Ajit Kaliya

The price seemed reasonable, location Indifferent. The landlady swore she lived Off premises. Nothing remained But self-confession. "Madam" , I warned, "I hate a wasted journey - I am African." Silence. Silenced transmission of pressurized good-breeding. Voice, when it came, Lipstick coated, long gold-rolled Cigarette-holder pipped. Caught I was, foully. "HOW DARK?"...I had not misheard...."ARE YOU LIGHT OR VERY DARK?" Button B. Button A. Stench Of rancid breath of public hide-and-speak. Red booth. Red pillar-box. Red double-tiered Omnibus squelching tar. It was real! Shamed By ill-mannered silence, surrender Pushed dumbfoundment to beg simplification. Considerate she was, varying the emphasis- "ARE YOU DARK? OR VERY LIGHT" Revelation came "You mean- like plain or milk chocolate?" Her accent was clinical, crushing in its light Impersonality. Rapidly, wave-length adjusted I chose. "West African sepia...

No Madonna and Child could touch that picture of a mother’s tenderness for a son she soon would have to forget. The air was heavy with odours of diarrhoea of unwashed children with washed-out ribs and dried-up bottoms struggling in laboured steps behind blown empty bellies. Most mothers there had long ceased to care but not this one; she held a ghost smile between her teeth and in her eyes the ghost of a mother’s pride as she combed the rust-coloured hair left on his skull and then – singing in her eyes – began carefully to part it… In another life this would have been a little daily act of no consequence before his breakfast and school; now she did it like putting flowers on a tiny grave. Chinua Achebe in this poem gives horrible picture of condition of poor Nigerian people during colonisation war through portraying one mother and his almost dead child. Poet uses one painting Madonna and child to compare with real picture of mother an...

1. What is the meaning of phrase ‘Blood Money’ in Veronica’s reply email? In Veronica's reply the blood money phrase refers that the money that Tony had received from Sarah Ford is given after someone's death and the death is related with the person who is giving money. Because of relationship between Sarah Ford and Adrian Sarah becomes pregnant and Adrian commits suicide. So money given to Tony by Sarah, Veronica calls blood money. 2. How do you decipher the equation: b = s – v x/+ a1 or a2 + v + a1 X s = b? In the first equation Tony is missing. It says that Tony have played no role in born of baby. Second equation says that Tony and Veronica was in relationship. Then Adrian came in and who come into contact with Sarah and by that relationship baby is born. 3. Adrian’s diary is willed to Tony by Sarah Ford. Why did Sarah Ford own it? Why was it in the possession of Veronica? Through Tony's letter Adrian comes into contact with Sarah Ford, mother of V...

The mystic drum in my inside and fishes danced in the rivers and men and women danced on land to the rhythm of my drum   But standing behind a tree with leaves around her waist she only smiled with a shake of her head.   Still my drum contimued to beat, rippling the air with quickened tempo compelling the quick and the dead to dance and sing with their shadows -   But standing behind a tree with leaves around her waist she only smiled with a shake of her head.   Then the drum beat with the rhythm of the things of the ground and invoked the eye of the sky the sun and the moon and the river gods - and the trees bean to dance, the fishes turned men and men turned fishes and things stopped to grow -   But standing behind a tree with leaves around her waist she only smiled with a shake of her head.   And then the mystic drum in my inside stopped to beat - and men became men, fishes became fishes and trees, the sun and the moo...

Once upon a time, son, they used to laugh with their hearts and laugh with their eyes: but now they only laugh with their teeth, while their ice-block-cold eyes search behind my shadow. There was a time indeed they used to shake hands with their hearts: but that’s gone, son. Now they shake hands without hearts while their left hands search my empty pockets. ‘Feel at home!’ ‘Come again’: they say, and when I come again and feel at home, once, twice, there will be no thrice- for then I find doors shut on me. So I have learned many things, son. I have learned to wear many faces like dresses – homeface , officeface , streetface , hostface , cocktailface , with all their conforming smiles like a fixed portrait smile. And I have learned too to laugh with only my teeth and shake hands without my heart. I have also learned to say,’Goodbye’, when I mean ‘Good-riddance’ : to say ‘Glad to meet you...

