The Bangle Sellers

 

Sarojini Naidu’s poem ‘The Bangle Sellers’ is a musical verse. It is the song of the men or women who are selling bangles in the fair of a temple. The sellers describe the bangles as “rainbow-tinted circles of light” and beautiful symbols of happy lives to attract their buyers. They also describe these bangles and they can be compared with various objects of nature. And, in the process, they also give an account of various stages of the life of a woman and which bangles are suitable for each stage with appropriate reasoning. The poem ends up becoming a musical masterpiece. This poem is an excellent example of Naidu’s love and respect for Indian Culture.

In the first stanza, the bangle sellers say that they are going to sell their bangles in the village temple fair. They describe the bangles as ‘circles of light’ and say that these are the symbols of happiness of the wives and daughters in Indian society.

In the second stanza, they describe blue, silver pink (flushed) and green bangles which are suitable for a maiden’s wrist. They compare the blue and silver bangles to the mist on the mountains flushed ones to the buds and green bangles to newborn leaves These bangles signify sensitivity.

In the third stanza, the sellers talk about the bangles which are fit for a bride’s hands. Those are yellow like sunlit corn, red like the holy fire of marriage, and tinkling, luminous, tender and clear like her bridal laughter and bridal tears. Bangles of these colours represent emotion and desire.

The fourth stanza describes the suitable bangles for a middle-aged woman, who has crossed ‘life midway’ and is a responsible wife and a loving mother. Those bangles are purple and gold-flecked grey indicating a sense of maturity.

The poem brilliantly and soulfully explores the imagery associated with bangles and the implications for women’s roles in a traditionalist Indian social setting. The speaker makes strong connections between the bangles and their role in providing “happy daughters and happy wives.” The subsequent stanzas describe lush and natural imagery, the beauty of the bangles and their precious values. Some of these descriptions invoke the passion of “marriage’s fire” and, in the last stanza; help to bring to light the socially accepted role of women in this setting. The purple and grey bangles, flecked with gold colour symbolize a woman who “serves her household in fruitful pride, and worships the gods at her husband’s side.” The grey colour indicates the maturity that comes with age. It is not very clear in the poem if the bangle seller is a man or a woman, and perhaps, some level of meaning might change if one plays with the gender of the speaker.

Playing the English Gentleman

 

In 'Playing the English Gentleman' by Mahatma Gandhi we have the theme of identity, acceptance, change, perception and tradition. Taken from his autobiography The Story of My Experiments with Truth the reader realises after reading the essay that Gandhi may be exploring the theme of identity. There is a sense that Gandhi while a student in England wishes to fit in with his peers even though he may live a lifestyle that would be deemed unfamiliar to an English gentleman (being a vegetarian for example). Regardless of this Gandhi does go some way in order to give off the appearance of an English gentleman. Going as far as getting dancing lessons, changing his attire, learning the violin and getting elocution lessons.  All of which Gandhi hopes will help him to fit in with his surroundings and be accepted by others. However, there does come a point when Gandhi realises that he is living a lie and that he is not only fooling himself but also denying his tradition or the fact that he is an Indian and not an Englishman.

What is also interesting about the essay is the fact that the reader is left with a sense that Gandhi may be feeling insecure within him. Unable to accept who he is, and he decides to change his very fabric in order to fit in with his peers. In reality, it is up to others to accept Gandhi as he is and not the other way around. Gandhi’s peers have an obligation to accept him as he is. Though this may not necessarily be how matters are perceived by others. Many might believe that in order to be accepted as a peer, which Gandhi wants to be, one must change their life to how the majority live theirs. The insecurity that Gandhi may feel as a student is not to be confused with deeper insecurity often found and developed in a person since youth. Gandhi simply wants to fit in while living in England. It doesn’t appear as though he is intent on living his life while back in India as an Englishman. Though some critics might think differently suggesting that Gandhi’s insecurities are deeply rooted and he is embarrassed by his appearance when compared to the average Englishman. If this is the case then the fact that Gandhi decides against change suggests that he realises he is attempting to be something he is not. And as such Gandhi is comfortable with his identity.

