TRANS-HISTORICITY OF TRAUMA IN THE POETRY OF JAYANTA MAHAPATRA: IN FOCUS “GRANDFATHER” AND “DHAULI”

Abstract

Human suffering has remained a permanent resident on the poetic premise of Jayanta Mahapatra. By the poet’s own words, “His eyes saw the pain in the mirror / that occupied him.” The epicentres of this pain or suffering have remained as much within the subjective sphere of Mahapatra’s life as in the vaster outside one of objectivity. Trauma happens to be an intense shock-wave of pain. Insofar as of Mahapatra’s thematic landscape is concerned, this traumatic version of pain is expressive of a definite transhistorical dimension. This research paper seeks to examine this trans-historical dimension of trauma in the poetry of Jayanta Mahapatra. Tracing historical origins and sources of trauma besides its footmarks and nature in the plenitude of this poet’s verses will be the thrust issues with this analysis. Moreover, the discernible transhistorical feature of trauma will be attributed to its permanent settlement in the museum of memory and at the “door of paper.” It would be striking to show how Mahapatra has been a master in the art of rehabilitating trauma at the “door of paper” and thereby has been instrumental to lending it with its transhistorical and transgenerational status. Two most time transcending poems, “Grandfather” and “Dhauli” of this poet will form the main focal point of the undertaken analysis on the transhistorical dimension of trauma.