THREE NEIGHBOURS - Sundaram / ત્રણ પાડોશી સુન્દરમ્

 THREE NEIGHBOURS

- Sundaram
Gongs sound in Ram’s temple: you can hear the bells.
In the rich man’s palace the gramophone swells.
As the arati goes around
And the noise flows around,
Crowds of people come swarming there to stand.
One street holds three neighbours: the seth and Lord Ram
And widowed Makorbai with not a paisa to her name;
She grinds corn for people,
Fetches water for people,
To eke out a living, her bread.
The pride of the village is the mansion of the seth;
And Ram’s marble temple glitters till late.
Hidden in a corner,
A squalid smelly corner,
The palace of Makorbai stands.
The seth sleeps in comfort, and with Sita sleeps Ram;
In the early hours to morning all sleep in night’s calm.
With the cock’s first crowing
The waking cock’s cowing
Makorbai rises from sleep.
Waking, Makor stretches, and then lighting a flam,
Settles to grind corn and prays in Ram’s name.
Lord roars the mill,
The gluttonous mill,
Like the groan of a starving man.
Today’s Gokul Attam, the day for a fast;
Makor too is fasting, her breath may not last.
To please Sita’s Ram
Save a handful of grain,
She sets her empty belly on fire.
The seth’s house and Ram’s temple have ghee, fruit and
Sweets;
The’ve given corn for grinding for the next day’s feasts.
She’s grinding dal today.
The dal is damp today,
And Makor’s hungry belly is ablaze.
Her tired body jerking, her breathing comes in groans;
She’s the dal being ground between those millstones.
If the flour is not given
No money will be given
And Makor will be fasting once again.
The creaking heavy millstone begins to weigh a ton,
Peg slipping from her tired hand before the grinding’s
done.
As the grain goes around
Makor’s body goes around
And the sound of the grinding goes on.
The mill devours the grain, yet it gives out food for all.
Makor’s Annapurna’s angry and the grain will not fall.
See half the grain is left
And half the night is left,
But Makor cannot struggle any more.
The seth and Ram are waking; the whole world’s calling;
The burdens of the earth with the saviour’s birth are falling.
Sounds of the morning,
Birds twittering in the morning,
Drown out Makor’s hungry howl.
Ram is in his forest dwelling; the seth in his palace home.
Temple gongs and trumpet sounds of revelry are blown.
Makor faints to her death.
The millstone sings of death.
A lone black crow laments her gone.

ત્રણ પાડોશી સુન્દરમ્

રામને મંદિર ઝાલર બાજે, ઘંટના ઘોર સુણાય,
શેઠની મેડીએ થાળીવાજું નૌતમ ગાણાં ગાય,
મંદિરની આરતીટાણે રે,
વાજાના વાગવા ટાણે રે,
લોકોનાં જૂથ નિતે ઊભરાય.
એક ફળીનાં ત્રણ રહેવાસી, શેઠને બીજા રામ,
ત્રીજી માકોર બાઈ રાંડેલી, કોડી કને ના દામ,
લોકોનાં દળણાં દળતી રે,
પાણીડાં કો’કનાં ભરતી રે,
કાઢી ખાય રોટલો કરતી કામ.
શેઠની મોટી દૈત્ય હવેલી ગામનું નાક કહેવાય.
રામનું મંદિર આરસ બાંઘ્યું નિત ઝળાંઝળાં થાય,
ફળીના એક ખૂણામાં રહે,
ગંધાતા કો’ક ખૂણામાં રે,
માકોરનાં મહેલ ઉભેલા સુણાય.
છત્ર૫લંગે શેઠ સૂતા હોય, રામ સીતાજીને ઘેર,
પાછલા ૫હોરની મીઠી ઊંઘની લોક લેતું હોય લહેર,
૫હેલો જયાં કૂકડો બોલે રે,
જાગેલો કૂકડો બોલે રે,
તૂટે માકોરની નીંદર સેર.
માકોર ઊડી અંગ મરોડે, પેટાવે દી૫કજયોત,
ધાન લઈને દળવા બેસે, રામની માગી ઓથ,
ઘરેરાટ ઘંટી ગાજે રે,
ભૂખી ડાંસ ઘંટી ગાજે રે,
ગાજે જેમ દૂકાળિયાનું મોત.
*
ગોકુળઆઠમ આજ હતી ને લોક કરે ઉ૫વાસ,
માકોર ભૂખી રહી ન કારોડી, કાયામાં ના રહયો સાસ,
સીતાના રામ રિઝાવા રે,
મૂઠી’ર ધાન બચાવા રે,
પેટાવ્યો પેટમાં કાળહુતાશ.
શેઠને ઘેરે, રામને મંદિર સાકરઘીનાં ફરાળ,
પાણામાં કાલ કરવા ભજિયાં દળવા આપી દાળ,
દળાતી દાળ તે આજે રે,
હવાયેલ દાળ તે આજે રે,
ઉઠાડે માકોરપેટ વરાળ.
અંગ થાકયું એનું આંચકા લેતું, હૈડે હાંફના માય,
બે ૫ડ વચ્ચે દાળ દળે તેમ કાયા એની દળાય,
દળી જો દાળ ના આપે રે,
શેઠે દમડી ના આપે રે,
બીજો ઉ૫વાસ માકોરને થાય.
ઘરર ઘરર આંજણહીણી ઘંટી ભારે થાય,
વારે વારે થાકેલ હાથથી ખીલડો છૂટઠી જાય,
ચણાની દાળ દળ’તી રે,
માકોરની દેહ દળ’તી રે,
ઘંટીનાં ઘોર તહીં ઘેરાય.
અન્ન ખાતી તો ય અન્નનો દાણો દેતી ઘંટી આજ,
માકોરની અન્નપૂરણા રૂઠી ફરવા પાડે ના જ,
હજી દાળ અરધી બાકી રે,
રહી ના રાત તો બાકી રે,
મથી મથી માકોર આવે વાજ.
શેઠ જાગે તે રામજી જાગે, જાગે સૌ સંસાર.
ભોમના ભાર ઉતારવા આજે જનમ્યા’તા કિરતાર,
૫રોઢના જાગતા સાદેરે,
પંખીના મીઠડા નાદે રે,
ડૂબે માકોરનો ભૂખપોકાર.
શેઠ હસે બેઠા આઠમે માળે, રામ રમે રણવાસ,
રામે મંદિર ઝાલર બાજે, શેઠને મહેલ હુલાસ,
માકોરની મૂરછાટાણે રે,
ઘંટીનાં મોતના ગાણે રે,
કાળો એક કાગ કળેળે નિસાસ,
Translated by Suguna Ramanathan and Rita Kothari