However, the fact that Gandhi can have concerns about his identity is important as it suggests that Gandhi may have internal doubts about who he is. Though it might be important to again remember that Gandhi overcomes these doubts are rediscovered what he really is. An Indian man, who is studying and living in England.  A person, who does not necessarily have to change his appearance or how he speaks. The responsibility as mentioned is on others to accept Gandhi for who he is. Whether people do is entirely up to them. Should they not accept Gandhi for who he is than they are at a loss. The fact that Gandhi learns quickly that dancing is not for him might also be important as symbolically this could suggest that Gandhi walks his own path. A path that may make an English gentleman uncomfortable as it is contrary to his beliefs. Similarly when it comes to speaking and the lessons in elocution. Symbolically Gandhi could be suggesting that speaking may not be important but rather the content of one’s speech might be more important.

The end of the essay is also interesting as there is a sense that though Gandhi might feel as though he has been beaten in his attempts to be an Englishman. He has rediscovered who he really is. Something which in time would serve Gandhi well. Even if he at the time he could not imagine how it might. By rejecting the rules of being an English gentleman Gandhi has not only found his true identity but he has also learnt a valuable lesson. How important it is for a person to be true to themselves. Something that is obvious to readers by the fact that Gandhi gives up all pursuits when it comes to being an English gentleman. Gandhi is displaying an honesty that many might not because they wish to fit in with a system that may or may not be right or appropriate for them. Some people are naturally suited to be English gentlemen while others are foolish to try and pursue the rule if it means they forgo their true identity.

Questions and Answers:

Q1. What were the initial reasons because of which Gandhi took to vegetarianism?

In 'Playing the English Gentleman' Gandhi explained his love for vegetarianism. Gandhi read some books and vegetarianism and did experiments with his diet. Health was his principal consideration for taking up vegetarianism.  He was convinced that vegetarianism is healthy by reading books and doing experiments on vegetarianism.

Q2. Gandhi’s friend was worried about his vegetarianism. What were the reasons for his worry?

Gandhi’s friend was worried about his vegetarianism because of two important reasons. He thought that if Gandhi objected to eating meat, he would not grow strong. Eventually, Gandhi would become weak as he was eating only vegetarian food. His friend loved him so much that he wanted Gandhi to mingle in English society. He was sure that a man who did not eat meat could be an outcast in English society. He also worried that Gandhi would become a crank by reading books on vegetarianism.

Q3. Describe the episode at Holborn Restaurant.

Gandhi’s friend was determined to put a stop to his vegetarianism.  One day, Gandhi’s friend invited him to the theatre. Before going to the theatre they had to dine in a high-class restaurant. He thought Gandhi would not ask any questions in the palatial hotel. As the soup was served, Gandhi called the waiter to know whether it was vegetarian or not. Before the waiter could answer, his friend said that Gandhi was too clumsy for a decent society and allowed him to eat at some other restaurant.

 Q4. How did Gandhi change his style of dressing, and why?

Gandhi wanted to please his friend and assure him that he would no longer be clumsy and unsuitable for English society. He got new clothes at the Army and Navy Stores as his Bombay cut clothes were unsuitable. He bought a top hat for nineteen shillings. He also paid ten pounds for an evening suit made in Bond Street. He asked his brother to send him a watch with a gold chain. He learned the art of wear a tie and started spending time before a mirror to arrange his hair.

Q. Why did Gandhi decide to give up dancing classes? Was his decision justified?

Gandhi changed his style of dressing and started taking dance lessons, learning French and attended classes to learn French and elocution. He did all this to behave like an English gentleman. He found out that he could not achieve rhythmic motion and follow the piano. So, he wanted to learn violin to understand Western music. After some days he realized that he was a student and he ought to go on with his studies. His decision was justified as he stopped trying to become the English Gentleman and began to concentrate on his studies.

Q6. Explain the meaning of the like, ‘Mr. Bell rang the bell of alarm in my ear and I awoke.’

Gandhi changed his style of dressing and started taking dance lessons, learning French and attended classes to learn French and elocution. He did all this to behave like an English gentleman. He paid a preliminary fee of a guinea to a teacher to teach him elocution. The teacher suggested Gandhi buy Bell’s Standard Elocutionist as the textbook. As he began to read a speech of Pitt, he realized that he was a student and he ought to go on with his studies. Gandhi described the realization as ‘Mr. Bell rang the bell of alarm in my ear and awoke’.

