Obituary by AK Ramanujan Summary
A.K. Ramanujan’s poem “Obituary” was first published in his 1971 poetry collection Relations. This collection explores themes of family, culture, and personal identity. Later, “Obituary” was included in The Collected Poems of A.K. Ramanujan, published posthumously in 1995. This comprehensive volume brings together Ramanujan’s significant poetic works, highlighting his contributions to Indian English literature.
A. K. Ramanujan’s poem Obituary is about the poet’s memories and reflections on his father’s death and what he left behind. The poem shares how the father’s passing left a mixture of unresolved issues, like unpaid debts and emotional legacies. It shows the small, everyday details of life that continue after a death.
The poem opens by describing what was left after the father’s death: “dust on a table of papers,” debts, and the responsibility for daughters and a grandson who had been named after him by chance. The family house, which had a coconut tree leaning over it, is a symbol of how life was imperfect and tilted.
Ramanujan goes on to describe his father’s cremation. The father burned “properly” at the funeral, as expected in their tradition. All that remained were ashes and pieces of the father’s bones, which the sons had to pick up carefully and throw into the river as the priest instructed. This ritual is described with a sense of detachment, emphasizing how death, even when personal, follows certain rules.
There was no permanent memorial for the father, only an obituary printed in a local newspaper. The obituary, just two lines long, quickly faded into obscurity, becoming part of the newspaper that street hawkers sold and people used for wrapping groceries. The poet adds that he sometimes reads those paper cones, hoping to find the obituary for a sense of connection.
The poem ends by showing how the father’s death affected the family. It changed the poet’s mother, perhaps making her more serious or emotional. It also led to rituals that the family has to do every year. Through these details, Ramanujan shows that while the father’s life did not leave a big mark on the world, it deeply affected those close to him. The poem talks about loss, family, and the quiet ways in which memories of the dead live on.
Key Points
Author: A. K. Ramanujan: An influential Indian poet, scholar, and translator known for writing in English and Kannada. His works often explore themes of family, culture, identity, and the intersection of the personal and the universal.
Form (Rhyme Scheme): The poem is written in free verse, meaning it does not follow a specific rhyme scheme or meter. This form allows Ramanujan to express his thoughts and memories with a natural, conversational flow.
Speaker: The speaker in the poem is the poet himself or a persona closely resembling him. He reflects on the death of his father and its impact on the family, sharing personal insights and memories with an introspective voice.
Setting: The poem takes place in a domestic and societal setting, with references to typical Indian scenes such as a house leaning on a coconut tree, the cremation site, a Madras newspaper, and the local market. These details root the poem in a culturally specific context.
Theme:
Impermanence of Life: The poem explores how a person’s life and achievements can be reduced to fleeting memories and overlooked details after death.
Family and Tradition: It reflects on the role of family rituals and the emotional impact of a loved one’s death.
Cultural Observance: The poem highlights the rituals and beliefs associated with death in Indian society.
Memory and Loss: The speaker’s search for traces of his father shows the longing for connection even after someone is gone.
Plot:
The poem begins with the father’s death and what he left behind—unfinished responsibilities, debts, and memories. It describes the father’s cremation and the sons’ duty of handling the remains. The narrative shifts to the minimal public acknowledgment of the father’s death in a local newspaper. It concludes with the poet’s reflection on the subtle but lasting changes in the family, such as their mother’s transformation and annual rituals that keep the memory alive.
Tone:
Reflective and Melancholic: The tone is one of quiet contemplation, blending sadness with acceptance. There are moments of irony and dark humor as the speaker acknowledges the trivialization of significant events.
Style: Ramanujan uses vivid imagery, symbolism, and cultural references to paint a detailed picture of the father’s life and death. The style is straightforward yet layered with deeper meanings, creating a balance between the personal and the universal.
