2.2 Indian Weavers -Learn in a simple way

2.2 Indian Weavers -Learn in a simple way

 Poem

Weavers, weaving at break of day,
Why do you weave a garment so gay?
Blue as the wing of a halcyon wild,
We weave the robes of a new-born child.

Weavers, weaving at fall of night,
Why do you weave a garment so bright?……..
Like the plumes of a peacock, purple and green,
We weave the marriage-veils of a queen.

Weavers, weaving solemn (serious) and still,
What do you weave in the moonlight chill……
White as a feather and white as a cloud,
We weave a dead man’s funeral (अंतिम संस्कार) shroud. (कफन)

The synonyms/ Vocabulary

1. Garment – Clothes – कपडे
2. Gay – Bright/Colorful – आनंदी/रंगीत
3. Break of a day – Morning/ dawn
4. New-born child – Infant – नवजात बालक
5. halcyon wild – a kind of bird
6. Fall of night – Dusk – रात्रीचे पडसाद/संध्याकाळ
7. Bright – Radiant/Brilliant – तेजस्वी/झगमगाट
8. Plumes – Feathers – पिसे
9. Marriage-veils – Wedding covers – लग्नाच्या ओढण्या
10. Queen – Royal woman – राणी
11. Solemn – Serious – गंभीर
12. Still – Quiet – शांत
13. Shroud – Burial cloth – कफन/अंत्यवस्त्र
14. funeral (अंतिम संस्कार)

Summary of “Indian Weavers” The poem 

“Indian Weavers” by Sarojini Naidu describes the life and work of Indian weavers, symbolically representing three important stages of human life: birth, marriage, and death. Through three stanzas, the poet describes the weavers at different times of the day, each related to the weaving of garments that correspond to these life stages. 

1. Morning – Birth: The weavers are seen at dawn, weaving bright blue robes for a newborn child. The color blue is compared to the wings of a halcyon (kingfisher), symbolizing freshness, joy, and the new beginnings of life. 

2. Evening – Marriage: At dusk, the weavers are making vibrant, colorful garments, resembling peacock feathers in shades of purple and green. These garments are wedding veils, signifying the lively and beautiful occasion of marriage, the second significant phase of life. 

3. Night – Death: In the final stanza, during the cold moonlit night, the weavers are quietly weaving a white shroud, which is used to wrap the body of the dead. The white color symbolizes peace, solemnity, and the end of life. The poem beautifully uses the weavers’ craft to reflect the cyclical nature of life: birth, love, and death, emphasizing the inevitable journey from creation to final rest.

Stanza 1: birth (childhood), / Young Age

Weavers, weaving at break of day,
Why do you weave a garment so gay?
Blue as the wing of a halcyon wild,
We weave the robes of a new-born child.

अगदी पहाटेच्या वेळी विणकर विणत आहेत,
Sarojini Naidu :निळे जणू एखाद्या पक्ष्याच्या पंखांप्रमाणे,
इतके सुंदर वस्त्र का विणत आहात?
Weaver: आम्ही नवजात बालकाचे वस्त्र विणत आहोत.

       In the first stanza, the poet asks the weavers why they are weaving clothes early in the morning which seem to be quite beautiful and charming (gay). The clothes are blue as the wing of a halcyon wild. Halcyon is the other name of the kingfisher.

       The wings of the kingfisher are bright blue in colour. The blue colour thus symbolises something beautiful and precious. Hence, in this stanza, the clothes weaved by the weavers are quite special and this is why the poet is curious to know about them.

        The Indian Weavers reply, we weave the robes of a new-born child i.e. they are weaving the beautiful dress for a young one who has just came to the world.

         In this stanza, a number of images are used to describe the first stage of human life like break of day, garments as gay, & blue as the wing of halcyon wild. This stage is full of happiness, freshness, hope, beauty etc. There is no sorrow in the stage.

Stanza 2: Adulthood

Weavers, weaving at fall of night,
Why do you weave a garment so bright?……..
Like the plumes of a peacock, purple and green,
We weave the marriage-veils of a queen.

संध्याकाळी विणकर विणत आहेत,
Sarojini Naidu : मोराच्या पिसांसारखे जांभळे आणि हिरवे,
इतके तेजस्वी वस्त्र का विणत आहात?
Weaver: आम्ही राणीच्या लग्नाचा कापड विणत आहोत.

      In the second stanza, the poet again meets the Indian Weavers, this time during the fall of night. It probably refers to the evening or dusk time when the sun sets and darkness paves the way. Moreover, it is also the time during which most of the Indian marriages take place.

      The poet questions the weavers why they weave a garment so bright like the plumes of a peacock, purple and green. The garment at this time is bright and full of colours like feathers of peacock unlike the one colour-blue (during the morning time).

     The weavers reply that they weave the marriage-veils of a queen, thus referring to the second or in other words adult stage of the life. During this stage, humans get married and quest for a better and prosperous life.

