A Hot Noon in Malabar is poem written by famous Indian poet, Kamala Das. The poem was originally published in 1965 in poet’s collection “Summer in Calcutta”. The main theme of poem is nostalgia and longing for childhood life.
A Hot Noon in Malabar Summary By Kamala Das
Summary of A Hot Noon in Malabar By Kamala Das
When poet wrote poem, “A Hot Noon in Malabar”, she was married and living in Bombay. In Bombay, poet is missing her childhood life which she spend in Malabar. Through the poem, poet tells us about Malabar’s landscape, climate and vendors. In poem, poet refreshes her childhood and adulthood memories.
The story of poem begins with poet who say, this summer noon in Malabar is for beggars who beg with their sad voices. The noon is for those people who used to come from Hills with their parrots in cage and fortune-cards in second hand. Their cards were stained and they used to predict future of people with their cards. The Kurava girls comes in Malabar Noon who tellS future of their customers with their experienced eyes.
The Malabar noon was for those Bangle sellers who sells their colorful bangles by sitting under a shadow in black road. Those Bangle sellers feet have become rough because of walking miles on hot roads. Whenever they used to pass by my home, their feet make unusual sound as their feet are rough and dry.
The poet say, this noon is for those strangers as well who try look by curtain. Here poet is talking about those people who get troubled by walking in the sun and looks for shadow to take some rest. When they doesn’t find any shelter to rest, they look for brick well to drink cold water.
In first part of poem, poet tells us about a scenario of her childhood city, Malabar’s noon. In the upcoming lines of poem, poet would tells us about a noon scenario of her current city, Bombay.
The poet say, people of Bombay looks very strange to me and their eyes are dark and mistrust. And the people of Bombay rarely talks. When they do speak, their voices sounds junglee like a wild animals. The poet is feeling lonely in Bombay as there’s a huge difference in Malabar’s noon and Bombay’s noon. She is longing for her quality time which she had spend in Malabar.
I have missed a lots of things of Malabar by coming into Bombay. And living in Bombay is not lesser than torture. At this time in Summer, Malabar’s people might be passing by my home by their wild feet. And here I am far away from Malabar living in Bombay and missing Malabar.