The Gift Of India

The Gift of India is one of the most patriotic poems of

Sarojini Naidu. It was written during the course of World War
one and was incorporated in the volume of poems called “The
Broken Wing”. Mahatma Gandhi had called upon the Indian
people to co operate with the British Government during the
World War 1,and in response Indian youth in large number
joined the army and went to distant battlefields ,fought
bravely and laid down their life in service of their motherland.
They were the gifts of Mother India to the world. The poem is
charecterised by Sarojini Naidus poetic fervour of pride in her
own country as well as liberal outlook.
In this moving lyric mother India herself speaks to the world.
She asks the world what else it requires from her? Has she
kept back any rich clothes, grain or gold. If so she is ready to
give them too. She has already given her most precious
possessions (priceless treasures) i.e. her brave heroic sons to
far battlefields and to fight battles. She had given them to the
world when she had heard the call of duty i.e. drumbeats of
duty, and even though she knew that they were going only to
meet their death she did not hold them back and allowed them
to go. Thus mother India surrendered her most precious
treasures to the world.
Mother India expresses her grief through a number of simile
following each other in quick succession.Her brave sons are
now buried in alien graves like pearls-“Gathered like pearls
on alien graves,”. Some of them are lying dead in distant
Persia as if they have been put to sleep by the sweet
murmuring of the Persian waves – “Silent they sleep by the
Persian waves”. There are some bodies that have been
scattered in the sands of Egypt as if they were empty
shells-“Scattered like shells on Egyptian sands,” with their
faces deathly pale and their brave hands broken. There are
some bodies that lie in the blood stained meadows of Flanders
and France. They lie like flowers that have been plucked and
scattered all over by the cruel hands of destiny. Thus mother
India has given her precious sons to the world.
The world cannot adequately measure the grief that Mother
India feels, nor can it comprehend or understand the suffering
and the anguish of the vigil that she has kept over her dead
sons. Her suffering and anguish is intense but she is filled
with pride when she remembers their brave heroic deeds-“Or
the pride that thrills thro’ my heart’s despair”. She sees the
gloruis yet distant future in which the cause of which they
fought would make India a free country. Visions of such
future soothe her and makes her proud of her victorious sons.
Sarojini Naidu ends the lyric on a note of hope and
prophecy. Today the world is ruled by hate and strife and
striving terror into the hearts of people. But a time shall come
when terror shall cease and life will be reshaped on the anvils
of peace. When that time comes the world shall offer its
memorial thanks to the dauntless ones and the comrades who
fought heroically and be grateful to them. They would honour
their self sacrifice. The sacrifice of her sons has not gone in
vain. It has earned the love and gratitude of the people all over
the world and a permanent place in history. They have died
only to be immortal.
It is a topical or occasional lyric but it will always be read
with a throbbing heart by the sons and daughters of Mother
India. It is SN tribute to the greatness and glory of her land.
Sorojini Naidu glorifies the selfless deeds of her brave
soldiers at the altar of death in order for India to taste
freedom. The poem starts out as a celebration but ends
highlighting the disastrous effects of war. This poem is a
contrast to the poem –“John Brown” written by Bob Dylan
where he glorifies war and then brings out its effects on life.

Qoutes:
1. “Gathered like perals in their alien graves”
2. “Silent they sleep by the Persian waves”
3. “Scattered like shells on Egyptian sands”
4. “Or the pride that thrills thro’ my heart’s despair”
1.