Summary: The Coromandel Fishers | Gul Mohar Class 7: Book Solutions, Summaries & Worksheets PDF Download

Introduction

"The Coromandel Fishers" is a beautiful poem written by Sarojini Naidu, often called the 'Nightingale of India' for her poetic talent. The poem celebrates the lives of fishermen living along the Coromandel Coast, a coastal region in South India. It captures their daily struggles, their deep love for the sea, and their fearless spirit as they work to earn a living. Through simple yet vivid language, the poem paints a picture of their bond with nature, their courage, and the joy they find in their challenging yet rewarding life at sea.

Sarojini Naidu

Key Points of the Poem

• The poem "The Coromandel Fishers" by Sarojini Naidu is about the lives of fishermen living along the Coromandel Coast in India.
• It highlights their daily routine of waking up early to go fishing and their deep connection with the sea.
• The poem describes the fishermen's bravery as they face the unpredictable dangers of the sea to earn their living.
• It shows their pride in being called the "kings of the sea" and their trust in nature, including the sea-god who protects them.
• The poem also compares the beauty of land with the greater joy they find in the sea, emphasizing their love for their work.
• It reflects the cultural and natural elements of the coastal region, like the sunrise, seagulls, and coconut groves.

Summary

Stanza 1

Rise, brothers, rise; the wakening skies pray to the morning light,
The wind lies asleep in the arms of the dawn like a child that has cried all night.
Come, let us gather our nets from the shore and set our catamarans free,
To capture the leaping wealth of the tide, for we are the kings of the sea!

The poem begins with the speaker encouraging the fishermen, called brothers, to wake up as the morning sky brightens. The wind is described as calm and resting like a child who has cried all night. The fishermen are urged to collect their fishing nets from the shore and release their catamarans, which are simple boats made of tied logs. Their goal is to catch the fish that jump in the tide, and they feel proud, calling themselves the kings of the sea.

Stanza 2

No longer delay, let us hasten away in the track of the seagull's call,
The sea is our mother, the cloud is our brother, the waves are our comrades all.
What though we toss at the fall of the sun where the hand of the sea-god drives?
He who holds the storm by the hair, will hide in his breast our lives.

The speaker tells the fishermen not to delay and to follow the path shown by the seagull's call. The sea is portrayed as their mother, the clouds as their brother, and the waves as their friends, showing their close bond with nature. Even though they might face rough seas at sunset under the sea-god's control, they trust that the sea-god, who can control storms, will keep them safe by protecting their lives.

Stanza 3

Sweet is the shade of the cocoanut glades, and the scent of the mango grove,
And sweet are the sands at the full o' the moon with the sound of the voices we love;
But sweeter, O brothers, the kiss of the spray and the dance of the wild foam's glee;
Row, brothers, row to the edge of the verge, where the low sky mates with the sea.

The poem describes the pleasant sights and smells of the land, such as the shade of coconut trees, the scent of mango groves, and the sandy beaches under the full moon where they hear loved ones' voices. However, the fishermen find the sea’s spray and the joyful movement of the foam even more delightful. They are motivated to row their boats to the horizon, where the sky seems to meet the sea, showing their preference for the sea over the land.

Message

The poem teaches us about the fishermen's strong love and respect for the sea, their courage in facing its dangers, and how they find true happiness in their work despite the challenges. It also shows the importance of trusting nature and working together as a community.

New Words with Meanings

• Coromandel: The Coromandel Coast is the south-eastern coastal region of India which lies between the Eastern Ghats and the Bay of Bengal.
  
• Catamaran: A boat made by tying two logs of wood together, used by fishermen.
• Comrade: A friend or companion, here referring to the waves.
• Glade: A small open area of grass without trees in a forest, here used for coconut trees.
• Verge: The edge or horizon where the sky meets the sea.
• Mates: Meets or joins together, as the sky meets the sea.
• Cocoanut: An old-fashioned way of spelling coconut, a type of tree found near the coast.