THE PARROT IN THE CAGE (पिंजडाको सुगा)

Lekhnath Paudyal, (1885-1996)
(Translated By: Laxmi Prasad Devkota)

Kavi Siromani Lekhanath Poudyal (कवी शिरोमणी लेखनाथ पौड्याल) was born in 1941 B. S. at Kaski, Nepal. His father's name was Pandit Durgadutta and Vasundhara Devi was his mother. He started learning at the early age of 5. Lekhnath Paudyal got married at the age of 14, but unfortunately lost his wife at the age of 20. He was inspired by the writings of Motiram Bhatta and Balmiki. Lekhnath Poudyal contributed immensely towards Nepali Language and Literature. His poems describe the touch of Nepal and its nature with simplicity. "Pinjra Ko Suga"(पिंजडाको सुगा) is his unforgettable poem which expressed the cruelness of Rana rulers against the Nepali people. The poem symbolizes that the Nepali peoples are like a parrot inside a cage and Rana as the jailer. He was jailed for the poem and the poem was used as a song by political heroes in jail. Lekhnath Poudyal was honoured with title "Siro Mani" for his literary works by the Government. He was a member of 'Rajkiya Pragya Prathisthan' and was honoured with 'Tribhuwan Puraskar' a special award given for literal works. Most of his poems express patriotic and revolutionary feelings for the sake of Nepali culture and society. Siromani Lekhnath Poudyal left the world in 2022 B. S. after giving a new shape to Nepali Language and Literature.

His Works:

1. Ritu Bichaar (रितु बिचार)

2. Buddhi Binod (बुद्धी विनोद)

3. Satyakaal Sambad (सत्यकाल समवाद)

4. Satya Smriti (सत्य स्मृति)

5. Mero Ram (मेरो राम)

6. Abhigyan Sakuntala (अभिज्ञान सकुन्तला)

7. Panchatantra (पंचतन्त्र)

8. Vartihari Nirved (वर्तिहारी निर्वेद्-नवकाब्य)

9. Tarun Tapasi (तरुन तपसी-काब्य अपुर्न)

10. Ganga Gauri (गंगा गौरी-कविता स्ंग्रह्) 

Summary:

The poem starts with a very strange metaphor – the parrot is compared as a twice-born child. The parrot used to have a free and wandering life in the forest, which was its first life. Now, the parrot is trapped inside the cage and is forced to live a life of a prisoner. Even though we normally associate ‘birth’ as a new positive beginning but for the parrot his second birth is nothing but a curse. Similarly, a twice born child could signify dual life as well, one that of the parrot and the other of the poet himself. The parrot is trapped inside the cage and even in its dream, it finds no respite (relief/break/A (temporary) relief from harm or discomfort). It thinks about its parents and relatives living in a forest. It has no one around to share its agonies. With a lump (large piece of something without definite shape) in its sore (hurting) throat, sometimes it cries and sometimes it jumps in madness.

It recalls how it used to fly and wander around the forest, eating wild fruits. But, now fate has tricked it into the cage. There’s no more cool water, no more cool shades and no more delicious fruits. They are like dreams and the only thing that remains is fear. Throughout the poem, Fate is repeated constantly. The parrot blames the fate for somehow tricking it into the cage. Fate has been portrayed as “beguiling”, “oppressor” and “strange”. The parrot is constantly grumbling (A complaint uttered in a low and indistinct tone) about its fate and thinks its natural gift of speaking as the reason for it captivity.

Its parents must be missing it, they must be waiting, and bewailing (regret strongly/lamenting) but Fate has separated them. Instead, it sees enemies all around even when it is inside the cage.

It has tried to break the cage open and fly away but its beak is now blunt (बोदो हुनु/not sharp), wings and feet are cramped (painful and involuntary muscular contraction/बाउडीनु) and it feels a sense of defeat. All it can do is play along the whims (A sudden desire) of its master, and prattle (Speak (about unimportant matters) rapidly and incessantly) and chatter. Shocked and puzzled, it even thinks ending its life as well.

Even when its throat is dry, it must prate, it must chatter. If it doesn't, its masters threaten it by brandishing (waving) a cane. It has to chatter on. Such is the parrot’s life. It is forced to respond to callers. It is forced to speak even when it doesn't want to, even when it can’t. In the forest, it loved talking, but here talking is all but cruel pleasure.

It then curses god for giving it the power of speech and reasoning. Because those are the reasons for his parents are grief, and for his captivity (The state of being imprisoned). But it still prays to the god and asks for mercy. In the end, the parrot tells how the world is hostile to fair virtues and how there are exploitation of one’s talent. And it pray to god, not to let anyone have the life of a parrot.

The theme of the poem is about freedom, justice, happiness and serenity (peace/peace of mind). The poem is a bitter satire on the then Rana regime that deprived Nepalese people's freedom. The speaker has carefully painted the conditions that surround the parrot’s life. The speaker is disappointed by the harsh reality of man’s life. Away from its family, home, kin, friends, and natural freedom man has forced the parrot to live a tragic life. Similar is the condition of human life in Nepal of that period. Being a worshiper of nature, Poudel expresses his deep affinity (affection) to the natural world that provides him childhood appetite, which he wants in his later life. Having been compelled to live away from his family, home and friends, Poudel pains for it and expresses nostalgia towards it. Finally, through the medium of parrot, voices of political, social, religious, spiritual and habitual life style and situation of human beings are exhumed in the poem. The poem clearly advocates the human instinct to live a free and struggled life away from the crowd.

Form of the Poem:

The poem is a dramatic monologue. The parrot laments its life, its condition inside the cage, shares its story of pain and loss and separation from the near ones. Through the parrot’s words, we get a snapshot of its temperament and character. We also get insights on its thought – how it regrets its fate and how it bemoans his imprisonment – to fate and to the god. Through the parrot’s word, we may understand how the parrot is merely surviving in the hopeless dungeon and how it has somehow accepted its fate and destiny.

Symbols in the Poem:

Parrot is known for its mimicry, it can imitate human sounds. So in some ways, parrots are considered clever, witty and quite vocal as well. And, we can see parrots kept inside a wire-cage in many households. So the parrot in the poem is clearly a symbol of a person who has been captured and kept in the prison. The cage represents prison. The person, with the power of speech and reasoning, must have spoken against the oppressors. Consequently, he is imprisoned and now everyone is mocking at him.

Having the parrot as the symbol familiarizes the normal concept of man and his sufferings. With parrot as the symbol of a man who believes in fate and god, the poet was also able to bring ‘innocence’ in the foreground while distancing it away from sinful humanity.