      The colours purple and green symbolise sorrow and happiness or struggle and ease in one’s adult stage and these all colours or ups and downs of life make the adulthood bright.

Stanza 3: Death

Weavers, weaving solemn (serious) and still,
What do you weave in the moonlight chill……
White as a feather and white as a cloud,
We weave a dead man’s funeral (अंतिम संस्कार) shroud. (कफन)

गंभीर आणि शांतपणे विणकर विणत आहेत,
Sarojini Naidu :पंखासारखे पांढरे आणि ढगासारखे शुभ्र,
चंद्रप्रकाशात तुम्ही काय विणत आहात?
Weaver: आम्ही मृत माणसाचे अंतिम संस्काराचे कापड (कफन) विणत आहोत.

In the final stanza, the poet finds the weavers solemn (not cheerful or smiling) and still i.e. they are quite sorrowful, grieved (उदास) and silent. They are weaving something weird (very strange) in the moonlight chill i.e. in the dead of the night which is white as a feather and white as a cloud, i.e. colourless, lifeless.

        As the poet fails to figure out what it is (the cloth) and why they are sorrowful and silent, she asks them what are they weaving rather than why are they weaving. They reply that they are weaving shroud (cloth put on the dead body) for a dead person.

       Thus the 3rd and the final stage is death which is emotionless and lifeless like a white cloud or feather. In this way, the life which begins with joy and hope, ends with sorrow and grief.

BRAINSTORMING

(A1)Discuss with your partner about the following vocations:
(a) Weaving: It is the process of forming a fabric by interlacing yarn on the handloom or power-loom
(b) Tailoring: It is the process of stitching garments from a fabric on a manual or an automatic tailoring machine
(c) Knitting: It is the process by which yarn is handled to create a fabric , specially woolen garments
(d) Embroidering: It is the art of decorating cloth by sewing with a threads.

(A2) (i) Discuss the various products made by the weavers in the poem.
Ans: The weavers make three different products in the three stanzas of the poem:
1. In the first stanza, they weave blue robes for a new-born child, with the color like the wings of a halcyon bird.
2. In the second stanza, they create marriage-veils for a queen, in purple and green, like the feathers of a peacock.
3. In the third stanza, they make a white funeral shroud for a dead man, as white as a feather and a cloud.
These products represent the stages of life: childhood, youth, and old age.

(ii)The words in the three stanzas of the poem mention different times of a day. Complete the table.

(iii)The poem reveals three phases of life. Fill in the blanks with feelings and colours appropriate to the phases of life. One is done for you.

(iv) Complete:
The weavers weave in the chill moonlight a dead man’s funeral shroud

(v) Pick out two words used to describe the weavers in the last stanza. Also state their importance.
Ans: The two words that describe the weavers in the last stanza are ‘solemn’ and ‘still’.
The words are used to describe the weavers who are weaving a funeral shroud for the dead man, in a silent state and not happy.

(vi)Express your views about the present condition of weavers.
Ans: The present condition of the Indian weavers is very sad and poor. Though their craft bringing respect and money to the Indian fashion industry, many weavers struggle with low incomes and lack government support. They are unable to pay their debts that why some are forced to end their lives or leaving their craft and finding other work in cities. Government should take an urgent action to help them and save this traditional craft from disappearing.

(vii) Describe in your own words the steps or measures that can be taken to solve the problems of the weavers.
Ans: The following steps can be taken to solve the problems of weavers:

(a) The textile ministry should provide more subsidies to weavers to buy the things they need.
(b) Yarns should be made available at affordable prices.
(c) Weavers should get the yarn directly from the government without any agent/ middlemen.
(d) Weavers should be able to sell their products directly in the market, and the government should provide them this facility to avoid middlemen problems.
(e) The government should open free training centers for the weavers and should be trained in the latest technology.

(viii) Express your own views and opinions from the weavers’ point of view and complete the following table.

(ix) Pick out the words, expressions or phrases from the poem that indicate the different times of the day.
Ans. The expressions, words or phrases indicating different times of the day in the poem are –
a) Break of day – early morning
b) fall of night – late in the evening
c) moonlight chill – cold night
(x) Is there a similarity between the break of day and the birth of the baby? If yes, what is it?
Ans. Yes, there is a similarity between the break of the day and the birth of a baby. Both symbolize a new beginning.
(xi) Pick out the two objects to which the shroud is compared to for its colour.
Ans. The funeral shroud of a dead man is compared with white feather and cloud for its colour.
(xii) Identify and collect the words in the poem that indicate the changing mood of the poet.
Ans. The words gay, bright, solemn and still in the poem indicate the changing mood of the poet.

(A3) (i) Pick out the rhyming words from the poem.
Ans: Day – gay,
Wild – child
Night- bright
Green –Queen
Still –chill
Shroud – cloud
(ii) Give antonyms and synonyms of the following and make sentences of your own.

