“To India – My Native Land” was written by the Indian poet Henry Louis Vivian Derozio. Derozio was a prominent figure in the Bengal Renaissance, a cultural and intellectual movement in the early 19th century that played a significant role in shaping modern Indian literature and thought. Derozio’s poetry and writings encouraged a sense of pride in Indian culture and heritage, as well as a call for freedom from British colonial rule.
In this poem, the poet laments the past glory of India, which was once revered and worshipped as a great nation. However, he observes that India has now lost its former glory and is suffering under foreign rule, likely referring to British colonialism. The poem expresses a deep sense of love and patriotism for India and a longing for its restoration to its former greatness. The poet really loves India and wants it to be great again. He wishes he could go back in time to find bits of India’s amazing history. In exchange for his efforts, he hopes India will be kind and give him a good wish. The poem shows that the poet loves India a lot and really wants it to be as respected and admired as it was in the past.
It’s interesting to note that “To India – My Native Land” was originally untitled when it was included in Derozio’s book “The Fakeer of Jungheera: A Metrical Tale and Other Poems,” published in 1828. The title “To India – My Native Land” was added by Francis Bradley-Birt when he compiled a collection of Derozio’s poems in 1923.
The poem is a Petrarchan sonnet. Petrarchan sonnets typically consist of an octave (the first eight lines) and a sestet (the last six lines) and often deal with themes of love, beauty, or contemplation. In the case of Derozio’s poem, the themes are patriotism, love for one’s native land, and a desire for freedom. 14-line sonnet and rhyme scheme is ABABABCC DEDEFF. The influence of Romantic-era poets like Byron and Southey is evident in Derozio’s work, as it exhibits the Romantic ideals of expressing strong emotions, emphasizing the power of nature and imagination, and addressing socio-political issues of the time.
Line-by-line analysis
“My country, in thy day of glory past
A beauteous halo circled round thy brow
And worshipped as a deity thou wast—
“Where is that glory, where that reverence now?”
The poem begins by addressing India as “my country” and talks about a time when India was very great and rich. The first line immediately sets the tone of the poem by referring to a time when India enjoyed great glory and prosperity. Then the poet employs a metaphor by describing India’s past glory as a “beauteous halo” encircling its brow. This imagery suggests that India was seen as radiant and distinguished, with its accomplishments and reputation shining brightly like a halo around a person’s head. It means India was famous and respected because of its achievements. The poet also says that India was so respected that people treated it like a god or goddess. It means India was held in very high regard and considered very special and important.
Then, the poet asks, “Where is that greatness and respect now?” The poet is sad because India has lost the special status it once had. This may be because of problems like being controlled by another country (like the British) or changes in politics and society.
In the first four lines, the poet talks about India like it’s a goddess. These lines show how much the poet wishes for India to be great again, and it’s really sad to see that India’s greatness is gone. It sets the tone for the rest of the poem, where the poet talks about wanting India to be great again and hoping for a better future.
“Thy eagle pinion is chained down at last
And grovelling in the lowly dust art thou,
Thy minstrel hath no wreath to weave for thee
Save the sad story of thy misery!”
In these lines, the poet keeps talking about how India is not doing well compared to how great it used to be. An eagle is a symbol of being powerful and free. The poet says that India is like an eagle whose strong wings are now tied up, meaning India can’t be as great as it could be. This signifies that India’s potential and greatness have been restricted or suppressed, possibly under foreign rule or colonial domination.
The poet uses the word “grovelling” to suggest that India, once soaring high like an eagle, is now reduced to a lowly or submissive state, symbolized by the dust. It’s like India is in a bad situation and feeling ashamed. The “minstrel” means a poet or artist who wishes to celebrate and honor India through their creative work. But the poet is sad because there’s nothing good to say about India’s situation right now. There are no praises or accolades to offer. The only thing the poet can offer or write about India is a “sad story of thy misery” which means how sad and hard things are for India. This shows that the poet is really sad about India’s troubles and wants to talk about them.
“Well—let me dive into the depths of time
And bring from out the ages that have rolled
A few small fragments of these wrecks sublime
Which human eye may never more behold
And let the guerdon of my labour be
My fallen country! One kind wish from thee!”
In the last part of the poem, the poet is determined to remember and honor India’s glorious past, even though India is facing tough times. He’s like a time traveler in his mind, going back to bring back memories of India’s greatness. He wants to remind everyone about the wonderful things India achieved in the past.
The poet knows that he can only find a few pieces of that greatness, but these fragments are incredibly impressive. Some of the wonderful things from the past may never be seen again. The poet’s reward for all this work would be to see India get back on its feet and be strong again. He just asks for one kind of wish from India as a way of saying thank you for his efforts. He hopes that India will appreciate his dedication to preserving its history and culture.
These lines show how committed the poet is to preserving India’s heritage, and he’s hopeful that his efforts will be recognized and appreciated. The poem ends on a positive note, with the poet hoping that India will acknowledge his love and hard work, even though it’s going through tough times.