The Vibrant Echoes of Sarojini Naidu’s Bazaars

Welcome to a sensory journey through the heart of old India. Today, we are exploring one of the most vivid and evocative poems in the canon of Indian English literature: 'In the Bazaars of Hyderabad' by Sarojini Naidu.

Sarojini Naidu was a woman of remarkable duality. Known as the 'Nightingale of India' for her lyrical and melodic poetry, she was also a titan of the Indian independence movement, serving as a key figure alongside Mahatma Gandhi and later becoming the first woman to govern an Indian state.

Published in 1912 within her collection 'The Bird of Time,' this poem is more than just a descriptive piece; it was a subtle act of political defiance. During the Swadeshi movement, which encouraged Indians to boycott British goods in favor of local craftsmanship, Naidu used her pen to remind her countrymen of the richness and self-sufficiency of their own culture.

Let’s listen to the poem in its entirety, as it invites us into a world of crimson turbans, golden girdles, and the scent of new-garnered blossoms.

What do you sell, O ye merchants?
Richly your wares are displayed.
Turbans of crimson and silver,
Tunics of purple brocade,
Mirrors with panels of amber,
Daggers with handles of jade.

What do you weigh, O ye vendors?
Saffron and lentil and rice.
What do you grind, O ye maidens?
Sandalwood, henna, and spice.
What do you call, O ye pedlars?
Chessmen and ivory dice.

What do you make, O ye goldsmiths?
Wristlet and anklet and ring,
Bells for the feet of blue pigeons
Frail as a dragon-fly’s wing,
Girdles of gold for dancers,
Scabbards of gold for the king.

What do you cry, O ye fruitmen?
Citron, pomegranate, and plum.
What do you play, O musicians?
Cithar, sarangi and drum.
What do you chant, O magicians?
Spells for the aeons to come.

What do you weave, O ye flower-girls
With tassels of azure and red?
Crowns for the brow of a bridegroom,
Chaplets to garland his bed,
Sheets of white blossoms new-garnered
To perfume the sleep of the dead.

Critical Analysis

To analyze this work, we must first look at its unique structure. The poem is built on a series of rhetorical questions and answers. Each stanza addresses a different group of people—merchants, vendors, goldsmiths, musicians, and finally, flower-girls. This creates a rhythmic, chant-like quality that mimics the actual calls and responses of a crowded marketplace.

In the first two stanzas, Naidu focuses on the visual and tactile. She uses high-contrast colors like 'crimson and silver' and 'purple brocade' to paint a scene of luxury. Notice the materials mentioned: amber, jade, and ivory. These aren’t just commodities; they are symbols of an ancient, sophisticated civilization that has no need for imported European trinkets. When the vendors weigh 'saffron and lentil and rice,' she is elevating the mundane to the level of art, showing that even the basic necessities of Indian life are infused with color and fragrance.

One of the most delicate images in the poem appears in the third stanza: the 'bells for the feet of blue pigeons.' In old Hyderabad, especially during the era of the Nizams, pigeon-rearing was a popular pastime. These bells were often so light and finely crafted that Naidu compares them to a 'dragon-fly’s wing.'

This use of simile highlights the exquisite skill of Indian goldsmiths, capable of creating items for both the lowliest bird and the highest king. As the poem progresses, the 'musicians' and 'magicians' transition us from the physical world to the ethereal. The 'cithar' and 'sarangi' provide the auditory backdrop, while the magicians chanting 'spells for the aeons to come' suggest that this bazaar—and by extension, Indian culture—is eternal and mystical.

However, it is the final stanza that provides the poem’s emotional core. We see the 'flower-girls' weaving tassels for a wedding and then, abruptly, 'white blossoms' to 'perfume the sleep of the dead.' Here, the bazaar becomes a microcosm of human existence. In a single market, you can find the tools for every stage of life: the joy of marriage and the solemnity of death. By ending on this note, Naidu suggests that the bazaar is not just a place of commerce, but a sacred space where the cycle of life is continuously woven.

For students of literature, 'In the Bazaars of Hyderabad' stands as a masterclass in sensory imagery. It doesn't just tell us about India; it makes us see the 'azure and red,' smell the 'sandalwood and henna,' and hear the 'drum.' It remains a timeless celebration of identity, craft, and the vibrant persistence of a culture that refuses to be overshadowed.

Backgrounder Notes

As an expert researcher and library scientist, I have identified several key historical, cultural, and literary concepts from the article that would benefit from additional context. Below are the backgrounders for these terms:

1. The Swadeshi Movement

The Swadeshi movement was a powerful economic strategy within the Indian independence movement that advocated for the boycott of British goods in favor of domestic products to achieve self-sufficiency. Launched in 1905, it turned everyday consumption into a form of political protest, which explains why Naidu’s vivid descriptions of local Indian wares were considered an act of defiance.

2. The Nizams of Hyderabad

The Nizams were the sovereign rulers of the princely state of Hyderabad from 1724 until 1948, renowned for their immense wealth and patronage of the arts. Their reign fostered a unique "Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb" (a fusion of Hindu and Muslim cultures), providing the opulent and diverse cultural backdrop that Naidu describes in the bazaar.

3. Brocade

Brocade is a class of richly decorative shuttle-woven fabrics, often made in colored silks and frequently featuring gold or silver threads. In India, this is often associated with Zari work, a traditional craft that involves weaving fine wires of precious metals into textiles to create the "purple brocade" mentioned in the poem.

4. Sarangi

The sarangi is a bowed, short-necked string instrument used in Hindustani classical music, traditionally carved from a single block of wood. It is famously described as the instrument that most closely resembles the sound of the human voice, capable of expressing deep emotional nuances.

5. Saffron (Kesar)

Derived from the flower of the Crocus sativus, saffron is the world’s most expensive spice and has been cultivated in the Kashmir region of India for centuries. Beyond its culinary use, it holds significant religious and cultural status in India, often symbolizing purity and auspiciousness.

6. Sandalwood and Henna

Sandalwood is a fragrant wood prized for its essential oils used in incense and cooling pastes, while henna (mehndi) is a dye prepared from the Lawsonia inermis plant used for intricate body art. Both are essential to Indian sensory life; sandalwood is often used in temple rituals, while henna is a staple of celebrations and weddings.

7. Cithar (Sitar)

While Naidu uses the archaic or anglicized spelling "cithar," she is referring to the Sitar, a plucked stringed instrument dominant in Indian classical music. It is characterized by its long neck, gourd-shaped resonator, and "sympathetic strings" that provide its signature shimmering, resonant sound.

8. Microcosm

In a literary context, a microcosm is a small, representative system—such as a marketplace—that reflects the traits or complexities of the world at large. By showcasing the bazaar as a place where people buy goods for both weddings and funerals, Naidu uses the market as a microcosm for the entire cycle of human existence.

9. Rhetorical Questions

A rhetorical question is a figure of speech asked for effect or to lay emphasis on a point rather than to elicit an actual answer. Naidu uses this device structurally to guide the reader through the bazaar, creating a rhythmic cadence that mimics the "call and response" atmosphere of a traditional Indian street market.