The Bus is a poem written by Indian Marathi poet, Arun Kolatkar. The main theme of poem is Traveling experience and faith on Religion. The poem was originally published in 1976 in poet’s collection, Jejuri.
THE BUS BY ARUN KOLATKAR
Summary of The Bus By Arun Kolatkar
In poem, poet tell us about his bumpy journey in which poet is going to Khandoba Temple by Bus. The story of poem begins with poet who is travelling in state bus in 1976. Now you can imagine what state bus would look like in 1976.
At that time Bus’s window does not have glasses and bus windows were open all the time. To protect from rain and cold air, windows used to covered by tarpaulin. In the first stanza of poem, poet tells Jejuri’s state transport bus is covered in tarpaulin from upside-down. When you sit on window seat, cold breeze hit tarpaulin and it hits your elbow again and again.
The poet is travelling in bus at night and road conditions are very bad and rough, people are tired and looking outside from tarpaulin to see day. Everyone is hoping for the night to pass soon so that their journey will end. Whenever we travel in village by bus, we hope to see beautiful view or green hills. The poet say, an old man is sitting in front of his seat wearing glasses, poet is looking his half- half faces in old man’s goggles glass. The poet say, his half faces in old man’s glasses is his countryside.
During journey, poet saw Religious Tilak on old man’s forehead. We are going forward to our destination Jejuri. The poet say, Jejuri Temple is open for all the people with no matter which caste or religion they belong to. The Sun is rising outside and its sunlight touching old man’s glasses.
The poet say, as soon as bus change its direction to reach Jejuri, sun’s light comes to all passengers from Bus driver right side. Maybe poet want say, that Jejuri blesses everyone equally. At the end, their bumpy ride ends and they have reach their destination, Jejuri.
The poet say, Jejuri’s Khandoba Temple is Religious place where hundreds of people come daily from different religion with different Tilak on their forehead and Jejuri welcomes all of them. The poet mean to say, you don’t need to be look like old man to enter in Jejuri. You can come in Jejujri without having Tilak on your forehead and still Jejuri would welcome you with same blessing like it does to everyone else.