Q. Central theme of poem ‘My Grandmother’s House by Kamala Das
Introduction
Central theme of poem ‘My Grandmother’s House by Kamala Das "My Grandmother's House" is a poignant and
evocative poem written by the celebrated Indian poet, Kamala Das. The poem is a
beautiful portrayal of the speaker's nostalgia for her grandmother's house and
the memories associated with it. Through vivid imagery and introspective
reflections, Kamala Das conveys the central theme of the poem - the enduring
power of cherished memories and the transformative impact of the past on the
present.
Kamala Das was born in Malabar in Kerala in 1934. Both her
mother and grandfather were Malayalam poets. Kamala Das started writing poetry
while at school, but before contributing to Indian poetry in English, she had
won fame as a Malayalam writer. Today she is hailed as one of our significant
poets writing in English. She is pre-eminently a poet and has truly made a mark
with her poems rather than her prose writing. What strikes a reader in her
poems is her compelling originality and freshness as also her command over the
verse technique and the English language.
Nostalgia and Sentimental Value
Kamala Das’s reminiscences of childhood are associated with
Nalapat House, her family home in Malabar, and her grandmother whom she loved
dearly. These recollections are always linked with feelings of nostalgia and
wistfulness. In My Story she writes, “from every city, I have lived I have
remembered the noons in Malabar with an ache growing inside me, a
homesickness.” Her family home and its presiding deity—her grandmother,
symbolize for the poetess “love”, “innocence”, “respectability” and
“traditional values”. In this poem the house is presented with concern and
pathos and the poetess expresses her poignant feelings of yearning for this
house. She wishes to go back to it.
The poem opens with the speaker reminiscing about her
childhood visits to her grandmother's house. The house becomes a symbol of
nostalgia and sentimental value, where the memories of her younger days are
preserved like precious treasures. Kamala Das employs vivid imagery to paint a
picture of the house, highlighting its emotional significance.
The Passage of Time and Change
As the poem progresses, Kamala Das explores the theme of the
passage of time and the inevitable changes it brings. The contrast between the
past and the present becomes apparent, emphasizing the temporal nature of life
and the impermanence of everything, including the house itself.
Through her memories of her grandmother's house, the speaker
revisits her past and grapples with the concept of identity. The house acts as
a repository of her roots, connecting her to her cultural heritage and familial
ancestry. The poem delves into the idea that one's sense of self is deeply intertwined
with their past and the places they have called home.
"I am now / A mother and wife, and the sky is high / And
the August clouds are moving in / With thunderstorms and rain / I cannot come
down."
Interpretation
Blood shows an admirable restraint in tone and tautness of
language. The remorse that Kamala Das feels at having failed to abide by the
values associated with the old house and the grandmother is more clearly
expressed in the poem “Blood” which runs at two levels literal and allegorical.
At the literal level it describes the remote ancestry and the
old blood of her family of which her great grandmother was the living example.
The great grandmother was deeply religious having been “fed on God for years”,
and proud of the purity of her family’s blood. She was, however, greatly
concerned about the threatened ruin of the old house.
The poetess promised her that she would renovate the house
when she grew up and became very rich. However, as she grew up, she failed to
honour her words and retrieve the house from ruin for she “had learnt by then/most
lessons of defeat”. Towards the end of the poem its allegorical significance
becomes apparent when the poetess substitutes the fall of the old house with
the fall of her own old values and blames herself for the damage done to the
proud family.
Conclusion
In My Grandmother's House Kamala Das masterfully weaves together themes
of nostalgia, the passage of time, identity, loss, and the longing for
belonging. Through evocative imagery and introspective reflections, she
illustrates the enduring power of cherished memories and how our past
experiences shape who we are in the present. The poem resonates deeply with
readers, inviting them to explore their own memories and the profound influence
of their roots on their lives. Just as the house stands as a symbol of the
poet's past, "My Grandmother's House" reminds us all of the timeless
significance of our own cherished memories and the emotional connections that
tie us to our heritage.
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