Q7. What were the steps Gandhi took in a new direction after he had decided on concentration on his career?

As he began to read a speech of Pitt from Bell’s Standard Elocutionist, he realized that he was a student and he ought to go on with his studies. He should qualify himself to join the Inns of Court. He also realized that his character should make a gentleman of him. He wrote letters to his teachers to excuse him from further classes. He met his violin teacher personally and explained his position. She encouraged him in his determination to make a complete change.  He stopped trying to become the English Gentleman and began to concentrate on his studies.

Another Woman

           

Important Question Answers of the Poem

Another Woman

 

1.The woman thought of buying a white radish but later on decided against it thinking it an extravagance. Do you think it is an extravagance? Support your answer.

Ans: Normally buying a white radish is not an extravagance. But it is an extravagance for the woman in the poem. First, her mother-in-law always scolds her about their expenditure. Secondly, they are very poor. So the woman thought that it was unnecessary expenditure.

 

2. What does the phrase ‘mother-in-law’s dark looks’ suggest?

Ans: The phrase, ‘mother-in-law’s dark looks’ suggests that she is angry with her daughter-in-law. She never treats her daughter-in-law with love and affection. She thinks that her daughter-in-law is her natural enemy.

 

3. “The usual words came and beat…..”(line 19). Where did the words come from? Why?

Ans: The words come from her mother-in-law. Mother-in-law scolds her saying she spends extra money. She also blames daughter-in-law’s parents. Her words beat the young women. Yet she suffers in silence.

 

4. Why did the woman crouch on the floor? (line 24)

Ans: The woman crouches on the floor. That shows her modesty. It also expresses her obedience and submissive nature. She also tries to convey to her mother-in-law her position in that home.

 

5. Why do you think the woman bent her back a little more when her husband came home? Was her husband helpful? Support your answer quoting from the poem.

Ans: The woman bent her back a little more when her husband came home. This shows, he was not helpful to her. He was unconcerned about her feelings. He listened to his mother’s harsh words. Yet he didn’t say a single word. So she did not have faith in him.

 

6. What does the phrase ‘as usual’ suggest?

Ans: The phrase ‘as usual’ suggests that the mother-in-law’s scolding her is common. It is not new and no hope it change.

 

7. The last line of the first stanza talks about the woman shielding her face from heat where as the last line of the poem talks about people shielding their face from the heat. How are they different?

Ans: In the first stanza, the woman shielding her face from heat. She tries to protect herself from the heat of the stove. The last line of the poem suggests that the people are turning their faces from the harsh realities of our society. Though the people know about the sufferings being faced by the women, no one comes forward to act against it.

Tense

 

The tense of a verb is determined by when the action took place.

The three main tenses are as follows:

The Past Tense (e.g., I walked.)

The Present Tense (e.g., I walk.)

The Future Tense (e.g., I will walk.)

 

The tense of a verb can also tell us things like whether the action is habitual, on-going, or completed.

This is called the aspect of the verb, which is part of tense.

 

Examples of Tenses

 

Here are some examples of verbs in different tenses:

I walked to work.

(The verb walked is in the past tense.)

 

I walk to work.

(The verb walk is in the present tense.)

 

I will walk to work.

(The verb will walk is in the future tense.)

 

Remember that verbs do not just express actions. They can also express a state of being. For example:

I was happy.

(The verb was is in the past tense.)

I am happy.

(The verb am is in the present tense.)

I will be happy.

(The verb will be is in the future tense.)

