A.K.

RAMANUJAN’S “OBITUARY”

INTRODUCTION

You can see a clear frame of the son in this unit, who does not show any strong
feelings for his father's death, which could be due to Hindu tradition or his
irritation with his father. Everything has changed now. The mother is
understandably upset; her husband has passed away. Despite the narrator's
displeasure with his father, he respectfully requests the newspaper with the
father's obituary.

ABOUT THE POET, A.K. RAMANUJAN

Krishnaswami Krishnaswami Krishnaswami Krishnaswami Krishnaswami Krishna

Ramanujan, also known as A. K. Ramanujan, was an Indian poet and scholar of
Indian literature who wrote in both English and Kannada. He died on July 13, 1993.
Ramanujan was a poet, philologist, folklorist, translator, and playwright, as well as
a poet, scholar, and professor. English, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, and Sanskrit were
all used in his academic research. He wrote about both classical and modern
versions of this literature, and he argued vehemently for the recognition of non-
standard dialects. Ramanujan's poems are remembered as enigmatic works of
startling originality, sophistication, and moving artistry, despite the fact that he
wrote widely and in a variety of genres. For his collection of poems, The Selected
Poems, he received the Sahitya Akademi Award posthumously in 1999.
On March 16, 1929, Ramanujan was born in Mysore City. Attipat Asuri
Krishnaswami, an astronomer and mathematics professor at Mysore University,
was known for his interest in English, Kannada, and Sanskrit. His mother was a
stay-at-home mom. A.K. Srinivasan, Ramanujan's brother, was also a writer and
mathematician.
Education

Ramanujan attended Marimallappa's High School in Mysore and the Maharaja

College in Mysore for his education. In college, Ramanujan majored in science in
his freshman year, but his father persuaded him to switch to English because he
was "not mathematically minded." In 1958–59, Ramanujan was a Fellow of Deccan
College in Pune, and in 1959–62, he was a Fulbright Scholar at Indiana University.
He studied English at the University of Mysore and went on to Indiana University
for his PhD in Linguistics.

Career

Ramanujan worked as an English lecturer in Quilon and Belgaum before teaching

for eight years at the Maharaja Sayajirao University in Baroda. He became an
assistant professor at the University of Chicago in 1962. Throughout his career, he
was associated with the university and taught in a variety of departments. He also
taught at Harvard University, the University of Wisconsin, the University of
Michigan, the University of California at Berkeley, and Carleton College in the
United States. Ramanujan was a key figure in the development of the South Asian
Studies programme at the University of Chicago. He was a member of the South
Asian Languages and Civilizations, Linguistics, and Committee on Social Thought
departments. A.K.Ramanujan is a well-known Indian author who also writes in
English. He wrote all of his poetry in America, but India and Indian culture are at
the heart of his poetry. His observations of the American way of life appear to have
little impact on his verses. Some of his earlier poems, such as "Vachans" from
[[Kannada]] in Speaking Shiva and some of the love lyrics, were written in Kannada.
He was awarded the Padma Shri by the Indian government in 1976, and the
MacArthur Prize Fellowship by the MacArthur Foundation in 1983 (Shulman,
1994). He was named William E. Colvin Professor in the Departments of South
Asian Languages and Civilizations, Linguistics, and the Committee on Social
Thought at the University of Chicago in 1983, and he was also awarded a
MacArthur Fellowship in the same year. Ramanujan was an Indo-American writer
who had lived in both a native and a foreign environment. His poems, such as
"Conventions of Despair" reflected his views on the east and west's cultures and
conventions. In 1999, he received the Sahitya Akademi Award for his Collected
Poems.
A. K. Ramanujan died on July 13, 1993, in Chicago, as a result of an adverse
reaction to anaesthesia during surgery preparation.

Contributions to Indian subcontinent studies

A. K. Ramanujan made theoretical and aesthetic contributions in a variety of fields.

He explains cultural ideologies and behavioural manifestations thereof in terms of
an Indian psychology he calls "Is There an Indian Way of Thinking?" thinking in his
cultural essays such as "context-sensitive" (1990). Ramanujan's folklore studies
work emphasises the intertextuality of India's oral and written literary traditions.
His essay "Where Mirrors Are Windows: Toward an Anthology of Reflections"
(1989), as well as his commentaries in The Interior Landscape: Love Poems from a
Classical Tamil Anthology (1967) and Folktales from India (1967). His work in Indian
folklore studies is exemplified by Oral Tales from Twenty Indian Languages (1991).

