The poem Obituary is written by A.K. Ramanujan who was born in a typical Brahmin family. However his mother had to undergo surgical operation (not a normal delivery) during his birth (which is not a tradition of Brahmin family).

He went to America and found a totally new culture. He married a Syrian Christian girl which made him to see his country, his culture, his religion and his beliefs from a new perspective. Coming to the poem Obituary, we find that the poet describe an incident when his father suddenly died and the burden of whole family came on his shoulders because in Brahmin culture, a woman is not allowed to work.

The poet does not seem to be happy with it. He is not sad because he misses his father but because the death of his father has brought a lot of problems for him. After seeing the American culture, in which both women and men work and share the expenses, the poet questions the Patriarchal culture of India.

He also questions the supremacy and so-called divine nature of Brahmins by narrating that his father was an ordinary man who died because of a heart attack in the market. According to him, a person who boasts about his knowledge and power could not predict his death.

Moreover he also questions the cremation of body. For him, this practice pollutes the air and the throwing of bones in water pollutes the aquatic life. Finally he is also critical of celebrating death anniversary for peace of soul because it involves a lot of cost.

Hence, the poet depicts the poet’s insider-outsider position within Indian culture. He is insider as he was born in an Indian Brahmin family. He is outsider because he spent his time in USA which is a developed nation. Moreover he married a Syrian Christian which made him to rethink about his beliefs.

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A.K. Ramanujan was born in India and later on went to USA and married a Syrian Christian girl. Hence after coming back to home, he started to see the society with a different perspective. He calls his father greedy and emotionless though he made other believe that he has special powers (as he was a Brahmin).

The poet also seems to be disappointed with the patriarchal nature of the society because after the death of his father, the burden of family was laid on him. He had to feed an old mother, an unmarried sister and a young child.

After the funeral, the body is cremated. The poet believes that it pollutes the air. The priest suggests to throw remains in the water which again disappoints the poet because it pollutes the water bodies.

And finally he does not like the practice of celebrating the death anniversary of his father for the peace of soul. He considers it as a waste of money and time.

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Decadence means decline of morals due to excessive indulgence in luxury and pleasure. It also means corruption. In the poem Obituary the poet talks about the death of his father and various problems which arise because of Brahmin culture and tradition.

He was not sad or sorrowful because his father died but because the burden of his family got on him because of the patriarchal culture of Brahmins in which women are not allowed to work.

In addition, he describes his father greedy and emotionless though he was considered as a divine and holy because of his caste. The poet believes that his father was just an ordinary man with no special powers. He died in a market because of a heart attack. He could have known this if he had some power.

Finally the poet describes the funeral and after funeral practices which seem to be useless to him. e.g. cremation of the body which pollutes the air, throwing of bones in the water which affects the aquatic life and also celebration of death anniversary which costs money.

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