Small Towns and The River'by Mamang Dai

'Small Towns and The River by Mamang Dai presents adusty and gloomy picture of smal towns in the
first two stanzas. According to the poet, in small towns, every other day news of someone's death
comes and makes one sad. In contrast, the following stanzas, depict the immortality of the river that
flows by the towns. The river is permanent in comparison to people living in the towns. Moreover, in
the following stanzas, the poet talks about eternal life. The concept of the afterlife and having God as a
guide pacifies the poet amidst the death-ridden thoughts that constantly cause pain to her soul.
STANZA WISE ANALYSIS

Small Towns and The River'by Mamang Dai introduces the first paradox of the poem. The poet says
the "small towns" remind her of nothing other than death. She lives ina town amidst the trees but the
life there is the same. According to the poet, living in the town is a monotonous journey that ends at
the hands of death. Here, the dust is a synecdoche that presents another symbol of death in this
section. Moreover, the howling of the wind creates a gloomy mood. Here, the use
of onomatopoeia resonates with a pessimistic note.

'Small Towns and The River'by Mamang Dai presents the theme of death in the second stanza. Just
the other day someone died in a small town. The news makes the poet sad and she mourns the loss.
After seeing the sad wreath lying on a dead person's bosom somehow reminds the poet of her
mortality. Here, the poet presents the tuberose as a messenger of death. Moreover, there is
a repetition of "Life and death" in this stanza. It refers to a continuous cycle of life and death. These
two things are temporary. According to the poet, "only the rituals are permanent". Here, the poet turns
the maxim, "Nothing is permanent except birth and death", upside down. The last two lines reflect the
poet's disillusionment about life after seeing many deaths.

In the third stanza of 'Small Towns and The River'by Mamang Dai, the poet presents a contrast.
Whereas in the previous section, she discussed mortality. In this section, she highlights the
permanence of the river. She says the river has a soul. In summer it flows across lands. Here, she uses
the metaphor of "torrent of grief to portray the river's course in the dry season. Moreover, the poet
personifies the river to invest it with the ideas of holding the breath and seeking something. She thinks
as if the river is an explorer who seeks the land of fish and stars. This imagery reflects the course of the
river water and its flow.

In the fourth stanza of 'Small Towns and The River, Mamang Dai reiterates, "The river has a soul". The
river knows about the towns where death lays her icy hands. Her knowledge isn't limited to towns only.
She knows the first drop of rain that rejuvenates the dry earth and the mist on the mountaintops that
circles the mountain like a scarf. Last but not least, she is aware of the immortality of water. In this way,
the poet also immortalizes the river.

The fifth stanza of 'Small Towns and The River, presents another contrast. Firstly, Mamang Dai refers to
the "shrine of happy pictures" of childhood. Childhood is the beginning stage of life. The happy
pictures of one's childhood remind her of the purity of the soul at its dawn. That's why she compares
her childhood days to a shrine. In contrast, small towns grow anxious about the future. It's the poet's
anxiety about death that eagerly awaits in the future. In the following lines, the poet refers to the
eternity of the soul. The hope of shedding off the mortal burden and ascending to the "house of the
sun" in the "golden east" revives the poet with new energy.
The fifth stanza of 'Small Towns and The River, presents another contrast. Firstly, Mamang Dai refers to
the "shrine of happy pictures" of childhood. Childhood is the beginning stage of life. The happy
pictures of one's childhood remind her of the purity of the soul at its dawn. That's why she compares
her childhood days to a shrine. In contrast, small towns grow anxious about the future. It's the poet's
anxiety about death that eagerly awaits in the future. In the following lines, the poet refers to the
eternity of the soul. The hope of shedding off the mortal burden and ascending to the "house of the
sun" in the "golden east" revives the poet with new energy.

'Small Towns and The River'by Mamang Dai - the meaning of Iife and its importance in this short
stanza. According to the poet, life is like the sunlight that warms the cool bamboo. It's temporary and
still beautiful. Moreover, the "cool bamboo" is a reference to the body and the sunlight is a symbol of
the soul. Apart from that, the poet says sunlight is important to any living plants. Likewise, life is also
important for keeping the spirit of the universe alive.

In the last two lines of 'Small Towns and The River, Mamang Dai transplants her dead thoughts fronm
her mind. She says living in small towns has made the poet strong. Now, the thoughts of spirituality
and eternity are in her mind. Like the poet, others of the "small towns" only wish to "walk with the
gods" aftter their death. This section highlights the poet's belief in the afterlife and eternal bliss. Apart
from that, there is a repetition of the "w" sound in the last line. Such a harmonious rhythm reflects the
poet's peaceful state of mind.

Historical Context

'Small Towns and The River' by Mamang Dai belongs to the poetry collection "River Poens" (2004).
Mamang Dai is a poet based in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh. She was born in Pasighat of East Siang
District. In this poem, the imagery of the small towns, the river, and the gorge reflect her proximity to
her native place. In every subtle movement in the poem, the essence of Arunachal Pradesh is there.
Moreover, the reference to the tuberoses and the spiritual elements in the poem presents the
Indianness of the text to the readers. Apart from that, the poem reflects how close the people of the
Indian "small towns" are. The death of a person in the neighborhood somehow pains the whole town.
In this way, the poet depicts the nature and values of the people living in the villages and small towns
of India.