Who among the following has written the poem, “Jejuri”?

Correct option is C

Explanation:

The poem "Jejuri" was written by Arun Kolatkar, one of the most significant voices in Indian English poetry.

Jejuri is not a single poem but a collection of linked poems, published in 1976, centered around Kolatkar’s pilgrimage to the temple town of Jejuri in Maharashtra.

The work stands out for its modernist, ironic, and minimalist tone, offering a blend of spirituality, skepticism, and the mundane realities of life.

Kolatkar’s Jejuri is a deeply introspective and visually evocative narrative, marked by free verse, sparse language, and cultural observation.

It is often credited for redefining Indian poetry in English with its structural innovation and colloquial simplicity.

Information Booster:

Arun Kolatkar (1932–2004), bilingual poet writing in both Marathi and English.

- Jejuri (1976), winner of the Commonwealth Poetry Prize in 1977.

Prominent Themes:

- Conflict between faith and skepticism.
- Exploration of rituals, decay, and modernity.
- Religious pilgrimage through the lens of an urban observer.

- The collection describes a visit to the holy town of Jejuri, a famous shrine of Khandoba, a regional deity.

- The poems depict dilapidated temples, indifferent priests, fading beliefs, and the contrast between religious fervor and practical disillusionment.

- The narrator reflects upon the absurdities and ironies of spiritual practices, often with detached irony, yet never completely dismissing belief.

- Jejuri is often hailed as a landmark in Indian English poetry for bridging tradition and modernism.

- Kolatkar uses imagistic minimalism and stark realism to explore the changing face of India’s spiritual landscape.

Additional Knowledge:

Michael Madhusudan Dutt: A pioneer of Indian English and Bengali literature, best known for his epic poem Meghnad Badh Kavya in Bengali.

Kamla Das: A renowned Indian English poet and writer famous for her confessional poetry like “An Introduction”, “My Grandmother’s House”, and prose works like My Story. She explored female identity, sexuality, and social constraints.

Toru Dutt: A 19th-century Indian poet writing in English and French, noted for Ancient Ballads and Legends of Hindustan and A Sheaf Gleaned in French Fields.