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Arun Kolatkar : A Modernist

Pulkita Anand
Ph.D research scholar
Department of English
Vikram University Ujjain (M.P)

“ Modernism”, writes Peter Barry, “is the Commonwealth Poetry Award for Jejuri
name given to the movement which .Kolatkar’s genius lies in the fact that he
dominated the art and culture” (80). gave
According to M.H Abrams “The specific a new dimension to things already existed.
features signified by ‘modernism’(or by the Absurdity, ambiguity, depression, existential
adjective modernist) vary with the user ,but dilemma and all the stuff of modernism
many critics agree that it involves a abound in the poetry of Arun Kolatkar
deliberate and radical break with some of .Sunita Rana says “Modern Poetry is full of
the traditional bases not only of Western art ironic remark” (12).Arun Kolatkar made use
,but of Western culture in general”( 167). of this weapon in profusion .He is a
The post independence phase of modernist poet in the sense that his
Indian English Literature is strikingly experience deals with the here and now .He
different from all the previous period .Eliot’s employs dictomies, irony and paradox, and
“The Waste Land “influenced the entire eschews a facile and straight forward
Western world and also the east could not apprehension of the reality .His approach is
remain aloof from it. P.S.Kasture says as a constantly exploratory. The following lines
result of Eliot‘s deep influence images of corroborate this:
destruction abound in modern Indo-Anglian The bit of betel nut
poetry(42)Modern poetry is experimental in Turning over and over on his tongue
form, content, language and mode of Is a mantra (p.10)
expression. Priest who sanctifies the place of god is
Arun Kolatkar (1932-2004), a indulging in defiling the place .These lines
modernist bi-lingual poet received the points the indifference of priest towards his

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duty .It also expresses priest’s interest in mercenary benefits .Spiritual barrenness is
enjoyment and recreation. It reminds one of wonderfully presented as:
the priests of Chaucer’s The Canterbury a catgrin on its face
Tales .These lines absolutely describe that and a live, ready to eat pilgrim
power corrupt man and absolute power held between its teeth (p.11)
corrupt man absolutely. With the influence With the priest as a predator waiting for his
of science and technology man is distancing prey displays priest’s function in the modern
himself from religion as in “Markand”: time .Kolatkar in his sly ironical tone tries to
present hypocrisy prevalent in our
Take my shirt off institutions .Kolatkar is true to his poetic
And go there to do pooja creed .Despite being Brahmin ,Kolatkar
No thanks /not me does not hesitate to mirror the image of
But you go right ahead priest to his readers .Kolatkar through his
If that is what you want to do collection Jejuri
Give me the matchbox Doest not only attack temple and priest but
Before you go/will you? also our modern institutions such as railway.
I will be out in the courtyard In the poem “The Railway Station” shocked
Where no one will mind it/If I smoke to find that at railway station there is no time
(p.39) table and no clerk to tell when the next train
The lines above depict non-conformist will arrive as:
predicament of modern man who comes at Slaughter a goat before the clerk
religious place for performing pooja but Smash a coconut on the railway track
finds his comfort outside smoking a Smear the indicator with the blood of a cock
cigarette. Bath the station master in milk
Kolatkar satirizes commercialization of And promise you will give
religion “there is no crop /other than A solid gold toy train to the book clerk
god/and god is harvested here”. The word If only someone would tell you
“crop” typifies commercial importance of When the train is due (p.57)
god .With his mocking irreverent tone The word “slaughter a goat”, “smash a
Kolatkar expresses that how people in coconut”, “smear the indicator” and “bath
modern world are growing “god” for their the station master in milk” are mockery on

