Introduction
Ivor Armstrong Richards gave a new way of analyzing a text in his seminal work 'Practical Criticism,' which is one of the foundational works in the field of literary criticism, especially in New Criticism'. New Criticism emerged during the 1920s and 1930s in America. I.A. Richards proposes an entirely new way to interpret a literary text, and that is without any external influences such as the author's biography, historical context, time, place, and setting. This approach emphasizes the text itself, encouraging readers to focus solely on the language, structure, and meaning within the work. By doing so, Richards aimed to reveal the intrinsic qualities of literature, allowing for a more objective and nuanced interpretation that transcends personal biases and contextual distractions. I.A. Richards advocates for the idea that the text in itself carries the meaning, and the reader must not go beyond the words that the particular text possesses.
Today, we turn this critical lens onto Parul Khakhar’s powerful poem, "Shav Vahini Ganga" (The Corpse-Bearing Ganges). Written during the devastating second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the poem serves as a perfect case study for Richards’ theories on Meaning, Figurative Language, and the dangers of Misunderstanding.
શબવાહિની ગંગા
પારુલ ખખ્ખર
એક અવાજે મડદા બોલ્યાં ‘સબ કુછ ચંગા-ચંગા’
રાજ, તમારા રામરાજ્યમાં શબવાહિની ગંગા.
રાજ, તમારા મસાણ ખૂટયા, ખૂટયા લક્કડભારા,
રાજ, અમારા ડાઘૂ ખૂટયા, ખૂટયા રોવણહારા,
ઘરેઘરે જઈ જમડાંટોળી કરતી નાચ કઢંગા
રાજ, તમારા રામરાજ્યમાં શબવાહિની ગંગા.
રાજ, તમારી ધગધગ ધૂણતી ચીમની પોરો માંગે,
રાજ, અમારી ચૂડલી ફૂટે, ધડધડ છાતી ભાંગે
બળતું જોઈ ફીડલ વગાડે ‘વાહ રે બિલ્લા-રંગા’!
રાજ, તમારા રામરાજ્યમાં શબવાહિની ગંગા.
રાજ, તમારા દિવ્ય વસ્ત્ર ને દિવ્ય તમારી જ્યોતિ
રાજ, તમોને અસલી રૂપે આખી નગરી જોતી
હોય મરદ તે આવી બોલો ‘રાજા મેરા નંગા’
રાજ, તમારા રામરાજ્યમાં શબવાહિની ગંગા.
I. The Four Kinds of Meaning
Richards posits that the total meaning of a poem is a composite of four distinct factors: Sense, Feeling, Tone, and Intention . To truly grasp Khakhar’s work, we must dissect it through these layers, paying attention to the specific vernacular used.
1. Sense: The Reality of the "Items"
"Sense" refers to what is articulated—the specific "items" alluded to by the writer .
In "Shav Vahini Ganga," the sense is grounded in a harrowing physical reality. The poem documents the breakdown of funeral rites and the scarcity of wood.
The Items: The poem lists specific, tangible items: Masaan (Crematoriums), Lakkadbhara (Wood for pyres), and the Ganga (Ganges).
The Context: These are not abstract concepts; they are the "scientific" facts of the pandemic moment. The Sense conveys that the holy river has physically become a carrier of the dead.
2. Feeling: Lamentation and Betrayal
"Feeling" encompasses the emotions and attitudes the poet holds toward the subject .
The feeling here is one of intense anguish mixed with a sense of betrayal.
Lamentation: The poet captures the grief of the citizenry, described in the original Gujarati as:"રાજ, અમારા ડાઘૂ ખૂટયા, ખૂટયા રોવણહારા"
Raaj, amara daghu khutya, khutya rovanhara
("King, our pall-bearers are too few, fewer yet the mourners" / "Lord, our pall-bearers ran out, mourners ran out")
Emotive Dissonance: Richards notes that feelings often involve a "bias or accentuation of interest" . Here, the bias is toward the "bereft." The feeling organizes the conflicting impulses of needing to mourn while being unable to perform the rituals, creating a "paradoxical emotional response" .
3. Tone: The Mock-Reverence of "Raaj"
"Tone" reflects the writer’s attitude toward the audience or the addressee . This is where the poem strikes its sharpest chord.
The poem is structured around the relentless repetition of the address "Raaj" (King/Ruler) and the invocation of "Ram-Rajya" (The Ideal Realm/Kingdom of Ram).
