobyokavyo” and “Drisya Kavya” which is in English ‘oral literature’ and
‘documentary literary piece”. The Guru of Sanskrit Literature has depicted both
of these two sections in his poem “Meghdutam”.
This fictional write up also has two sections, one is “Purba Megh”
[EASTERN CLOUD] and other one is “Uttar Megh” [NORTHERN CLOUD]. In “purbamegh”,
the journey of the cloud over hills, mountains, rivers has been depicted and in
“Uttar Megh” the cloud has to deliver some messages sent by Jakhsya(DEMI GOD)
for his wife who is waiting in the Alakapuri on Kailas mountain for their
amalgamation (jakhsya and jakhsyi).This poem has been written between 100 BC
and 500 AD. This poem contains 120 slokas. In this poem reference of THE
RAMAYANA by BALMIKI has been taken. This poem is all about the mourning of a
demigod (Jakhsya) for his wife (jakhsi). To give the reference of the mourning for beloved, reference from
RAMAYANA has been taken as in this epic mourning of Lord Rama for sita has been
shown when Ravana kidnapped Sita. In
“Meghdutam” The Jakhsya is an employee of Kubera, the Lord of Wealth. For the
negligence in the work, Jakhsya is exiled in the central India near the
(Ramgiri Mountain). There, he was mourning for his wife who is waiting for Jakhsya’s return in Alaka
on Koilas Mountain of the Himalaya
Mountains. In Ramayana mourning is for female from male and here in Meghdutam
also the mourning is for female from male. In the Monsoon time of India, when
the first cloud was seen , the love-sicked Jakhsya sends some message for his
wife in Alaka through the clouds. Hence
this poem is known as “sandesh kabya” or the cloud Messenger. Poetic conceit has been used in it and it is
written in Mandakranta metre. This metre was very popular in ancient Sanskrit
literature. It was actually invented by Kalidas himself and it was first
applied in “Meghdut Kabya”. The word “Mandakranta” means in Sanskrit ‘slow
stepping’ or ‘slowly advancing’. In Mandakranta rhythm, a line consists of 17
syllables and those are separated among three sections. According to DEO, this
rhythm is similar to trochaic. This rhythm is important to discuss because it
features about two lovers who are at a distance from each other which is called
in Sanskrit “viraha” or separation. Here
the story of the poem is perfectly matched with the title. The Jakhsya is sad
for his wife but he cannot disobey his punishment. As in “Hanshasandesha” Rama
has sent message to sita via a duck (hansha) , in “Meghdutam” the love-sicked
Jakhsya has sent message to his wife via cloud. The deep analysis of the poem
can give the taste of ‘sringer rasa’ which means romantic love. This classical
piece is translated into English by Horace Hayman in 1813. If this poem is
analysed only as love poem, then it will be a great fallacy. That is why this
paper is analysed from the Diasporic point of view.
Diaspora is
actually a separation of culture and community into a new culture and region
Diasporic writing is related to two types of moves. One is temporal move and
other one is spatial move. The Temporal move is taking back gear to the past
which can be called analepsis and moving forward to future which can be called
prolepsis. So space, familiar-unfamiliar concept is involved in this text. The feeling of nostalgia for homeland, going
back to root has given the birth of Diasporic literature. The Indian
traditional Diasporic writers are Bharati Mukherjee, Anita Desai, Shauna Singh
Baldwin, Anjana Appachana, Sunetra Gupta, Anita Nair, Jhumpa Lahiri, and Chitra
Banerjee Divakaruni, Amitav Ghosh etcetera. Diasporic writings have some common
features among them such as isolation, Displacement, Alienation, Nostalgia,
Sense of loss, Existential crisis, Identity crisis, and Assimilation etcetera.
The word “Isolation” comes from a Latin word
“Insula” which means “Island”, then it moves to Italian word “Isolato” which
means “Isolated”. After that it moves to French word “Isole” and then it comes
into English. In earlier era this word was used as medical term. The word isolation means keeping apart or
quarantine. Isolation is a psychological state of loneliness by which one can
truly feel that he or she is away from other due to his or her location. It
basically gives a negative undertone for human being. The concept of isolation
has been depicted in various literary pieces and often in Diasporic literature.
It is a modern
term associated with post colonialism. It refers people is away from his own
place or one’s location has been changed. Displacement is a very common feature
in Diasporic literature.
The word
alienation comes from a Latin verb “alienare” which means “belonging to
another” or “to estrange”. Due to displacement, a new emergence happens. New
emergence means new culture. A people, who has come from another culture face a
lot of problem to be amalgamated. He or she becomes the alien person for the
new culture. This process is known as alienation.
Identity crisis
is very much related with displacement and alienation. If a person comes from
another place, it is called displacement. Coming into the new place he or she
faces a great problem to adopt new culture. That makes them alienated. Due to
alienation the people faces the dilemma of their own identity which is known as
identity crisis.
Nostalgia means thinking about the past or an
unbreakable connection with past. Nostalgia is actually made from a Greek
compound word “nostos” which means “Homecoming”. This word is also created from Homeric word
“Algos” which means sorrow. A 17th century medical student coined this term to
analyse anxiety. In medical tem it means
extreme homesickness. It is actually related to melancholic mood. In English
literary period nostalgic is basically found in Romantic Era. As discussed
earlier that in ancient era the word nostalgia was used in a negative term like
pain, homesickness etcetera but in modern era this word is defined in a
positive way like a good memories or a warm childhood days etcetera. Nostalgia
is also a great feature of Diasporic literature as it is talked about memories
and homesickness.