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rituals .The imagery of the poem conveys poem “The Cupboard” derelict shrine is
the point which Kolatkar wants to make .By covered with newspaper having details of
drawing parallel between railway station and recipes for eternal youth, stock-in trade
temple Kolatkar highlights that both places information and dull editorials. The poem
are lacking their real purpose for which they highlights the hypocrisy of both the
are meant for .Kala Ghoda Poems are newspaper details and temple. With biting
portrayal of underdogs, downtrodden, and humour satire, indifference and irreverence
neglected part of the society. In the poem Kolatkar has directed his shaft against
“Meera” the following lines depicts “golden god” and “strange instrument of
Kolatkar’s masterly display: torture”
Kolatkar creates ordinary experience and
As they sink deeper observation into poetry, sometimes with
Into themselves, seriousness and sometimes with agility, but
eggshells and dead flowers not without irony as in the poem “The
dry leaves and melon rinds, Butterfly” in which ‘there is no story
bread crumbs and condoms , behind’ the butterfly, it is ‘just a pinch of
chicken bones and potato peels yellow,/it opens before it closes ‘ and ‘it
The details of garbage, waste materials closes before it’ opens. But the butterfly ‘is a
collected by “Meera” describes Kolatkar’s pun on the present ‘to a place full of legends
keen sense of observation .These lines give and stories.
us suggestion that beauty lies in its simpler The irreverence and skeptical attitude of
and humbler aspect ,for this one does not Kolatkar is revealed by the very name of the
require to wear 3D glasses to get the poem “Yeshwant Rao” which can be read in
required image. What requires is change of either ways as yes we want Rao or yes, Rao
perception .In poems such as “A Kind of wants .The place of ‘Yeshwant Rao’ is
Cross” and “The Cupboard” kolatkar attacks among baggers and lepers ,he is second class
rituals and its practice in our society .There god. The poem satirizes the hierarchy in
is ironic presentation of temple as palace of every institution and dirty politics even the
torture .It recalls crucification of Christ and place of god doesn’t remain aloof from it .In
fallacy associated with sacrifice even in the the same poem the false show of those
modern time as assort of panacea. In the people who claim to cure you from all

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problems is attacked as ‘Yeshwant Rao’ is a little sympathy for the overtly ideological or
bone setter ‘as he himself has no heads, social, he displays a deep concern for the
hand and feet, /he happens to understand socially oppressed and the underdog.
you a little better’. References:
In a modern way interrogating the entity of Abram, M.H .A Glossary of Literary Terms.
God as ‘what is God’? and subverting it in 7 th ed. New Delhi: Harcout,1999.Print.
the answer as ‘God is the word /and I know
Barry, Peter. Beginning Theory: An
it backwards’. Backward of God is dog
Introduction to Literary and Critical Theory.
juxtaposition of ‘dog’ and ‘God’ draws the
Manchester and New York: Manchester Up,
point that no difference between God and
1995.Print.
dog and god lies in dog. It also reminds one
of Hindu ‘Ram’ which on continuous Kolatkar, Arun .Jejuri. Mumbai:Pras
recitation becomes ‘Mara’ means dead Prakashan .2010.Print.
reflects deadening of spirituality.
Kolatkar’s poetry is a meticulous x-ray ---.Kala Ghoda Poems .Mumbai: Pras

vision that privileges the details over the Prakashan .2004.Print.

whole.
---. Sarpa Satra. Mumbai: Pras Prakashan
In the Sarpa Satra Kolatkar is reinventing
.2004.Print.
the myth of ‘sarpa satra’ in the modern
context. The great Vyasa considers the Kasture,P.S., “The Nature of Chaos in
occasion of Sarpa Satra as “a not – to –be Modern Indo-Anglian Poetry.” Eds Dhawan,
missed opportunity”(35).The treatment of R.K, P. V. Dhanija and A. K Shrivastava.
theme in Kolatkar’s poetry is ironic, Recent Commenwealth Literatures Vol.II.
sarcastic, and cynical. By using these New Delhi: Prestige Books, 1989.Print.
devices Kolatkar presents the reality of
Rana, Sunita. “A Study of Indian English
today. Kolatkar is a modernist poet in the
Poetry “International Journal of Scientific
sense that his experience deals with here and
and Research Publication, 2.10(Oct 2012):
now .He employs irony, sarcasm, paradox
1-5.Print.
and eschews a facile and straight forward
apprehension of the reality. His approach is
constantly exploratory .Although he evinces

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