Controversy regarding his essay

His 1991 essay "Three Hundred Ramayanas: Five Examples and Three Thoughts on
Translation" sparked debate when it was included in the University of Delhi's B.A.
in History syllabus in 2006. In this essay, he mentions the existence of many
Ramayana versions, including a few that depict Rama and Sita as siblings, which
contradicts popular Ramayana versions such as those by Valmiki and Tulsidas.
Some Hindus found A K Ramanujam's comments to be derogatory, and some of
them decided to take the text to court to have it removed from the Delhi
University curriculum. The ABVP, a nationalist student organisation, opposed its
inclusion in the curriculum, claiming that it offended the majority Hindu sentiment,
which saw Rama and Sita as gods incarnate and husband and wife. They demanded
that the essay be taken off the curriculum. The Delhi High Court ordered Delhi
University to form a committee to decide whether or not the essay should be
included. Following that, a four-member committee voted 3-1 in favour of its
inclusion in the curriculum.
The academic council, on the other hand, disregarded the committee's
recommendation and voted in October 2011 to remove the essay from the
curriculum.
Many historians and intellectuals protested, accusing Delhi University of caving in
to non-historians' diktat ("views").
There are some inherent flaws in Indian poetry written in English. Its essentially
hybrid nature imposes challenges in subject matter and expression that only a few
of the accepted poets have been able to overcome. The genuineness of its
language, as well as the authenticity of the sensibility reflected in it, are both in
question. Faced with these challenges, the Indian poet in English frequently
employs gimmicky devices in his choice of theme and in his delivery. In order to
give the impression of originality and cleverness in what he writes, he is sometimes
forced to use syntax and lexis.
His use of an unusual phrase - a "Indianism" or an idiom from an Indian language -
or the complexity of imagery is frequently intended to startle the reader. The
Indian poets' treatment of the English idiom is self-aware, which defeats the
purpose of idiomatic language to some extent. At times, one gets the feeling that
some of these poets have a stash of 'outlandish' words and expressions on hand,
which they use to give their work a false sense of profundity. A few of them seek
solace in "private" mythologies. One gets the uneasy feeling that it's not just the
diction that needs to be glossed, but the underlying idea as well. There is an
abundance of intellect, and the resulting lack of emotional depth is attempted to
be compensated for by adopting a phoney ironic mode and elitist arrogance. In
situations like this, it's usually the bi-lingual poet who shines. True poets among
Indo-Anglians appear to be those who write in both English and their native
tongue. They are poets in their own right, with important things to say and the
ability to say it in both English and their native tongue. They aren't trying to make a
profit off of their poetry by manipulating words and employing sophisticated
techniques. A.K. Ramanujan belongs to the small group of genuine Indian poets
writing in English today. He is a bi-lingual, if not tri-lingual, writer as well. Despite
his long sojourn abroad, his success stems from his refusal to deny his Indian
ancestry and avoid succumbing to what has been referred to as a sense of
alienation. He has, for the most part, avoided the pitfalls listed, and the result is an
unmistakable authenticity in tone and treatment.
A.K. Ramanujan was born in the city of Mysore in the year 1929. He is a trilingual
author who demonstrates equal mastery in English, Tamil, and Kannada. While his
creative works are written in English, his translations are written in Tamil and
Kannada. The Striders (1966) and Relations: Poems (1977) are his two collections
of poetry (1971). The former establishes Ramanujan as a poet of striking imagery
and flawless language right away. His poetic voice is brash, and his sensibility is
distinctly contemporary. His poetry has a distinct sophistication that stems from his
upbringing in a city. Ramanujan, who holds the title of Professor of Linguistics, is
meticulous in his use of language and expressions. He's successfully developed his
own oblique, elliptical style. He has been able to expand the English language's
resources and add a peculiar pungency to it through his creative use of the
language. Following our examination of Ramanujan as a poet, it is necessary to
examine two of his best poems in order to see the poet in action. The fact that
these poems were chosen does not imply that Ramanujan's other poems are
unworthy of attention; rather, it indicates that the ones chosen are unquestionably
his gems.

