Obituary by A.K. Ramanujan - Poem explanation
"Obituary" is a poem written by a twentieth century Indian was an Indian poet and scholar of Indian literature and linguistics. In this poem, the speaker writes about his father, who recently died. He notes how his father led a very ordinary life, having no notable achievements and financial success. The poet sheds light on the lives of ordinary people who struggle all their lives, just to survive. Their identity remains same from their birth to death, despite trying to make a name for themselves. Still they like the speaker's father have nothing but debts to pass to the next generation, living in the same old "leaned" house for decades. The speaker stoicaly mentions his father's "several spinal discs, rough, some burned to coal" after his cremation. He also insinuates that passing of not just assets, but responsibilities and customs to their sons, as the son has to take cremated ashes of the father and immerse it into the holy river. The son, it ...