Things fall apart is a novel by Chinua Achebe. It reflects Igbo culture and British colonisation and it's effects on the native culture. Okonkwo is the protagonist of the novel. He is a respected warrior of the Umuofia clan, made by nine villages. His father was lazy and wasteful. Okonkwo not wanted to be like him. He has twelve year old son named Nwoye. Okonkwo afraids he will end up like his grandfather. Umuofia wins a virgin and a fifteen year old biIkemefuna. Okonkwo takes care of Ikemefuna and Ikemefuna calls okonkwo father. Nwoye also treats him like his older brother. Okonkwo is always conscious about not looking coward and so often beats his wives and son. During the weak of peace he beats his youngest wife. One village elder Ogbuefi Ezeudu informs Okonkwo about message of oracle that Ikemefuna must be killed and Okonkwo should not take part in it. Okonkwo tells Ikemefuna that they will return him to his family. In way to home Okonkwo's clansmen attack the boy. He run...

We can say that major theme of Waiting for the barbarians is imperialism. The empire sees nomadic people as their enemies without any reason and torture them very brutally. Protagonist unnamed magistrate of the frontier is a good natured man who wanted to live peacefully. But empire's new police the third bureau believe that barbains are planning to attach on frontier regions. Colonel Joll is appointed to investigate this matter. His ways of interrogating people are so cruel. He catches sins fishers and nomads and torture them and kills also. When they released one blind barbarian girl remain in village and start begging. She was not able to walk or see because of torturing. Magistrate feels sympathy for her and take her into his room. He starts to feel sexual desire and decided to return her to her own people. Magistrate with two soldiers starts journey toward desert. They face difficulties but finally reach there. Magistrate falls in love with barbarian girl and propose her to ...

A grain of wheat is a novel which speaks about freedom struggle of Thabai village. It takes place in Kenya on the day of Uhuru in 1963. Kenya was colonised by British government. Early leader of the struggle Waiyaki fights against them but defeated. But he had seeded spirit of freedom in his community. And so Mau Mau movement begins. Kihika kills one police officer but he arrested and hanged. Fighters raid Mahee police post and British declare state of emergency.  People are harassed, women are beaten and lots of young man including Mugo and Gikonyo are arrested and sent to detention camp. When Gikonyo was arrested his wife Mumbi sleeps with Karanja and gets pregnant. When Gikonyo knows it he leaves her wife and starts to work at Githima, a forest research station started by British. Mumbi comes to see Mugo and confesses her story. Mugo also confesses his betrayal of Kihika. On the day of Uhuru General R. Gives speech and calls the traitor to step forward. Mugo comes out of the ...

The swamp dwellers is a play by African writer Wole Soyinka. This is the play about struggle of man. This is about problems of rural life and city life. Both have its own problems. The play starts with Alu and Makuri waiting for his son Igwezu who has been gone to city with his wife to try his fortune. In city he finds his older brother Awuchike who had left his family long ago and had no concern for family. He had earned much money but never thought about family. He was dead for his family. Meanwhile in village Alu and Makuri gets a guest, a blind begger. He was a wise man and they take good care of him. In city Igwezu earns little money but then looses his job and wife. His wife leaves him for Awuchike. Igwezu returns to village and finds that crops have been ruined by heavy rain and floods. Kadiye, a corrupted priest used to keep people in superstitions for his profit. He comes to Igwezu in a hope that Igwezu would have earned money in city. But Igwezu argues with him and leaves v...

'The Purpose' is two act play by Indian writer T.P. Kailasam. It tells the story of Ekalavya as in Mahabharata but here playwright portrays character of Ekalavya more powerful, noble and intelligent than Arjuna. In Mahabharata Drona asks for thumb but in this play Ekalavya willingly gives his thumb because he can't bear insult of Drona by Arjuna. The dialogues are simple and interesting. By dialogues author creates characters. The title basis on the intentions of Arjuna and Ekalavya to learn archery. Arjuna's purpose was selfish. He wanted to learn archery for becoming best archer while Ekalavya wanted to learn archery to help other. He wanted to save fawns. So purpose becomes important while learning something. That's why Ekalavya learns more than Arjuna.

Kanthapura is a novel by Indian writer Raja Rao. This novel portrays ways of living of one Indian village. Caste system, deities, untouchability, etc. But the main theme of the novel is freedom struggle of villagers against British. The story is told by one old lady Achakka. Setting of the novel is 1930. Kanthapura is a small village. The protagonist Moorthy lefts university and becomes follower of Gandhi and his way of non violence. In village he becomes activist and try to awaken people. Because of his activities, police force is sent to village. Police officer named Bade Khan beats him. Moorthy does fast for three days but he got arrested. In absence of him Rangamma continues to provoke people and other women. After three months Moorthy is released. When he returns, he finds cruelty and violence is increased by police officers but still he continues on Gandhi's way. The story ends with settlement of villagers in Kashipur village.