"રાજ, તમારા રામરાજ્યમાં શબવાહિની ગંગા"
Raaj, tamara Ramrajya ma shav-vahini Ganga
("King, in your Ram-Rajya, the Ganges is a hearse")
The Satirical Edge: By repeatedly addressing the ruler as "Raaj" immediately followed by the horrific image of the Shav-vahini Ganga (Corpse-bearing Ganges), the poet establishes a tone of biting satire.
The Chant: This repetition creates a rhythm similar to a prayer, but the intent is subverted. It forces the listener to hear the claim:"એક અવાજે મડદા બોલ્યાં 'સબ કુછ ચંગા-ચંગા'"
Ek avaje marda bolya 'sab kuch changa-changa'
("The corpses spoke in one voice: ‘All is well, everything is fine’")
The tone here is not genuine agreement; it is the "emotive use of language" to mock the official narrative that everything is "changa" (fine) while the dead are speaking.
4. Intention: The "Naked" Truth
"Intention" denotes the effect the writer aims to evoke .
While the poem vividly describes the pollution of the Ganges, a careful reading using Richards' method reveals that the poet’s intention is not merely to criticize the act of throwing bodies or polluting the river.
The Target: The target is the "Raaj" (The King)."હોય મરદ તે આવી બોલો 'રાજા મેરા નંગા'"
Hoy marad te aavi bolo 'Raja mera nanga'
("If there be a real man here, come forward and say / ‘My King is naked’")
The Aim: The intention is to strip away the illusion of competence. The "unholy" state of the river is used as evidence to indict the administration. The floating bodies are the irrefutable proof that the Ram-Rajya is a fallacy.
II. The "Plausible Impossibility": Figurative Language
Richards defends the use of "Emotive Language," stating that scientific precision is often fatal to poetry . He specifically validates Personification (Animism), arguing that projecting human activity onto inanimate objects is a natural resource of poetry .
"એક અવાજે મડદા બોલ્યાં" (The corpses spoke in one voice): A literalist might argue that dead bodies cannot speak. However, Richards would call this a "plausible impossibility" . In the emotive realm, this line is "true" because it gives voice to the overwhelming silence of the dead.
"ધગધગ ધૂણતી ચીમની" (The smoking, burning chimney):"રાજ, તમારી ધગધગ ધૂણતી ચીમની પોરો માંગે"
Raaj, tamari dhagdhag dhunti chimney poro maange
("King, your continuously burning smoking chimneys ask for a break/rest")
This personification projects the human feeling of exhaustion onto the chimney. It suggests that even the iron and stone are trembling under the sheer weight of the tragedy .
III. The Trap of Misunderstanding: Context and Visual Memory
Richards warns against "Defective Scholarship" and "Misunderstanding of the Sense" as major obstacles to appreciation . This poem demands context.
The Danger of "Defective Scholarship"
If a future reader approaches this text without knowledge of the Corona pandemic (specifically the Second Wave), they risk a "Prosaic reading" .
They might interpret the "melting chimneys" or "bodies in the river" as "ludicrous exaggerations" .
Richards warns that "Scientific language necessitates correct references" , but here, the poetic truth relies on the reader knowing that these references were historically accurate. Without this context (scholarship), the Sense collapses.
The Necessity of Visual Memory
Richards argues that "Visual Memory" is essential for evaluating imagery .
For the Reader with Context: When we read "શબવાહિની ગંગા" (Shav-vahini Ganga), it triggers a specific, horrifying visual memory from news reports of 2021. This memory validates the poet's "emotive metaphor" .
For the Reader without Context: A reader who has "never seen the Corona pandemic" lacks this visual anchor. They might view the imagery as a gothic fantasy or "romantic animism" , failing to feel the specific "attitude and emotional reaction" the poet intends.
Conclusion
"Shav Vahini Ganga" is a testament to I.A. Richards’ belief that the value of poetry lies in its ability to harmonize conflicting impulses . It forces the reader to hold two opposing realities in their mind simultaneously: the official proclamation of Ram-Rajya and the visual reality of the Shav-vahini Ganga.
By using emotive language and a satirical tone, the poem does not just report a tragedy; it organizes our confusion and grief into a coherent, stinging realization. It reminds us that in poetry, as in life, the "truth" is often found not in the scientific data, but in the "attitude and emotional reaction" we are forced to confront.
References
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