Conceptualizing Indianness in Nizzim Ezekil’s Poetry

Abstract

Nissim Ezekil was born and brought up in Mumbai though he belongs to immigrant Jewish family. He has observed and experienced Indian life very closely and is considered to be the father of Post independence Indian verse in English. The Indianness in Ezekiel’s poetry is nothing but a perpetual quest for identity and commitment and this Indianness lies in his commitment to India and in his earnest and sincere desire to bring about some improvement in the conditions of life through his poetry which reflects his desire to depict the depressing, degrading and disgusting conditions of life in India. Ezekiel presents the picture of alienation, torture and the prevailing feeling of religious and communal discrimination in Indian society that he had to face in his childhood. Nissim Ezekiel is essentially a great India poet writing in English without losing his national identity. He affirms that he is very much an Indian and his roots lie deep in India. He has satarised the evil practices, superstitions and ignorance of Indian people in a very numerous way.
Key Words:- Indianness; Sensibility; Desire; Commitment; Perpetual; Jewish; Autobiographical; Independence; Adoption; Realism.