(iii) Make a word register for clothes/attire/dress.
Ans: Garment, outfit, casuals, formal, traditional, denim etc.

(A4) (i) Complete the following table.

5. Imagery – Imagery is the name given to the elements in a poem that spark off the senses.
Despite “image” being a synonym for “picture”, images need not be only visual; any of the five senses (sight, hearing, touch, taste, smell) can respond to what a poet writes.
e.g., The poet has painted the picture of Indian weavers who weaves tirelessly at different times of a day. This poem has been used as a imagery to describe the three stages of human life, from birth to death, just as the weavers weave from dawn to night.

(ii)Figures of Speech and Explanation:

1. Weavers, weaving at break of day.
Alliteration because the sound of letter ‘w’ is repeated.
Metaphor because’ here there is an implied comparison between the birth (childhood stage of man) and a break of day.

2. Why do you weave a garment so gay? . . .
Alliteration because the sound of letter ‘g’ is repeated.
Interrogation because the sentence is in the form of question.

3. Blue as the wing of a halcyon wild.
Inversion – The words are not in correct order. The correct word order is – The wing of a halcyon wild (is) blue.
Alliteration because the sound of letter ‘w’ is repeated.
Simile because the blue coloured cloth is directly compared with a wing of wild halcyon.

4. Weavers, weaving at fall of night.

Alliteration because the sound of letter ‘w’ is repeated.
Metaphor because’ here there is an implied comparison between adulthood (young – the second stage of man) and the fall of night.

5. Why do you weave a garment so bright?
Interrogation because the sentence is in the form of question.

6. Like the plumes of a peacock, purple and green.
Simile because the garment is directly compared with purple & green coloured plumes of peacock.
Alliteration because the sound of letter ‘p’ is repeated.

7. Weavers, weaving solemn and still.
Alliteration because the sounds of letters ‘w’ and ‘s’ are repeated.
Tautology because the words ‘solemn’ and ‘still’ are similar in meaning.

8. What do you weave in the moonlight chill?
Interrogation because the sentence is in the form of question.
Inversion because the words are not in correct order.
The correct word order is – What do you weave in the chill moonlight?
Alliteration because the sound of letter ‘w’ is repeated.
Metaphor because’ here there is an implied comparison between death (old age – the third and last stage of man’s life) and moonlight.

9. White as a feather and white as a cloud.
Repetition because the words ‘white’ and ‘as’ are repeated.
Simile because the garment is directly compared with a feather and a cloud.

(13) Write the rhyme scheme of this poem.
The rhyme scheme of this poem is ‘a-a-b-b’.

(A5) (i) The poet has asked a question at the beginning of every stanza. Explain the effect it creates on the reader.
Ans: The questions at the beginning of each stanza are used by the poet to create a sense of inquiry and curiosity in the reader’s mind to know about the nature of the garment and the reason behind weaving that garment at that particular time by the weavers.
(ii) Compose four lines on ‘Importance of clothes.’

Clothes hold meaning deep inside,
Celebrating love, joy, and pride.
Clothes for the living, clothes for the dead,
We start from robs and end with shroud.

(iii) Compose four lines about death

Life ends, death comes,
Soul’s journey, new home.
No fear, no pain,
Eternal peace to gain.

(iii) Compose four lines about birth.

A new beginning, a fresh start,
A tiny soul, playing its part.
A tiny heart, pure and sweet,
A new life, shining so bright.

(Tiny = small)

A New-Born Child*
A baby smiles so sweet,
Brings joy to every heart.
Eyes like stars we meet,
A brand-new life to start.

Break of Day
Sun wakes up the sky,
Light makes colors glow.
Birds sing soft and high,
Night’s darkness has to go.

Poetic Appreciation 

Ans: Appreciation of the poem ‘Indian Weavers’

1. Poem / Poet:

Indian Weavers is written by Sarojini Naidu, known as the Nightingale of India. She was a poet and freedom fighter. In this poem, she describes Indian weavers weaving three types of clothes at three different times of the day — for a newborn in the morning, for a queen’s wedding in the evening, and for a dead man at midnight.

2. Central Idea:

The poem shows how human life moves through three main stages — birth, youth, and death — each with its own emotions like joy, responsibility, and sorrow.

3. Style of the Poem:

The poem has three stanzas with  a question-and-answer format. Each stanza has two rhyming couplets, and the poem is written in a simple and clear style with a conversational tone.  It is a metaphor for the three stages of human life – birth, youth and death. 

4. Poetic Devices:

The poet uses here the rhyming scheme a-a-b-b as well as simple poetic devices such as Simile, Metaphor, Alliteration, Repetition, Inversion, Tautology, Interrogation etc.  The times of day reflect the stages of life.

5. Message / Opinion:

The poem gives the message that life is always moving forward through different stages. I like this short poem for its clear images and beautiful colour descriptions.