Sarojini Naidu, known as the Nightingale of India, was a celebrated poet, freedom fighter, and women's rights advocate born on February 13, 1879, in Hyderabad.
Early Life
She was born into a Bengali family to a scholar father and musician mother, showing prodigious talent in poetry from childhood.
Educated in India, England at King's College London, and Girton College, Cambridge, she returned to India and married physician Govindarajulu Naidu in 1898 despite inter-caste concerns.
Literary Works
Her debut poetry collection, Golden Threshold (1905), featured vivid imagery of Indian life, nature, and love, earning praise from Edmund Gosse.
Key works include The Bird of Time (1912), The Broken Wing (1917), and The Sceptred Flute (1943), blending lyrical Eastern themes with Western forms.
Political Career
Joining the Indian National Congress in 1925, she became its first Indian woman president and led the 1930 Dharasana Salt Satyagraha after Gandhi's arrest.
Post-independence in 1947, she served as Uttar Pradesh's first woman governor until her death on March 2, 1949.
Legacy
Naidu championed women's suffrage, Hindu-Muslim unity, and social reforms, facing multiple imprisonments for civil disobedience.
Her birthday is celebrated as National Women's Day in India, honoring her multifaceted contributions.
Famous poems by Sarojini Naidu
Sarojini Naidu, the Nightingale of India, penned lyrical poems rich in Indian imagery, nature, love, and patriotism, often blending Eastern themes with Western forms.
Most Famous Poems
In the Bazaars of Hyderabad: Vividly depicts bustling Hyderabad markets with merchants selling henna, fruits, and gold, capturing vibrant street life.
Coromandel Fishers: A rhythmic call to fishermen to brave the dawn sea, celebrating their bond with nature and peril.
To India: A patriotic plea urging Mother India to awaken from slumber, reclaim glory, and unite against oppression.
Other Notable Works
The Bird of Time: Explores love, loss, and seasons through poignant verses like "Autumn Song" and "Indian Love Song."
The Broken Wing: Features spiritual and revolutionary poems, including "The Soul's Prayer," invoking divine guidance.
Her collections Golden Threshold (1905) and The Sceptred Flute (1943) compile these, praised for melodic language and cultural essence.
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