Rice is a satirical poem written by Chemmanam Chakko. In the poem Rice the poet
ridicules our farmers' tendency to abandon paddy cultivation for cash crops. The
poem throws light upon man’s tendency to acquire money even at the cost of his
life itself. The poet, returning from north India after completing his four years of
research in making toys out of husk dreams of eating a full meal of ‘athikira rice’
at his home. He was fed up with eating chapatis and hence very much eager to
reach home as early as possible. He also imagines how things will be going on in
his house and visualises how he will be welcome by his father, mother and his
little brother. The very thought of his home makes the poet impatient and longs
to reach home early and pleads with the train to run fast and let him to reach
home quickly to eat his food.
But when he reaches his home town he is startled to see the changes occurred
in his village. Now he cannot see the palm- thatched house which stretched near
the paddy field. His vision is also restricted with rubber plants which have grown
twice his height. It also replaced the vellaran and modan, the favourite varieties
of rice used to be sown in the paddy field. The entire field is cultivated with
commercial crops like areca nuts and deal woods. The sound of the plough, the
commotion of the people engaged in the act of cultivation and the chirping of
birds, all disappeared. His father also abandoned rise cultivation and resorted to
rubber planting. To him only fools will turn to rise cultivation for gain, as the
farmers gain nothing from it. He also believes that rubber planting is more
profitable and not risky as rice cultivation. It is also profitable and hence he
considers it as better money.
The poet also ridicules our act of demanding more rations from the centre
after abandoning rice cultivation for the sake of the ‘better money’. He too
appeals to the chief minister who dashed above him in the aeroplane to the
centre to bring him some husks for making toys. Even though he is not sure
about the availability of husk, he raises some what a rhetorical [ asked in order
to make a statement rather than to get an answer ] question.
ridicules our farmers' tendency to abandon paddy cultivation for cash crops. The
poem throws light upon man’s tendency to acquire money even at the cost of his
life itself. The poet, returning from north India after completing his four years of
research in making toys out of husk dreams of eating a full meal of ‘athikira rice’
at his home. He was fed up with eating chapatis and hence very much eager to
reach home as early as possible. He also imagines how things will be going on in
his house and visualises how he will be welcome by his father, mother and his
little brother. The very thought of his home makes the poet impatient and longs
to reach home early and pleads with the train to run fast and let him to reach
home quickly to eat his food.
But when he reaches his home town he is startled to see the changes occurred
in his village. Now he cannot see the palm- thatched house which stretched near
the paddy field. His vision is also restricted with rubber plants which have grown
twice his height. It also replaced the vellaran and modan, the favourite varieties
of rice used to be sown in the paddy field. The entire field is cultivated with
commercial crops like areca nuts and deal woods. The sound of the plough, the
commotion of the people engaged in the act of cultivation and the chirping of
birds, all disappeared. His father also abandoned rise cultivation and resorted to
rubber planting. To him only fools will turn to rise cultivation for gain, as the
farmers gain nothing from it. He also believes that rubber planting is more
profitable and not risky as rice cultivation. It is also profitable and hence he
considers it as better money.
The poet also ridicules our act of demanding more rations from the centre
after abandoning rice cultivation for the sake of the ‘better money’. He too
appeals to the chief minister who dashed above him in the aeroplane to the
centre to bring him some husks for making toys. Even though he is not sure
about the availability of husk, he raises some what a rhetorical [ asked in order
to make a statement rather than to get an answer ] question.
