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  1. Shreevasthava .S
    Best Answer
    Shreevasthava .S

    His father who was a burning type and was cremated correctly as he was born by caeserian method brought through a brahmin gheto and passed away while buying fruits in the market , soon the author tells that his father has left 2 unmarried daughters, a bed wetting grandson , a house leaning towards tRead more

    His father who was a burning type and was cremated correctly as he was born by caeserian method brought through a brahmin gheto and passed away while buying fruits in the market , soon the author tells that his father has left 2 unmarried daughters, a bed wetting grandson , a house leaning towards the bent coconut tree and paper with dust collected and a changed mother more than a ritual one.

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  1. Athar
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    Athar

    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 SyrianRead more

    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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In:
  1. Athar
    Best Answer
    Athar

    There are many images used by the poet A.K. Ramanujan in the poem Obituary: dust on a table of papers: means nothing. named by a toss of coin by him: i.e. the name of young was somewhat similar to poet's father. being the burning type: it means that his father was bad-tempered. eye coins: means thatRead more

    There are many images used by the poet A.K. Ramanujan in the poem Obituary:

    1. dust on a table of papers: means nothing.
    2. named by a toss of coin by him: i.e. the name of young was somewhat similar to poet’s father.
    3. being the burning type: it means that his father was bad-tempered.
    4. eye coins: means that his eyes were greedy.
    5. changed mother: in Brahmin Society, a widow has to live a painful life as she has no value after the death of her husband.

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In:
  1. Athar
    Athar

    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 aRead more

    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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    • 5
In:
  1. Athar
    Athar

    The poet describes some customs and traditions of Indian society and particularly of Brahmins. First, he talks about the problems of patriarchy. After the untimely death of his father, the whole burden of his family came on him including depts of his father. Next, he explains how Brahmins consider tRead more

    The poet describes some customs and traditions of Indian society and particularly of Brahmins. First, he talks about the problems of patriarchy. After the untimely death of his father, the whole burden of his family came on him including depts of his father.

    Next, he explains how Brahmins consider themselves as the holders of divine knowledge. However in reality they are like any ordinary human. He says so because his father died of a heart attack in market.

    Finally he also talks about the after funeral practices. The body is cremated (which pollutes air), remains are thrown in water (which pollutes water bodies) and the poet is supposed to celebrate death anniversary every year (which includes useless expenditure of money).

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In:
  1. Athar
    Athar

    In the poem, Obituary, the poet seems to be disappointed by the death of his father. After living in USA and marrying a Syrian girl, his way of thinking changed drastically. For him, his father who is a Brahmin and is considered as divine, is just a normal human being who died of heart attack in theRead more

    In the poem, Obituary, the poet seems to be disappointed by the death of his father. After living in USA and marrying a Syrian girl, his way of thinking changed drastically. For him, his father who is a Brahmin and is considered as divine, is just a normal human being who died of heart attack in the market.

    After his death, the poet feels that the burden of whole family is on him as in Patriarchal society, women are not allowed to work. There is an old mother, an unmarried sister, a young child a lot of debt left by his father. Hence, the poet is very disappointed by his death.

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  1. Poonam Sharma
    Poonam Sharma literarian

    In the first stanza of the poem Obituary, the poet, AK Ramanujan is talking about the problems which arose immediately after the death of his father. According to him, after his (father's) death, there was nothing left in the house except for dust on a table of papers. In addition, he was indebted tRead more

    In the first stanza of the poem Obituary, the poet, AK Ramanujan is talking about the problems which arose immediately after the death of his father. According to him, after his (father’s) death, there was nothing left in the house except for dust on a table of papers.

    In addition, he was indebted to a number of people and hence a lot of debt was left behind by him for the poet to pay. He also left his daughters (probably unmarried). Hence the responsibility of his sisters were on the poet.

    And finally the poet says that his father left a young child who is bedwetting i.e. so young that he urinates on the bed and who is given the surname of his grandfather. In the first stanza, we find the picture of a patriarchal society and its problems when the head i.e. male member dies. No one is earning for livelihood and all the responsibilities fall on the poet

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