A glimpse of Hyderabad through the poems of Sarojini Naidu

Feb 13 is celebrated as National Women’s Day to commemorate the birth anniversary of Sarojini Naidu, the renowned poet and social activist

Hyderabad: On February 13, India celebrates National Women’s Day to commemorate the birth anniversary of renowned poet and social activist Sarojini Naidu.

Sarojini Naidu’s birthday was chosen as National Women’s Day to pay tribute to all the women who play a major role in the country’s development.

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Born to Bengali parents in Hyderabad on February 13, 1879, Naidu was always into liberal thinking and women’s empowerment. She made many notable contributions during the freedom struggle and also in shaping our Constitution. Naidu served as the country’s first female Governor leading Uttar Pradesh.

Her works as a poet earned her the sobriquet ‘The Nightingale of India’, or ‘Bharat Kokila’ by Mahatma Gandhi.

Golden Threshold, published in 1905, contains 63 poems. It delves into the themes of love, nature, and life.

Hyderabad is where she grew up and spent her formative years. Her connection with the city remains an epitome of affection.

The Bard of Hyderabad’s was instrumental in making the city famous through her poems.

Her ‘In The Bazaars of Hyderabad’, published in 1912, received critical acclaim and remains one of her most popular poems. The poem depicts the vibrant and diverse markets of Hyderabad.

In ‘The Hussain Saagar’ she describes the lake as a ‘living image of her soul’ and is an extract from her book ‘The Bird of Time’ published in 1912.

On her 143rd birth anniversary in 2022, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority set up a stone plaque on Hussain Sagar at Tank Bund with the poem inscribed on it.

Through her iconic poem ‘Indian Weavers’, the poetess showcases the weavers’ cratsmanship, back-breaking toil and the inevitability of the passage of time.

All these poems brought out the unique and rich culture of Telangana and Hyderabad.

The Golden Threshold near Abids, where she lived, was a centre of reformist ideas. Her daughter Padmaja Naidu donated the building to the University of Hyderabad in 1974.

Efforts have been initiated by the University of Hyderabad to convert this iconic building which had housed the University into a vibrant space for literary and cultural activities in the city.