Summary of New Year (Parijat)

UNIT-13 Life and Death

Flax-Golden Tales

New Year – Four Levels of Interactions

Parijat (1934 – 1993)

Translated by Padma Devkota

For : BA / BBS First Year

Literal Comprehension:
This poem is composed by Parijat . Here, when the speaker sees the mind that chases March away and the sum which climbs up the hill, she realizes the arrival of the New Year. She can pre - assume that a New Year day has arrived by seeing the nightingale flying here and there, and buds of flowers.

The third stanza begins with “ but ” , and it shows the contrast in the poet ’ s thinking. When New Year comes, we expect some new thing but the poet again describes the same old thing . She sees the mason wasps returning lazily to their same old nests, which is in the dark and dirty ceiling of her house. The arrival of New Year should have brought new thing but the mind is busy in same old dreams. Seeing this , she feels to paint the nature afresh .

Interpretation:
The poem brings reversal in expectation of the readers . The poem consists of 12 lives . The first six lines describe the changes brought by the arrival of New Year. Then the seventh line begins the contrast but the poem does not include any contrast rather it describes the same old workings. The last two lines show the poet ’s desire to rebel against nature .

Critical thinking:
The poem teaches a lesson that life without changes has no value . All the routine works are meaningless if there is no change. The poet enjoys the arrival of New Year; but , soon she remembers all her works does not guarantee the changes and freshness in life .

Assimilation :
I find the speaker pessimistic towards life . We should have determination. If there is no change after our work and determination, we should understand that our work is not sufficient to bring changes in life . We should take lesson from our part .