“OBITUARY”, THE POEM

Father, when he passed on,
left dust
on a table of papers,
left debts and
daughters, a
bedwetting grandson
named by the toss
of a coin after him,

A house that leaned

slowly through our
growing years on a bent
coconut tree in the yard.
Being the burning
type, he burned
properly
at the cremation

As before,
easily and at
both ends, left
his eye coins
in the ashes that didn't
look one bit different,
several spinal discs,
rough,
some burned to coal, for
sons to pick gingerly
and throw as the
priest said, facing
east where three
rivers met
near the railway station;
no longstanding
headstone
with his full name and two
dates to hold in their
parentheses everything he
didn't quite manage to do
himself,
like his caesarean
birth in a brahmin
ghetto and his death
by heart-
failure in the fruit
market. But someone
told me
 he got two lines
in an inside column
of a Madras newspaper
sold by the kilo
exactly four weeks later
to street hawkers

who sell it in turn

to the small groceries
where I buy salt,
coriander,
and jaggery
in newspaper cones
that I usually read

for fun, and lately

in the hope of finding
these obituary lines.
And he left us
a changed mother
and more than one
annual ritual.

INTERPRETATION OF THE POEM

A.K. Ramanujan's poem "Obituary" recalls his father's death, as well as the value and
significance of the speaker's family life. The first few lines list the things his father left
behind as a legacy: a table piled high with dusty newspapers, debts, and daughters.
The speaker bemoans the fact that their father left them with nothing but trials and
tribulations. The newspapers are merely reprints of old news, and his own father has
made little contribution in terms of creativity or productivity. Daughters are regarded
as a source of burden in India, second only to debts. Parents are entrusted with the
task of "marrying them off" with a dowry that is appropriate for their status. He talks
about the Grandson named after the father, who had the inexcusable habit of
urinating in bed, in a conversational tone reminiscent of Philip Larkin. This
emphasises how the poet's father left nothing but memories in the form of debris
behind. He claims that the Grandson was named after his father "by chance," which
literally means "by chance," but has the opposite meaning.
A dilapidated house has been added to the legacy. Throughout their growing years,
the decrepit house leant on the coconut tree, according to the poet. From the
metaphor of the house, it is clear that their quality of life has deteriorated. It could
also mean that the family had to live a parasitic existence, relying on others (the way
the house leans on the coconut tree). The poet claims that his father, who is "the
burning type," was cremated properly. The phrase could refer to the father's physical
appearance, which is dry and parched. It could also be a reference to his witty
demeanour. Furthermore, if we consider the following lines, it appears that the
person was a chain smoker:

he burned properly
at the cremation
as before, easily
and at both ends,

His eyes glistened like coins on the funeral pyre, and they looked exactly the same as
they always did. This essentially means that they were devoid of feeling even while
he was alive. Their metallic stare resembles that of a coin. A person's eye balls, once
again, reflect whatever he is looking at. Perhaps the speaker was implying that his
father's attention was always drawn to money. He also left some half-burnt spinal
discs, which the priest advised the children to pick 'gingerly' or carefully and immerse
in the Thriveni, the confluence of the three rivers, where Hindu rites call for the dead
to be immersed. For the deceased person, no prominent or insignificant tombstone
with dates of birth and death was erected. As a result, neither his birth nor his death
were significant. He is so incompetent that even his birth is a Caesarean section for
which he did not have to exert much effort. He died of heart failure at the fruit
market, which was also an easy death for him. All he accomplished in his life was to
have two lines of an obituary published in a Madras newspaper. The paper was sold
to a hawker, who then sold it to a grocer, from whom the poet purchased supplies
on occasion. This emphasises the insignificance of whatever the father has
accomplished. The poet claims that he used to read newspapers with groceries such
as salt and jaggery wrapped up in them. However, he does it now in the hopes of one
day finding the lines relating to his father's obituary. Thus, the poet seeks to
understand the significance of his father's presence in his life: this, in the end, is the
quest's significance.

Being the burning type,

he burned properly
at the cremation…

Coins were placed on the eyes of the father's body when he was cremated. Bodies
are cremated within 24 hours, in accordance with Hindu tradition. The sons dug
through the ashes after the cremation to find hot coals to throw into the river in an
eastward direction. The father would not have a headstone with his birth and death
dates. The dates are parentheses to the son, encapsulating the time in his father's
life. The son believes that his father did many things incorrectly or incompletely from
the time he was born until his death:

like his caesarean birth

in a Brahmin ghetto
 and his death by heart failure in the fruit market…

He learns that four weeks after his father's cremation, his obituary took up two lines
in a local newspaper. Sugar cane was frequently purchased by the son and placed in
one of these cone-shaped newspapers. The son initially claims that he looks for the
paper for fun, but later adds that he would like the obituary. Because he is the oldest
son, the narrator will be in charge of any ancient rituals that the culture requires.
When a Hindu dies, there is little outpouring of grief because Hindus believe that
once a person is born, he or she will never die. There isn't much crying most of the
time. The son shows no strong feelings for his father's death, which could be due to
Hindu tradition or his annoyance with his father. Everything has changed now. The
mother is understandably upset; her husband has passed away. Despite the
narrator's displeasure with his father, he respectfully requests the newspaper with
the father's obituary.

