Author(s): Jayantakumar Panda
Abstract:
A.K. Ramanujan’s “A River” is a profound poetic critique of cultural memory, selective tradition, and the ironies of literary romanticism. Set against the backdrop of the ancient temple city of Madurai, the poem contrasts the glorification of natural phenomena by traditional poets with the silences surrounding real human suffering. Employing rich literary devices, vivid imagery, and cutting irony, Ramanujan exposes the moral failure of art that prioritizes aesthetic beauty over ethical truth. This paper explores the poem’s structural dynamics, thematic concerns, and philosophical resonance through the lens of Vedantic and Upanishadic teachings. It examines how the poem not only critiques historical poetic conventions but also offers a modern ethical call for authenticity, compassion, and spiritual integrity in both literature and society.
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