Fakeer of Jangheera by Henry Derozio is a long narrative poem focusing on Sati pratha. It is also tells story of love between one Hindu girl and a Muslim man. Poem starts with description of the place. Then poet describes ritual of Sati pratha. Nuleeni is being forced to become Satee against her will. Bit when she was on pyre of her husband, his love Fakeer from Jangheera comes on horse and takes her with him. Nuleeni's father complains to the king who sends army to fight with Fakeer and his companions. In fighting he dies and Nuleeni also dies with him. So, it is a love poem who also gives picture of Indian rituals and position of women in Indian society.

Death, be not proud, though some have called thee  Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;  For those whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow  Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.  From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be, Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow,  And soonest our best men with thee do go,  Rest of their bones, and soul's delivery.  Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,  And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell,  And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well And better than thy stroke; why swell'st thou then?  One short sleep past, we wake eternally  And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.  In this sonnet John Donne attempts to reduce fear of death and tries to convince that the death is a normal incident of life. The sonnet opens with the poet's address to death that there is nothing for death to be proud. Some people consider death...

Sweetest love, I do not go,           For weariness of thee,  Nor in hope the world can show           A fitter love for me;                  But since that I  Must die at last, 'tis best  To use myself in jest           Thus by feign'd deaths to die.  Yesternight the sun went hence,           And yet is here today;  He hath no desire nor sense,           Nor half so short a way:                  Then fear not me,  But believe that I shall make  Speedier journeys, since I take          ...

Dear love, for nothing less than thee  Would I have broke this happy dream;              It was a theme  For reason, much too strong for fantasy,  Therefore thou wak'd'st me wisely; yet  My dream thou brok'st not, but continued'st it.  Thou art so true that thoughts of thee suffice  To make dreams truths, and fables histories;  Enter these arms, for since thou thought'st it best,  Not to dream all my dream, let's act the rest.     As lightning, or a taper's light,  Thine eyes, and not thy noise wak'd me;              Yet I thought thee  (For thou lovest truth) an angel, at first sight;  But when I saw thou sawest my heart,  And knew'st my thoughts, beyond an angel's art,  When thou knew'st what I dreamt, when thou knew'st when  Excess of joy would wake m...

Mark but this flea, and mark in this,    How little that which thou deniest me is;    It sucked me first, and now sucks thee, And in this flea our two bloods mingled be;    Thou know’st that this cannot be said A sin, nor shame, nor loss of maidenhead,     Yet this enjoys before it woo,     And pampered swells with one blood made of two,     And this, alas, is more than we would do. Oh stay, three lives in one flea spare, Where we almost, nay more than married are.    This flea is you and I, and this Our marriage bed, and marriage temple is;    Though parents grudge, and you, w'are met,    And cloistered in these living walls of jet.     Though use make you apt to kill me,     Let not to that, self-murder added be,     And sacrilege, three sins in killing three. Cruel and sudden, hast t...

Where, like a pillow on a bed           A pregnant bank swell'd up to rest  The violet's reclining head,           Sat we two, one another's best.  Our hands were firmly cemented           With a fast balm, which thence did spring;  Our eye-beams twisted, and did thread           Our eyes upon one double string;  So to'intergraft our hands, as yet           Was all the means to make us one,  And pictures in our eyes to get           Was all our propagation.  As 'twixt two equal armies fate           Suspends uncertain victory,  Our souls (which to advance their state     ...

'Paradise Lost' is an epic poem by John Milton. It follows same story line of fall of Adam and Eve. But in his work Milton has given logic and arguments. In Bible, Eve's character speaks nothing but in Paradise Lost she argues logically. Character of Satan also is added. He has his own motives. As revenge to God he decides to vanish God's best creation, Men. So he transfers into snake and tempts Eve for her beauty. Eve eats fruit of knowledge. Adam also eats apple because he didn't want live without Eve. So here Milton has portrayed Adam as great lover. In the end Satan and his followers turn into snake and Adam and Eve leaves Eden garden.

'The Tragical History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus' is a tragedy by Christopher Marlow. The drama tells about man's ambition of knowledge and paying for it. Doctor Faustus is a German scholar who wanted to learn magic. So he summons Mephistophilis and makes a deal that Mephistophilis will serve for him for twenty four years in exchange of Faustus's soul. Faustus signs the deal with his blood. There are characters like good angel and bad angel. Faustus ignores good angel. After learning magic instead of doing noble things, he entertains royal courts. He passes twenty four years doing this with the help of Mephistophilis. In the end he calls Helen and admires her beauty. One old man asks him to repent but Faustus does not repent. But when final hour comes he afraid  and starts to repent. But it was too late. Devils from hell comes and takes his soul to the hell. In the morning some scholars find his body and decide to hold a funeral. So, this is the story of...