Explanation of “ત્રણ પાડોશી” by Sundaram

1. Introduction

Sundaram, one of the major modernist Gujarati poets, often explored social realities, inequality, and human struggles in his works. In “ત્રણ પાડોશી” (Three Neighbours), he sets up a striking contrast between three characters who live in the same locality but inhabit vastly different worlds. Through sharp images and irony, he critiques the class divide, capitalist arrogance, and the indifference of the wealthy towards the struggles of common people.The title itself is ironic “neighbours” should imply closeness and community, but here it highlights distance and disconnection despite physical proximity.

2. Stanza-wise Explanation

Stanza 1 (Ram – the Struggler)


  • The poem begins with Ram, an ordinary man, representing the common worker or lower-middle class individual.

  • He is seen struggling in the battlefield of life, fighting for survival, food, dignity, and recognition.

  • The battlefield metaphor (રણ) suggests that daily existence for him is a war — not with weapons, but with poverty, exploitation, and hopelessness.

  • His “play” (રમે) indicates irony: for him, war is not a choice but a compulsion, yet to the wealthy it may appear as if he is just “playing.”

Meaning: Ram symbolizes the grounded, suffering masses whose lives are reduced to constant struggle.

Stanza 2 (The Seth – the Detached Rich Man)


  • The Seth (merchant/industrialist) sits comfortably on the eighth floor of his high-rise building.

  • His laughter shows detachment, arrogance, and insensitivity.

  • While his neighbour Ram bleeds in the battlefield of survival, the Seth is busy enjoying his wealth, unaffected by the realities below.

  • The “eighth floor” is symbolic not just physical height, but social and economic distance.

Meaning: The Seth represents the capitalist elite who live in luxury while being indifferent to the plight of ordinary people.

Stanza 3 (The Third Neighbour – You/Us/Reader)

  • Though not always explicitly named, the third neighbour is implied.

  • It could be the poet himself, the reader, or society at large — someone who stands between these two extremes, watching, observing, but not intervening.

  • This position is ethically uncomfortable: do we side with Ram in solidarity, or remain detached like the Seth?

Meaning: The third neighbour symbolizes the middle class or intellectual observer, who is aware of inequality but often passive.

3. Themes in the Poem

Class Divide:The stark contrast between Ram (the struggler) and the Seth (the wealthy). Neighbours in geography but strangers in humanity.


Indifference of the Rich:The Seth’s laughter represents capitalist cruelty — enjoying comfort while others suffer.


Everyday Struggle as Battlefield: The metaphor of war (રણ) reflects how ordinary life is a war for survival for the poor.


Irony of Neighbourhood: Living side by side but worlds apart → the irony of modern society.


Responsibility of the Observer: The implied “third neighbour” questions the reader: What is your role? Do you ignore like the Seth, or empathize with Ram?

 
4. Symbols & Images

Ram (the struggler): Symbol of the working class, the downtrodden.

Seth (the capitalist): Symbol of wealth, power, arrogance, and indifference.

Eighth Floor: Symbol of distance, alienation, privilege.

Battlefield (રણ): Symbol of life’s hardships for the poor.


Laughter: Represents mockery, ignorance, and emotional detachment.
5. Interpretation
Sundaram is critiquing a society where inequality thrives: some fight wars of survival while others enjoy luxuries, both existing side by side yet never truly connected.

The poem forces us to confront our moral position: are we like Ram, the struggling poor? Like the Seth, the indifferent elite? Or like the silent third neighbour who does nothing?

The tone is ironic, satirical, and socially critical, exposing how modern urban life builds walls of indifference despite physical closeness.

6. Conclusion

“ત્રણ પાડોશી” is not just a poem about three neighbours; it is a parable of social inequality. Sundaram uses sharp contrasts and simple yet loaded images to expose class alienation. The battlefield of Ram and the laughter of the Seth are metaphors that remain deeply relevant today highlighting how wealth and privilege blind the powerful to human suffering, while the poor continue their endless struggle. Ultimately, the poem is a call to recognize this disparity and question our own role as the “third neighbour.”



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