Sense of loss is
a psychological and emotional state of mind which shows one person is away from
his beloved. This “beloved” can be native country, can be partner. Though sense
of loss usually depicts any kind of loss but from Diasporic point of view it
has some connection with loved one.
Existential crisis is also an emotional state
of mind. It is a kind of depression. When a person does not understand the
purpose of life, the meaning of life, he can suffer from existential crisis.
Though this concept is too much popular in absurd literature but it is also
common in Diasporic literature.
Assimilation
means becoming like other. If a man lives away from his or her native land,
after some time he or she adopts the culture of the new place. This adaptation
is known as assimilation. Assimilation comes from the verbal word assimilate
which is made from Latin compound word- one is “ad” which means “to towards”
and “similes” which means “similar”. Assimilation means conjugation of two
things. It is basically related to
culture. Cultural assimilation means where two different culture amalgates.
When a man leaves his native land and comes in a new land, he is included in
the group of minority. When the minority groups adopt the culture of majority,
then this is called cultural assimilation and thus the word “assimilation” is
one of the main features of Diasporic literature.
Now the paper will discuss that the poem
“Meghdutam” is consisted with these features or not.
Here in this
poem “Meghdutam”, it can be said that the exiled jakhsya’s mourning for his
beloved is also mourning for his native place Alakapuri because when he is
giving description about his wife to the cloud , he has also described the
Alakapuri a lot. This motive comes under nostalgia feature.
“….The gale that
blows eternally their guide,
High over ALAKA
the cloud divides
In parted masses….”
The lines cited
from ‘Meghdutam’ or ‘cloud messenger’ shows that Jakhsya has described his native place Alaka
and it represents his nostalgic mood. This line also suggests the isolation and
alienation of Jakhsya as he is far from his residential land and culture.
“..whose teeth
like pearls , whose lips like Bimbas
show
And fawn- like
eyes still tremble as they glow
Lone as the
widowed Chakravaki mourns
Her faithful
memory to her husband turns
And sad, And
silent, shalt thou find my wife,
Half of my soul,
and partner of my life ….”
These lines can refer the sense of loss as
well as nostalgic feeling. At Ramgiri Mountain, Jakhsya is unable to amalgamate
with that place. This minute description of beloved represents Jakhsya’s
continuous mourning for his wife which represents the sense of loss and minute
description also refers the nostalgic feelings.
“…..I view her
now! Long weeping swells her eyes,
And those dear
lips are dried by parching sighs…..”
The phrase “I
view her now” is a core reference of nostalgic feeling and also the feeling of
sense of loss.
“Where
Ramgiri’s cool , dark wood extend,
And those pure
streams, where Sita Bathed, descend;
Spoiled of his
glories, severed from his wife,
A banished
Yaksha passed his lonely life:
Doomed, by his lord’s stern sentence, to
sustain
Twelve tedious
months of solitude and pain…...”
The first two
lines “ Where Ramgiri’s cool, dark wood extend,/And those pure streams, where
Sita Bathed, Decend…” shows a little bit
assimilation of Yaksha with the new place as it has a mythical connection. In
that place he can connect his feelings, his pain with Lord Rama. As In RAMAYANA
when sita is kidnapped by Ravana, Ram mourns, in “Meghdutam” Yakshya mourns for his wife. So these two lines
refer the assimilation of Yakshya with
that new place.
The next two
lines “……Spoiled of his glories, severed from his wife, / A banished Yaksha passed
his lonely life…” show loneliness which refers isolation. Due to exile he is
unable to adopt the ambience of new place and always sinks in the nostalgic
thought of his female companion and residential land, which creates his
existential crisis. He does not find any meaning of life wit out his wife and
native land.
The last two lines of the mentioned stanza
“….Doomed, by his lord’s stern sentence, to sustain / Twelve tedious months of
solitude and pain…...” represents the displacement of Yaksha . The phrase “…solitude and pain...” depicts
isolations, nostalgia, connection for the root, sense of loss which are the
main features of Diasporic literature. An Another side is also portrayed there.
The term “solitude” refers here that in ‘Ramgiri Mountain’, Yaksha is alone,
there he is not yaksha, not an employer, not a husband. There is no one whom
this Demi- God can give his identity. Untill the monsoon comes and he meets the
cloud messenger he suffers from identity crisis.
Due to limitation of time and word limits, it
becomes impossible to explain the whole poem, but from the English translation
of “Meghdutam”, certain stanzas which depict Diasporic features are mentioned
and explained. One more aspect is, this paper is only depended on English
Translation of “Meghdutam” which is cloud messenger.
Diaspora is
associated with two moves, one is temporal move and other one is spatial move.
In the poem “Meghdutam” or in “Cloud Messenger” there is one line which shows
the temporal move. That line is “…… Twelve tedious months of solitude and
pain…...” The phrase “Twelve tedious months” refers the limitation of time and
that is twelve months. So the poem depicts one feature of Diasporic writing
that is temporal move. Here it causes exile. Exile is totally associated with
diaspora because diaspora was started with exile of Jews. After a long discussion on “Meghdutam”, it
can be said that Kalidas’ this classical literary piece depicts all the main
features of Diasporic writing which are
isolation, Displacement, Alienation,
Nostalgia, Sense of loss, Existential crisis, Identity crisis, and Assimilation. The sense of Nostalgia, sense of loss,
isolation and displacement are almost in every line of the poem. By cultivating
these themes, the sense of Identity crisis and Existential crisis, and sense of
loss are found. The sense of
assimilation is also there in few lines.
To conclude this paper, it can be said that “ Meghdutam” or “ The cloud Messenger”, written by Indian
ancient Guru Mohakobi Kalidas is a fictional Diasporic literary piece as it
depicts all the features of Diasporic writings .
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