 

 

 

The table below shows the full list of the tenses:

	Example 1	Example 2
Simple Past Tense	I went	I laughed
Past Progressive Tense	I was going	I was laughing
Past Perfect Tense	I had gone	I had laughed
Past Perfect Progressive Tense	I had been going	I had been laughing
Simple Present Tense	I go	I laugh
Present Progressive Tense	I  am going	I am laughing
Present Perfect Tense	I have gone	I have laughed
Present Perfect Progressive Tense	I have been going	I have been laughing
Simple Future Tense	I will go	I will laugh
Future Progressive Tense	I will be going	I will be laughing
Future Perfect Tense	I will have gone	I will have laughed
Future Perfect Progressive Tense	I will have been going	I will have been laughing

 

 

Parts of Speech

 

Every name is called noun,

As field and fountain, street and town;

In place of noun the pronoun stands,

As he and she clap their hands;

The adjective describes the thing

As magic wand or bridal ring;

The verb means action something done,

To read and write, to jump and run;

How the things are done the adverbs tell,

As quickly, slowly, badly, well;

The preposition shows relation,

As in the street or at the station;

Conjunctions join, in many ways,

Sentences, words or phrase and phrase;

The interjection cries out ‘Hark!

I need an exclamation mark!’

PARTS OF SPEECH

 

PARTS OF SPEECH

The parts of speech explain how a word is used in a sentence.

There are eight main parts of speech (also known as word classes): nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions and interjections.

NOUN - (Naming word)

A noun is the name of a person, place, thing or idea.

Examples of nouns: Mohan, London, table, dog, teacher, pen, city, happiness, hope

Example sentences: 1 Sohan lives in Delhi.

                                 2 Sita uses pen and paper to write letters.

PRONOUN - (Replaces a Noun)

A pronoun is used in place of a noun or noun phrase to avoid repetition.

Examples of pronouns: I, you, we, they, he, she, it, me, us, them, him, her, this, those

Example sentences: Mira is tired. She wants to sleep. I want her to dance with me.

ADJECTIVE - (Describing word)

An adjective describes, modifies or gives more information about a noun or pronoun.

Examples: big, happy, green, young, fun, crazy, three

Example sentences: The little girl had a pink hat.

VERB - (Action Word)

A verb shows an action or state of being. A verb shows what someone or something is doing.

Examples: go, speak, run, eat, play, live, walk, have, like, are, is

Example sentences: I like tea.

                                 I study their charts and play their games.

ADVERB - (Describes a verb)

An adverb describes/modifies a verb, an adjective or another adverb. It tells how, where, when, how often or to what extent. Many adverbs end in -LY

Examples: slowly, quietly, very, always, never, too, well, tomorrow, here

Example sentences: I am usually busy. Yesterday, I ate my lunch quickly.

PREPOSITION - (Shows relationship)

A preposition shows the relationship of a noun or pronoun to another word. They can indicate time, place, or relationship.

Examples: at, on, in, from, with, near, between, about, under

Example sentences: I left my keys on the table for you.

CONJUNCTION - (Joining word)

A conjunction joins two words, ideas, phrases or clauses together in a sentence and shows how they are connected.

Examples: and, or, but, because, so, yet, unless, since, if.

Example sentences: Geeta and Sita play chess.

                                  He was poor but hardworking.

INTERJECTION - (Expressive word)

An interjection is a word or phrase that expresses a strong feeling or emotion. It is a short exclamation.

Examples: Ouch! Wow! Great! Help! Oh! Hey! Hi! Alas!

Example sentences: Wow! I passed my English test. Great!

Know Then Thyself (Summary)

 

                This poem is an extract from Pope’s famous poem ‘Essay on Man’. In these lines, the poet tries to define a man. The poet argues in the opening lines that human beings should learn to look at themselves instead of trying to scan God. The proper study of mankind is the man himself. Pope wants to say that man has to learn about his own nature, powers, limitations and weaknesses.

            Man is a curious paradox. He is placed between divinity and animality. He is a mixture of opposites. He is wise as well as ignorant. He is civilized as well as rude. He is ‘darkly wise’ and ‘rudely great’. He has much knowledge yet remains doubtful. He is full of meekness but behaves like a stoic. He is a slave to his passions. He does not know whether he should deem himself a god or a beast. He remains in doubt whether he prefers his mind or his body. His instinct and impulse are not the same. He is born to die. He reasons to err. His logic is ignorant. He thinks either too little or too much. His reasoning is imperfect. There is much confusion in his thoughts and passions. He is created half to rise and a half to fall. In other words, he has godly as well as animal qualities. He is the great lord of all things yet becomes victim to these. He is the sole judge of truth but commits endless mistakes. Truly man is ‘a glory, jest and riddle of the world’.       

