Challenges in Unifying the Heterogeneity: Scrutinizing the Indian Context from H.L.V. Derozio’s Select Poems
Author : Saurav Kumar Pandey
Abstract :
This paper examines the challenges of unifying the heterogeneity of Indian society as reflected in the poetry of H.L.V. Derozio, an early Indian nationalist and reformist thinker. Derozio's work, composed during the British colonial period, expresses an earnest desire for national unity, yet confronts the deep religious, caste, regional, and linguistic divisions that fractured Indian society. Through close readings of his select poems “To India, My Native Land”, “The Harp of India” and “The Fakeer of Jungheera” this study explores how Derozio grappled with the difficulties of fostering a singular national identity in a culturally and socially diverse country. While his poetry evokes a nostalgic vision of India’s past glory and offers hope for revival, it also implicitly acknowledges the barriers to unity posed by internal disparities. Derozio’s vision of overcoming these divisions through education, social reform, and intellectual awakening emerges as a central theme, reflecting both his idealism and the complexities of forging a collective national consciousness. This paper provides a nuanced exploration of the poet’s struggle to reconcile India's heterogeneity with his dream of a unified nation, offering insight into the early challenges of Indian nationalism.
Keywords :
Nation, unification, Indian society, caste, identity, colonise, diversity