Our little Sammy's gone,

His tiny spirit's fled;
Our little boy we loved so
dear Lies sleeping with the
dead.
A tear within a father's eye,
A mother's aching heart,
Can only tell the agony
How hard it is to part.

Daughters are seen as a source of financial strain in India, second only to debts.
Parents are entrusted with the task of "marrying them off" with a dowry that is
appropriate for their status. He talks about the Grandson named after the father,
who had the inexcusable habit of urinating in bed, in a conversational tone
reminiscent of Philip Larkin. This emphasises how the poet's father left nothing but
memories in the form of debris behind. He claims that the Grandson was named
after his father "by chance," which literally means "by chance," but actually means
"by chance." A dilapidated house has been added to the legacy. Throughout their
growing years, the decrepit house leant on the coconut tree, according to the poet.
From the metaphor of the house, it is clear that their quality of life has deteriorated.
It could also mean that the family had to live a parasitic existence, relying on others
(the way the house leans on the coconut tree). The poet claims that his father, who is
"the burning type," was cremated properly. The phrase could refer to the father's
physical appearance, which is dry and parched. It could also be a reference to his
witty demeanour. Furthermore, if we consider the following lines, it appears that the
person was a chain smoker:

he burned properly at the cremation as before,

easily and at both ends,
Ere sin has seared the breast,
Or sorrow waked the tear,
Rise to thy throne of changeless
rest, In yon celestial sphere!

The building blocks of a society are family units. The stronger the blocks, the more
solid the society will be. Families are the most solid foundations on which society is
built. There would be no society without family, and a woman, whether she is a
sister, wife, or mother, plays a critical role in maintaining a good society. The most
important unit of social organisation is the family. The family unit, which consists
primarily of a man and a woman living in harmony and peace, has always been and
will continue to be an important social organisation or unit in any society. No other
relationship can provide the same level of sexual, emotional, intellectual, and social
balance as this one. The role of the family is to set a good example for others in
society to follow, resulting in the society's development. The Father is the most
admired and admired member of the family. Fatherhood is truly a calling that lays
the groundwork for families and society.

The poetry of A.K. Ramanujan is primarily concerned with familial relationships. He

uses poetry to reminisce about his past experiences. His poetry is outstanding,
realistic, and socially relevant. He has a lyrical sensitivity style that encompasses
extraordinary unique poetry, childhood memories, ideology, patients, reverent
proficiency, and a wide range of human conditions. The image of Ramanujan's father
is ironically presented in the poem "Obituary."

RAMANUJAN'S PLACE IN CONTEMPORARY INDO- ENGLISH POETRY

Ramanujan is a linguist, anthropologist, translator, and poet all at the same time. His
fame, on the other hand, is likely to last as a poet. He is a gifted and promising poet.
He has "stabilised as one of the most talented of the ‘new’ poets." according to Dr.
Iyengar. (p.671 in Indian Writing in English). Ramanujan is unquestionably a
redeeming feature in an era when we are witnessing a mushroom growth of poets in
Indo-English writing. He can be compared to Nissirn Ezekiel, Kamala Das, Pritish
Nandi, and Keki Daruwalla for his work. His poetry is a lovely blend of feeling and
logic, of heart and mind. It brings together memory and desire, personal ties and
literary reminiscences, childhood and age, India and America. He is a victim of
cultural ambivalence and personal conflict at times; however, it is encouraging to see
that he has not naturalised Western themes and traditions as much as Indian ones,
and that he has stood firm and proven his mettle without shifting his allegiance. For
all readers, his Indianness has an irresistible allure.

LETS US SUM UP
The strongest blocks on which society rests are the families, which we discussed in
this unit. There would be no society without family, and a woman, whether she is a
sister, wife, or mother, plays a critical role in maintaining a good society. The most
important unit of social organisation is the family. The family unit, which consists
primarily of a man and a woman living in harmony and peace, has always been and
will continue to be an important social organisation or unit in any society. No other
relationship can provide the same level of sexual, emotional, intellectual, and social
balance as this one. The role of the family is to set a good example for others in
society to follow, resulting in the society's development. The Father is the most
admired and admired member of the family. Fatherhood is truly a calling that lays
the groundwork for families and society.