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Blood, which is a poem by Kamala Nehru illustrates the different aspect of a woman. In this piece, the writer talks about her own interpretation of the poem. She reviews in her own words.
Blood, a poem by Kamala Das illustrates the different aspect of a woman. In this piece, the writer talks about her own interpretation of the poem. She reviews in her own words.
This is my very own interpretation of the poem Blood by Kamala Das. I feel that this poem is very feminine, depicting various aspects of women of different ages. I feel that one woman can well understand another because all these traits are there within us; maybe that is why Kamala Das, unlike her brother, could empathize with her grandmother so much.
I have avoided unnecessary explanations of the poem itself in this review as I am primarily interested in examining the minute, unsaid details about the women in the poem. I anticipate that readers would find this new insight into the poem thought provoking.
In a way, the poem Blood written by this Indian English poet and litterateur, clearly depicts the picture of aristocracy of the yesteryear in Malabar, Kerala. At the same time, this poem is a window into a little girl’s heart and how the world moulds her into a butterfly from the naivety of the cocoon.
It must be the 1940’s- Kamala being an inquisitive child, observes nature and tries to draw her fantasies in the sand as she plays with her brother.
It must be the 1940’s- Kamala being an inquisitive child, observes nature and tries to draw her fantasies in the sand as she plays with her brother. Along with the intoxicating serenity of nature at her grandmother’s place, she also comes to experience the anxiety, fear and the agony of her 86-year-old great grandmother about the perishing ancestral house. The conflict between the gratifying fantasies of a child and the bitter realities of her Grandmother must have influenced her in many ways in nourishing her creativity.
The poem illustrates different situations where such conflicts of experience are visible.
The poem narrates the rich past of Kamala’s great grandmother – Jewel box, elephant, sandal oil, which are all symbolic of her extravagant youth and her marriage to a prince, and then the sudden loneliness after his death within a year of their marriage. The poem also hints at how the woman in her grandmother dies along with her husband, if you read these lines from the poem-“God is her only feast; worldly pleasures become mere condiments to her afterwards.”
The poem also illustrates the pride her grandmother has over her blue blood, which she carries to her grave.
The little girl, Kamala could feel all the defeats and miseries her grandmother gave in to and so she promises herself to save the 300-year-old house for her grandmother.
The little girl, Kamala could feel all the defeats and miseries her grandmother gave in to and so she promises herself to save the 300-year-old house for her grandmother. But then again, reality strikes her. She learns as she grows up that making money is not easy. She could feel the old house breaking down, white ants, now fearlessly walking inside their old house – she asks for forgiveness as she is incapable of protecting the house. These thoughts follow her all her life; such is the impact of the childhood experiences.
She feels guilty that she plucked the soul of her grandmother (the house) and flung it into death’s pyre. She too is proud of her royal blood even though she is not powerful enough to renovate the old house, her great grandmother once loved.
Note: For Kamala Das, love is her religion. Her grandmother was her favorite person who taught her to love, forgive and devote oneself for the service of the less fortunate. She was aware of the sorrow of her lonely grandmother. She could empathize with the struggles of everyday women, which came alive in her verses.
Kamala Das image via answers.com
Deepa.R. Krishnan✍ A Public Relations Consultant in Dubai. Digital content creator. Cherie Blair foundation mentor alumna. Mohiniyattam dancer. Favorite quote: "The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough." read more...
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People say that women are the greatest enemies of women. I vehemently disagree. It is the patriarchal mindset that makes women believe in the wrong ideology.
The entire world celebrates International Women’s Day on March 8, 2024. It should be a joyful day, but unfortunately, not all women are entitled to this privilege, as violence against women is at its peak. The experience of oppression pushes many women to choose freedom. As far as patriotism is concerned, feminism is not a cup of tea in this society.
What happens when a woman decides to stand up for herself? Does this world easily accept the decisions of women in this society? What inspires them to be free of the clutches of the oppression that women have faced for ages? Most of the time, women do not get the chance to decide for themselves. Their lives are always at the mercy of someone, which can be their parents, siblings, husband, or children.
In some cases, women do not feel the need to make any decisions. They are taught to obey the patriarchal system, which makes them believe that they are right. In my family, I was never taught to make decisions on my own. It was always my parents who bought dresses and all that I needed.
14 years after her last feature film Dhobi Ghat, storyteller extraordinaire comes up with her new film, Laapataa Ladies, a must watch.
*Some spoilers alert*
Every religion around the world dictates terms to women. The onus is always on women to be ‘modest’ and cover their faces and bodies so men can’t be “tempted”, rather than on men to keep their eyes where they belong and behave like civilized beings. So much so that even rape has been excused on the grounds of women eating chowmein or ‘men will be men’. I think the best Hindi movie retort to this unwanted advice on ‘akeli ladki khuli tijori ki tarah hoti hai’ (an alone woman is like an open jewellery box) came from Geet in Jab We Met – Kya aap gyan dene ke paise lete hain kyonki chillar nahin hain mere paas.
The premise of Laapataa Ladies is beautifully simple – two brides clad in the ghunghat that covers their identity get mixed up on a train. Within this Russian Doll, you get a comedy of errors, a story of getting lost, a commentary on patriarchy’s attitude towards women, a mystery, and a tale of finding oneself, all in one. Done with a mostly light touch that has you laughing and nodding along.
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