ALL SHORT QUESTIONS ON DAWN AT PURI BY JAYANTA MAHAPATRA.

Dawn at Puri

BY

Jayanta Mahapatra

1. Which sea beach is mentioned in the poem Dawn at Puri? 

 Puri sea beach is mentioned here.

2. Why is Puri sea beach famous for?

 Puri sea beach is famous for Temple Lord Jagannath.

3. What does the poet see on the sea beach?

 The poet Jayanta Mahapatra sees a human skull on the sand of Puri sea beach.

4. What indicates the human skull on the sea beach?

 The skull on the beach indicates the poor condition of Indian economy and shows the pathetic condition of hungry Indian.

5. “Endless crow noises”—Where does the poet observe this scene? What was the time?

 The poet hears the crows’ endless noises at Puri sea beach.

 The time was dawn.

6. “tilts its empty country towards hunger”—What tilts its empty country towards hunger?

 A human skull of a unburnt dead body on the Puri sea beach tilts India’s empty economy towards hunger.

7. Who were waiting to enter the Great Jagannath Temple of Puri at dawn?

 A group of widow woman who crossed their half of lives were waiting to enter the Great Jagannath Temple of Puri at dawn.

8. How were the widows dressed? How old were they?

 The widows were dressed in white sari.

 The widows crossed half of their lives.

9. Why were the widows waiting on the sea beach?

 The widows are waiting on the Puri sea beach to enter great Jagannath temple and they are bound to religious custom.

10. How were the eyes of the widow women? / “their austere eyes……….”—Explain. 

 The eyes of the widow women were austere like the eyes of the fish caught in a net.

11. Why are the eyes of widow women compared to the eyes of fishes caught in the net?

 When a fish gets caught in a net, it has nothing to do. Similarly, being widow, those women are bound to obey social, religious rule whether they want or not. They cannot break the system.

12. “Past the centres of their lives”—Explain the line.

 This line refers the widow women waiting to enter Jagannath Temple of Puri at dawn. This lines indicate that those widow women have crossed half of their lives i.e. important part of their lives.

13. “a mass of crouched faces without names”—About whom was this remark made? Why are they without names?

 This remark was made about the group of widows who were waiting on the Puri sea beach to enter Great Jagannath temple.

 Being widow, those women have no name because the society gave them only one identity that they are ‘widow’.

14. “………………….. and suddenly breaks out of my hide”—What comes out of poet’s hide?

 Suddenly, the memory of poet’s dead mother comes out of poet’s hide.

15. What was poet’s mother’s last wish?

 Poet Jayanta Mahapatra’s mother wanted to be cremated on the holy sea beach of Puri because it was believed to be the Swargadwar to get rid of earthly bound.

16. “Twisting uncertainly like light”—Explain.

 The poet did not believe in spirituality of Puri because under this spirituality there were poverty, division of caste, creed and torments. But his mother wished to be cremated on the sea beach of Puri being sacred. So, in spite of being rational, he had to change her thought uncertainly like light on the shifting sand.

Describe the religious condition of India as mentioned in the poet Dawn at Puri by Jayanta Mahapatra.

Once at dawn, the poet Jayanta Mahapatra visits the famous Puri sea beach. He hears the endless twittering of the crows that fills the lonely sea-beach. Suddenly he notices a human skull on the beach. This part of human body reminds the poet that while cremating human dead body, it is left unburnt by the funeral pyre. This skull is a symbol of poverty and pathetic economic condition of India. Also, it shows the spiritual handicap of so called Puri known for its spirituality. This skull also reveals the immortal truth of every human being as well as every natural object that everything is subjected to decay or death. How we know Puri as a religious place full of sacredness, calmness, purity and peace, that are literally truth; but like darkness beneath the lamp, Puri has become a skeleton without pulse of economic stability. Actually, the poet wants to present the hollowness of the Puri that is hidden under the cover of spirituality. Besides the presentation of suffering widows displays the real scene of religion.

“And suddenly breaks out of my hide Into the smoky blaze of a sullen solitary pyre …………………Twisting uncertainly like light on the shifting sands”---- Explain.

Answer: At the break of dawn as the poet looks at the single funeral pyre burning on the Puri sea beach and a sudden thought occurs to him that of his mother’s last wish. The phrase “And suddenly breaks out from my hide” echoes the thought springing out; just as the poet sprung out from his mother’s womb (hide). His aged mother wished that she be cremated at this particular place as it is the gateway to Heaven or the ‘Swargadwara’. It comes across very strongly to the poet. Rites and rituals are mandatory. However, perhaps, performing one’s mother’s last wish is far more important than these obligatory dictates of religion and doctrines of custom. It ‘dawns’ on him all of a sudden. The symbol of Dawn is thus a type of realization.

Condition of Indian widows described in the poem Dawn at Puri by Jayanta Mahapatra. (LINE 4—12 LINES)

While walking on the Puri sea beach at dawn, the poet Jayanta Mahapatra notices a gathering of widows on that holy sea-beach. The poet describes their appearance and their pathetic condition magnificently. They are dressed in white sari. The phrase “past the centers of their lives” signifies that they are at least middle aged woman. On the other hand it may be interpreted that they have crossed their most important portion i.e. center of their lives. They all are waiting to enter the Great Temple of Lord Jagannath to worship. They do it as a ritual only for their dead husband. Their eyes are described as austere as if they have no joy, no worldly longings or desire because they are widow. They seem very much helpless and now they are bound to suffer like a fish caught in a net having nothing to do to get rid of. They are gathering like the unimportant “ruined’ leprous shells leaning against one another” on the beach. The phrase “a mass of crouched faces without names” also suggests that those widows have no proper identity or individuality. They are presented as a common noun in the society.