            In these lines, Pope has exploited his poetic craftsmanship remarkably. He states beautifully that man is a subtle mixture of opposites and fails to strike a balance in his thoughts and passions. Binary oppositions like thought-passion, rise- fall, lord – prey, glory – jest, etc. make this poem very interesting.

The World is Too Much with Us (Summary )

 

In the very beginning of the poem, the poet says, “The world is too much with us.” It suggests that we are giving our attention to the world and are leaving nature behind. We are busy in earning and spending which, according to the poet, means wasting our powers. We do not acknowledge nature for what it has to offer. Instead, “We have given our hearts away” to which the speaker calls a “sordid boon.”

The sea still shows her bosom to the moon, the wind still howls at all hours, and clouds gather make beautiful scenes. But unfortunately, we are not in tune with nature i.e. we do not fit into nature. The speaker claims that such natural happenings no longer touch us because we perceive nature only in terms of commodity values. As a result, the speaker wishes to become a pagan with outworn creed so that he could stand on natural meadows and feels less lonely which means escaping from the commercial world. By doing so, he hopes to see an extinct sea creature, Proteus, and hear old Triton blow his horn.

In this poem, ‘the world’ refers to the civilization which has come forward by ignoring nature. ‘Getting and spending’ for which ‘we lay our powers’ means activities that take place in an industrial world. For Wordsworth, the world is not as great as ‘Nature’ but we do not tend to see natural gifts. In the fourth line of the poem, Wordsworth calls industrialization a sordid boon because this process involves the destruction of Nature.

William Wordsworth’s poem The World is Too Much with Us carries the themes of industrialization, loss of spiritual connection between nature and human beings, destruction of nature, loss of spiritualism.

·         Industrialization – Wordsworth published his poem, The World is Too Much with Us in a period when industrialization was rapidly growing. Due to the industrialization, human beings have shifted their focus from spiritualism to consumerism.

·         Loss of spiritual connection between nature and human beings – According to Wordsworth, spiritual connection between nature and human beings no longer exists. It is because industrialization has taught them to see nature in terms of consumer values.

·         Destruction of nature – Industrialization directly affects nature. For instance, the speaker can no longer see a Proteus and hear a Triton blow its horn.

‘When You Are Old' By William Butler Yeats. Paraphrase, Summary and Analysis

 

When you are old and grey and full of sleep,
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;

Paraphrase: Stanza-1

When you (my beloved) grow old and your hair turns grey, and when you look sometimes near the fire sleepily, then you should pick up this book that I am writing and read this poem. The poem then would remind you how beautiful you once used to be, and how soft and deep your eyes were when you were young.

Explanation of difficult phrases:

 Nodding by the fire- dozing as she sits near the fire in lonely winter nights. 

Dream of- think of the past youthful day is in a dreamy way. 

Soft looks your eyes had once- The poet's beloved now has soft looks. Her eyes have an enchantment about them. They lend to her face a look of charm and sweetness. But they would not always remain so. In her old age, she would only remember these soft looks with regret. 

 

How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true,
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face;

Paraphrase: Stanza-2

You will then remember that many men then loved you because of your joyful beauty. They loved you for your beauty, some with true love, others safely. But then you will also remember that one man loved your soul, and loved you for the sadness of your looks.

Explanation of difficult phrases:

 Glad grace- During her youth, his beloved has a grace and a beauty that arises out of the joy living. Her youthfulness lends a charm to all her movements. 

How many…grace- This is to be connected with the idea given earlier-the beloved in her old are, remembering her days of youth. The poet tells her how she would then remember her old lovers, who are no more.

 

And bending down beside the glowing bars,
Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled
And paced upon the mountains overhead
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.

 

Paraphrase: Stanza-3
Then, as you bend down near the glowing fire in the grate, you will murmur to yourself that love has left you and has hidden far away, in lofty mountains and in starry skies.

Explanation of difficult phrases:

A bending down-His beloved in her old age would bend down. 

The glowing bars- the iron bars in the fire-place are glowing hot because of the fire burning in it. 

And bending love fled- The poet imagines that in her old age his beloved would feel that love has left the world, and lives now in the stars and the mountains. In other words, she will feel the loneliness of old age, when all lovers will forsake her.

