Summary of Song of Radha the milkmaid
The poem Song of Radha the milkmaid is written by Sarojini Naidu. She describes a person’s journey to the Mathura fair and her emotional experiences at different stages. In simple language, here’s a stanza-wise summary:
1. In the first stanza of Song of Radha the milkmaid , the speaker takes her curds to the Mathura fair. She notice the calmness of the heifers and wish to sell her white curds, comparing it to the clouds in the sky during the breezy month of Shrawan. However, the speaker’s heart is so full of love for her beloved that they cry without anyone understanding.
2. In the second stanza of Song of Radha the milkmaid, the speaker carries pots to the Mathura river. She sees rowers rowing merrily and her comrades suggest dancing, singing, and celebrating the arrival of spring. The speaker’s heart is filled with her beloved’s music, causing them to cry, but others mock her.
3. In the third stanza of Song of Radha the milkmaid, the speaker brings gifts to the Mathura shrine. She prays for protection from the shining ones and hear the loud conch shells. Yet, her heart is absorbed in worship of her beloved, and others become angry when she cries without understanding.
Throughout the poem of Song of Radha the milkmaid, the speaker is deeply in love with someone, and her emotions and thoughts about her beloved color her experiences at the Mathura fair, river, and shrine.
Theme of Song of Radha the milkmaid
The theme of the poem revolves around the overpowering influence of love and devotion on the speaker’s experiences in different settings. It explores the idea that profound emotions for a beloved can shape one’s perception of the world around them. The Mathura fair, river, and shrine serve as backdrops for the speaker’s deep, consuming love for her beloved, which eclipses everything else. This theme highlights how love can be all-encompassing, rendering the external world and its festivities inconsequential compared to the intensity of inner emotions. The poem reflects the idea that the power of love and devotion can transcend and transform ordinary experiences.
Message of Song of Radha the milkmaid
The poem, Song of Radha the milkmaid conveys the message that intense love and devotion have the power to transform one’s perception of the world. The speaker’s deep affection for her beloved colors her experiences at the Mathura fair, river, and shrine, causing her to cry without others understanding. This illustrates the overwhelming and consuming nature of love, suggesting that when love is all-encompassing, it can overshadow external events and rituals, emphasizing the primacy of personal emotions.
A. Tick the most appropriate options.
1. The ‘I’ in the poem refers to
a. Govinda. b. Radha
c. Sarojini Naidu. d. The nightingale
2. The three places that Radha went to, were
a. a carnival. b. the river
c. a fair d. a shrine
3. Radha went to the fair to
a. meet Govinda. b. pluck flower
c. sell curds. d. to wear saffron garments
4. Saffron garments are worn
a. at a fair. b. to visit a shrine
c. to pluck flowers. d. during spring
5. Radha’s heart was full of
a. music and worship. b. devotion to Govinda
c. beauty and music. d. beauty, music and worship
6. Who do you think are the shining ones?
a. the priests of the temples b. the diyas in the temple
c. the stars seen from the temple d. the shining torches
Answer
1. The ‘I’ in the poem refers to
b. Radha
2. The three places that Radha went to, were
c. a fair b. the river d. a shrine
3. Radha went to the fair to
c. sell curds
4. Saffron garments are worn
b. to visit a shrine
5. Radha’s heart was full of
d. beauty, music, and worship.
6. Who do you think are the shining ones?
c. the stars seen from the temple
B. Answer these questions of Song of Radha the milkmaid
1. Why did Radha go to the fair?
2. Why did the people laughs at Radha?
3. How did Radha’s friends welcome the spring?
4. Who is the poem addressed to?
5. What did Radha want to say at the temple?
Answer
1. Radha went to the fair to sell curds.
2. The people laughed at Radha because her heart was full of love and emotions for her beloved, and they couldn’t understand the depth of her feelings.
3. Radha’s friends welcomed the spring by suggesting that they dance, sing, and wear saffron garments to celebrate the season and pluck the new buds that were blooming.
4. The poem is addressed to Govinda, who is likely the beloved figure that Radha is deeply in love with.
5. At the temple, Radha wanted to pray for protection from the “shining ones” by day and night, possibly seeking blessings or guidance.
C. Think and write the answer of these questions of Song of Radha the milkmaid
1. Do you think Radha was aware of the world around her? Support your answer with examples from the poem.
2. What does the poem tell you about Radha?
3. Do you think Radha was sorry for the way people reacted to her?
Answer
1. Radha appears to be so consumed by her love for her beloved, Govinda, that she is somewhat unaware of the world around her. For example, in the poem, she attends the Mathura fair and the riverside, but her heart is full of her beloved’s beauty and music, which makes her cry without being fully aware of her surroundings.
2. The poem portrays Radha as a deeply devoted and emotional character. She is described as having a heart full of love and emotions for her beloved, and this love is the central focus of her life and experiences.
3. It’s possible that Radha may not be sorry for the way people reacted to her, as she is so engrossed in her love and devotion that the opinions of others do not seem to matter to her. She cries without caring if others mock or misunderstand her, as her love takes precedence over external judgments.