Jejuri as a satire on religion

         Introduction

Indian English poetry is remarkable in the sense that it gives us the perspective of various cultural aspects of our country. It has stood out both during pre-independence period as well as as post independence period. Arun kolatkar, Marathi poet from Kolhapur has been a leading literary voice of his generation. His poetry has now obtained the canonical status in the Indian English poetry. 

      Poems on Jejuri

The selected poems of Arun kolatkar are chosen from his poetry collection, entitled Jejuri. It is a collection of 31 poems and the first poetry book to win the Commonwealth Prize. Jejuri is a place of pilgrimage near Pune, Maharashtra. Jejuri is known for the temple of Lord Khandoba located on a hill. Khandoba, the local God of the temple especially worshipped by a community called Dhangar community. The Dhangars are associated with cattle herding and fall under the economically backward classes. Khandoba is a manifestation of Lord Shiva who is worshipped in Maharashtra. As the Maratha community is associated with the fighters in the Kshatriya clan, Lord Khandoba is the God of sword fighting. He is a warrior riding a horse with a sword as his weapon. The selected poems describe to us a journey to the temple of Khandoba.

       Arun Kolatkar as Satirist

However, with a close reading and analysis of the poems we can see that kolatkar is satirical about several elements of the pilgrimage and religion. He throws light on those areas of our society where religion has become a business. His poems also focus on people for whom religion is the way to earn easy and fast money. Because of whom religion is getting isolated to rich and poor is losing its chance to have at least a single sight of the God. Kolatkar time and again brings the idea that "The physical idol can be created, but God cannot be created." Religion is more of a business than a spiritual experience. The temple heads describe who will be closer to God depending on the offerings made. This program to Jejuri is a prominent example of commercialization of religion. The concern of the poet is this issues of commercialization of religion in our society. A pilgrimage to Jejuri is a local Maharashtrian event which is very representative in nature. It may occur in any part of the country. As a reader we can come to a conclusion that Kolatkar does not believe in idol worship. He is against any kind of superstition and hence we can see this collection of poetry as a satire on religion and the hypocrisy in the temple. The voidness in the rituals and pretentious beliefs are targeted through these poems. Although the poet seems to believe in the concept of God and the sancity associated with it. He makes a note of his observations throughout this journey. It is an indirect attack on the society and its actions. He attacks the commercialization of religion and the superstitions.

Satirical elements in the poem "Heart of Ruin"

The poem "Heart of Ruin" depicts the state of utter dilapidation and neglection. The Maruti temple has come down and is knocking the head of the apes-God.

  The roof comes down on Maruti's head

   Nobody seems to mind. 

A mongrel which has made the dwelling for herself and her puppies. The puppies play over there. The flooring too is in very bad condition. The tiles shakes as the puppies run over it. The temple of Maruti the heart of ruins leads the poet to conclude, that it is no more a place of worship. On the other hand, the poet seems to be happy to believe that IT IS TRULY A HOUSE OF GOD, sheltering different creatures.

  No more a place of worship this place

  Is nothing less than the house of God. 

Rajiv Patke comments "The shrine is 'Heart of Ruin'." Kolatkar's noncommittal insouciance notes with whimsical accuracy every visual detail to be encountered in a slow amble in and around the shrine, while carefully maintaining a blind spot for the direction of faith at the exact centre of he will not look directly. Kolatkar even made satire by saying that even nobody had been able to take out the charity box from beneath the crushing weight of the beam which had fallen down from the roof of the temple. Arun kolatkar in this poem had made a satire on religion.

Satirical elements in the poem "The Priest's Son"

In the poem 'The Priest's Son', a young boy is often deputed by his father to take the tourists to different parts of the temple and explain them the significance of the various statues and of some of the hills. In this poem, The priest's son takes the protagonist to the different places is connected with the various legends about Khandoba and his deeds. There are five hills, situated close to one another, which are described by the son to the protagonist as being the stone figures of the five demons whom Khandoba had killed. But when asked whether the boy really believe that story the boy does not reply and merely looks uncomfortable. He shrugs and, looking away, draws the protagonist's attention to a butterfly in the grass, thus trying to make the protagonist forget the question which he asked:

  he doesn't reply
  but merely look uncomfortable
  shrugs and look away... 

In this poem in fact the priest's son, himself does not believe in the authenticity of the stories about Khandoba. But, just for the sake of livelihood he has to give credibility to the legends and cannot deny it. Hence, Jejuri has become a place to earn one's livelihood rather a place of devotion . King Bruce says "Jejuri is, I think, less a poem of skepticism and a poem about a modern wasteland's loss of faith than a poem which contrasts deadness of perception within the ability to see the divine in the natural vitality of life."

Satirical elements in the poem "An Old Woman"

'An Old Woman' is another important poem because it brings out several layers of meaning. No pilgrim centre, however holy, can escape the sight of the tragedy of poverty, old age and the utter sense of loneliness that these bring. Jejuri is no exception of it. The old woman in the poem is alone and poor, who makes a pathetic attempt to earn out a living by pretending to guide pilgrims. When the pilgrim replies that he has already seen the shrine, she still clings to him and, in fact tightens her grip on his sleeves. The protagonist looks around. And he looks at her. Her face is full of wrinkles, had begin around her eyes spread through her face. The protagonist is suddenly shaken and realises what else an old woman do to earn her livelihood.

  "When you hear her say,

  'What else can an old woman do. 

  on hills as wretched as these?''

The poem is important because Kolatkar has portrayed the aridity and the barrenness of Jejuri through his old woman. Hill is symbolic of the ascending planes of the higher consciousness. The wretchedness of the hills indicates the lack of human efforts in this direction. Her eyes reflect the sky of inner consciousness. The realization is such a shattering experience that everything else seems to collapse.

          Conclusion

Kolatkar's Jejuri is a religious satire on religious hypocrisy. It is not a new topic for literature. Irony or satire is one of the most conspicuous features of Kolatkar's poetry. His treatment of the theme in the poems of Jejuri is ironical or satirical from beginning to end. He does not attack the superstitions of the people directly. He exposes the absurdity of superstitious beliefs by the use of irony and satire.