And paced---overhead-Love no longer lives on earth, but upon lofty mountain peaks. 

And hid---stars-Love, which visits us, in our youth for a while, rises up to the stars and becomes one with them.

Detailed Summary and Analysis

Addressing Maud Gonne, the poet says that when she is old, she should take up this book of Yeats’ poems and read it slowly. He asks her to compare her old age with the time of her youth. Feeling sleepy and nodding by the fire-side she can compare her grey hair with the softness of look and deep shadows that her eyes had in the prime of her life. In brief, the poet wants Maud Gonne to have a feel of the terror that old age produces, ‘full of sleep’. Here sleep can be explained as usual time of sleep as well as the natural laziness or lethargy that comes in a human being as he or she grows old. In the second stanza, the poet further asks Maud Gonne to recollect as to how many people loved her when she was young and beautiful, and not all of them had a true love for her beauty even. Quite a few of them just pretended love to her falsely, but there was one man only who loved, not her physical beauty alone but also the purity of her soul behind her beautiful shape. His love was purely spiritual and she must remember that he loved the pains of her growing old. It also means that he loves her even now when she is old and is prepared to share with her the sorrows of her age. The speaker says to Maud Gonne that when she lies down on the bed, bending a bit toward the fire-side where the iron-rods outside the fire-chimney are glowing red with the heat of fire she must say to herself in a sort of sad of soliloquy that with the departure of her youth and charms, the false love of her lovers had also vanished away and evaporated in the midst of high mountains and stars. By saying this the speaker also intends saying that in comparison to her false lovers, he was the only true lover who had loved her all-through –from youth to old age and he loves her even now.

 

Where the Mind is Without Fear

                                                              Summary 

Rabindranath Tagore was a great poet, novelist, short story writer, musician, painter, essayist, educationalist, freedom fighter and a great thinker. He won Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913 for Gitanjali. He is often referred to as the Bard of Bengal.  ‘Where the Mind is Without Fear’ is a thought-provoking poem. It was published in 1912. It was originally written in Bangla and translated by Tagore himself in English.

It is a pre-independent poem. In this poem, the poet prays to God to make our country a heaven of freedom. In our country, everyone should be fearless. Each one should be brave and no one should have fear in mind. Every countryman should be honourable. Every head should be held high with dignity and honour. This country should be free from criminals. In our country knowledge should be free and it should be such a place where all live in love and unity. There should not be divisions on the name of caste, colour, religion, language, etc. All citizens should love the truth and their words should come from the depth of their heart. All the activities of our countrymen should be guided by truth. Tagore prays that countrymen should work hard towards perfection. They should be ideal human beings. They should give up all that is evil and take up all that is good. They should be guided by reason. They should give up all those bad and harmful customs of society. They should be broad-minded. They should be generous in their thoughts and actions. Tagore says that it is his earnest prayer to God to show light to our countrymen and help each one to transform our country into heaven of freedom.   

This poem has a universal message. Tagore wishes a global society where there are no boundaries on the name of caste, colour or creed. The poet prays not only for the political freedom of our country but also for spiritual and intellectual freedom which is yet to be achieved.

Summary of Sonnet XVIII

This sonnet is one of the best known and well-loved sonnets of William Shakespeare. Like all 126 love sonnets of Shakespeare, this sonnet is also addressed to his friend and patron, Earl of Southampton. In this sonnet, the poet pays a tribute to the matchless beauty of his friend but at the same time, he underlines the high merit of his own poetry.

The sonnet opens with a question, “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” The summer in England is not like the summer in India. In England, a summer day is very pleasant and beautiful. That is why the poet asks his friend if he will compare his friend to a summer day. In the next line, the poet corrects himself saying that his friend is more sweet and lovely than a summer day. In summer season the winds are rough and these rough winds shake the flower buds. The duration of summer is very short. Sometimes the sun shines too hot.

Like all beautiful things the summer also loses its beauty after some time. This is the law of nature. Every beautiful thing has to die and fade away with the changing course of nature. The poet says that his friend is an exception. His summer is eternal. He shall not lose the beauty and grace that he has. Death is all-powerful. All living things live in the shade of death.  But his friend is above death.

