I got 2nd prize in 'Hail Tukaram
Competition' held online to commemorate the death anniversary of Saint
Tukaram on 8th March 2015. This was article writing competition and 150
entries were registered.
It was declared on Facebook
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1034771426551923&id=100000572250479
It was declared on Facebook
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1034771426551923&id=100000572250479
I wrote an English Article on
the poetry of Tukaram and its confessional tone.
https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/8675232-tukaram-a-quintessence-of-confessional-poetry
by Prashant Dharmadhikari
(HAIL TUKARAM CONTEST 2nd Prize Winning Entry)
Dnyaneshwar and Tukaram are considered as the ‘life force’ of Marathi culture. They represent the ‘warkari’ sect which caused revolution in the socio-political scenario of Maharashtra and said to be the foremost social reformers. The influence of these saints on the cultural life of Maharashtra can be compared to the influence of King James Bible on English life and literature. The poems, phrases and abhangas of Tukaram are woven in the very fabric of the language that we often use as idioms and sayings. They have proved the test of time because of the relevance and visionary qualities of their poetry. One of the characteristics of Tukaram’spoetry is its confessional tone. Even in the 21st Century, one can easily connect to the poems of Tukaram due to its relevance to our lives today.
The glory of Tukaramis rightly traced by noted Marathi poet and Dnyanpeeth Awardee, Vinda Karandikar in one of his famous poems titled ‘To meet Tukaram Shakespeare come over’. He exploited an opportunity to juxtapose the oeuvre of both these contemporary poets of sixteenth century. The distilled essence of this poem lies in the fact where Shakespeare concedes that whatever Tukaram has achieved was not attainable for him. The same kind of study in comparison has been attempted by noted Indian English critic Dr. M.K. Naik in his book Indian English Poetry where he compared Tukaram to Nobel Laureate Ravindranath Tagore. These instances prove that the poetry of Tukaram is ‘not for an age but for all the time’.
There are many instances in the collection of poetry which is famously called as gatha, whereTukaram initiated a very frank and candid discussion as if he was recording each and every incident of his life in his diary. Tukaramtalks regarding his profession, the inner turmoil during his ‘sadhana’, his sufferings, the discussion with Pandurang etc. The Tukaram Gatha is replete with all the instances where one can find ‘friend philosopher and guide’ in Tukaram.
Tukaram witnessed the utmost misery during the drought when he lost all his kith and kin. His wife died due to lack of food. In utterly confessional tone he laments:
‘Famine reduced me to penury, I lost my honour
I have to watch one of my wives starve to death
Ashamed of myself, I suffered great anguish
To find my business in ruins’
**
‘When my father died, I was too young to understand;
My children died; So much the better
The lord has removed the last illusion
My mother died in front of my eyes
My worries are all over says Tukaram’.
In this instance, one can compare Tukaram with Job, a prophet in the Book of Job inOld Testament of Bible, who suffers all the miseries and adversities to attain the salvation. LikeJob, Tukaram also hails from a prosperous family but the horrendous disasters take away all that he holds dear, including his offspring, his wife and property. Unlike Job, Tukaramt akes it on an optimistic note and sheds away the depression by saying it as ‘illusion’ (inAdiShankaracharya’s words ‘Maya’).
Tukaram confesses that I didn’t know the ways of the world and made my mind the judge instead of wandering here and there by the advice of people. He says:
‘I was so weary of the ways of the world.
That I spurned all advice given by my friends.
I made my own mind the sole judge of truth
Rejecting the popular view of life.’
Tukaram never hesitates to confess that, initially it was very difficult to concentrate (Navhate Abhyasi Chitt Adhi). Like a common man he used to feel that what if he could not attain the blessings of God. The people will laugh at him. But ultimately he understood the truth. He says.
I have understood one thing: that Narayana
Never lets down his devotees.
Says Tuka, my only assets in this world are
The poems that Panduranga made me speak.