Message: The poem conveys that life, even with its significant moments, often leaves little lasting impact on the larger world. True remembrance lies in the subtle, ongoing changes within those who remain. The rituals, memories, and transformations in the family are what truly keep a person’s legacy alive.
A. K. Ramanujan
Full Name: Attipate Krishnaswami Ramanujan.
Birth: March 16, 1929, in Mysore, India.
Death: July 13, 1993, in Chicago, USA.
Background:
Scholar and Academic: A. K. Ramanujan was a distinguished poet, folklorist, and scholar of Indian literature. He worked extensively on South Indian languages and was fluent in English, Kannada, Tamil, and other Indian languages.
Education: Ramanujan earned degrees in English literature from the University of Mysore and the Deccan College in Pune. He later pursued further studies in linguistics and was a Fulbright Scholar.
Career: He became a professor at the University of Chicago, where he taught for many years and contributed significantly to the field of linguistics, folklore, and literary translation.
Literary Contributions:
Poet: Ramanujan is known for his evocative poetry that blends personal experience with broader cultural themes. His poetry collections, such as The Striders (1966), Relations (1971), and Second Sight (1986), explore themes of identity, family, memory, and cultural duality.
Translator: He translated classical Tamil and Kannada works, making them accessible to a wider audience. Notable translations include Speaking of Siva and The Interior Landscape: Love Poems from a Classical Tamil Anthology.
Folklorist: His work in folklore included extensive research into oral traditions, storytelling, and the cultural nuances of South Indian and broader Indian folklore.
Themes in His Work:
Cultural Duality: As someone who bridged Eastern and Western traditions, Ramanujan’s work often explores the tension between his Indian heritage and Western influences.
Family and Memory: His poems frequently reflect on personal and family relationships, highlighting the complexities of familial love, loss, and legacy.
Tradition and Modernity: Ramanujan’s writing delves into how traditional beliefs and practices intersect with modern life and personal identity.
Style and Influence:
Unique Voice: Ramanujan’s poetry is marked by its conversational tone, vivid imagery, and use of cultural and personal symbols. His works often shift seamlessly between the specific and the universal.
Impact on Indian English Literature: He played a significant role in shaping modern Indian English literature, bringing a deep, introspective, and culturally rich perspective to the field.
Legacy: His multifaceted contributions as a poet, translator, and scholar left an enduring impact on the study of Indian literature and folklore. His works continue to be studied for their rich portrayal of cultural nuances and deep exploration of human experience.
Awards and Recognition:
Ramanujan received various awards, including the Padma Shri in 1976, one of India’s highest civilian honors. His translations and original poetry have won accolades for their skillful blending of tradition, personal insight, and linguistic finesse.
Word Meaning
| Tough Word | Meaning in English | Meaning in Hindi |
| Debts | Money that a person owes someone else | कर्ज |
| Bedwetting | When a child accidentally pees in bed while sleeping | बिस्तर गीला करना |
| Leaned | To be slightly tilted or slanted | झुका हुआ |
| Yard | Open space outside a house | आंगन |
| Cremation | Burning a body after someone dies, as part of a ritual | दाह संस्कार |
| Coal | A black, hard rock-like material used as fuel | कोयला |
| Gingerly | Very carefully or gently | सावधानी से |
| Longstanding headstone | An old gravestone or marker for a grave | पुरानी कब्र की शिला |
| Parentheses | Symbols ( ) used in writing to add extra information | कोष्ठक |
| Ghetto | A crowded, often poor area where a specific group lives | गरीब बस्ती, घेट्टो |
| Streethawkers | People who sell things on the street | सड़क विक्रेता, फेरीवाले |
| Coriander | A green herb used in cooking, also called cilantro | धनिया |
| Jaggery | A type of traditional brown sugar made from sugarcane | गुड़ |
| Obituary | A notice in a newspaper about someone’s death | मृत्युलेख, शोक संदेश |
| Ritual | A traditional set of actions, often done in religious or cultural ceremonies | अनुष्ठान, रिवाज़ |