In the last lines, the poet explains how his friend’s beauty and youth is eternal. He says that his poem will remain as men can breathe or eyes can see. In his poems, his friend will live forever. In this way, the poet says that art is immortal while life is mortal.

Why do Pollinators Matter

Most insects are beneficial to humans either directly or indirectly. Directly beneficial insects provide humans with material goods such as honey (honey bees), silk (silk moths), dyes and shellac (scale insects), and tannic acid and inks (insect galls). Without insects, weed control would be more difficult. The beneficial insects also work as insect predators and parasites of pests and pollinators.

Pollinators are small insects which are responsible to transfer pollen of one flower to another for the development of fruits and seeds. This important service is done by butterflies, bees, flies, moths, wasps, beetles, and some other insect. These little friends of man are crucial in the functioning of almost all terrestrial ecosystems including agriculture because they are in the front line of sustainable productivity through plant reproduction. It is estimated by Greenleaf and Kremen in 2006 that 66 per cent of angiosperms (i.e. beans, wheat, rice, and corn etc.) require animal pollination for sexual reproduction. According to a significant study carried by Klein and others, an estimated 35 per cent of crop production worldwide is dependent on insect pollination. The total economic value of crop pollination worldwide has been estimated at many trillion rupees annually. And moreover, populations and diversity of these insects also serve as bio-indicators of our environment.

In India, most of the food crops need insect pollinators for sufficient successful pollination. Oilseeds, vegetables, and many fruits such as almond, apple, apricot, peach, strawberry, citrus and litchi crops are profoundly reliant on pollinators. The importance of bees for mankind is very aptly summed up by the great scientist, Sir Albert Einstein as, “If something eliminated bees from our planet, mankind would soon perish.”

But today we are in real danger of facing the serious threat of losing bees. The loss of bee pollinators has been reported all over the world.  The population of most pollinators have declined to levels that cannot sustain their services of pollination in both agroecosystems and natural habitats. One of every three bites of food eaten worldwide is depended on pollinators, especially bees, for a successful harvest. Bees are the most important pollinators for many agricultural crops and their absence will result in lower yields.  

It is high time to make efforts for conservation and management of the diversified group of bees and other insect pollinators should be seriously made to utilize their potential as crop pollinators and overall biodiversity conservation. But Research activities in India on bees or on other pollinators are in a state of neglect. Despite the global worry, no study had been done to assess directly the scale of the decline in natural pollinators. The crucial role of bees as providers of pollination services in developing countries like India cannot be ignored.

Most of the small-scale farmers are not aware of the value of pollination services crops they grow. Farmers have very limited knowledge on pollination and pollinators; they often take pollinators for granted. In India at present, 150 million colonies are needed to meet the pollination requirement of around 50 million hectare bee dependant crops but there are only 1.2 million colonies present. (TNAU Aristech Portal). No attention is been given to beekeeping as such compared to other countries even though there is a wide scope for beekeeping in India.

As of June 22 -28, 2020 is being observed as The Pollinator Week, there is a dire need to aware our farmers about the contribution of wild pollinators towards the production of their crops and farm profitability. The active participation of the researcher and extension specialist is needed to educate them about the benefits of pollinator and consequence of their decline.

Jericho Brown

Jericho Brown has won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry for his latest collection, "The Tradition" on 4^th May 2020.  The prize for poetry is given annually to a “distinguished volume of original verse by an American author.” In selecting Brown’s book for the honour, the Pulitzer board called it “a collection of masterful lyrics that combine delicacy with historical urgency in their loving evocation of bodies vulnerable to hostility and violence.”

In short and deceptively simple lines, Brown’s poems in “The Tradition” explore the growing existence of trauma as part of an American culture both accustomed to ignoring evil – and unable to make change without taking the risk to acknowledge the pain it causes.

He captures that sentiment, surrounded by vivid imagery, in one of the book’s poems, “The Crossing” he says:

“I’m more than a conqueror, bigger

Than bravery.

I don’t march.

I’m the one who leaps.”

Brown also invented a new poetic form called the “duplex” to challenge the existing rules of poetry while his words challenged the contradictory myths and culture of the nation.