Class 13 The Poem Goodbye Party For Miss Pushpa TS Notes

Introduction to the author
Nissim Ezekiel is acclaimed as the father of post-independence Indian-English

verse. He is a trend-setter, who started modernity in Indian-English poetry. A
horde of contemporary Indian-English poets follow the simple, conversational
style of Ezekiel. Not only in the style but also in the selection of themes one finds
the influence of Ezekiel in the contemporary Indian-English poets.
Poet, dramatist, editor, art-critic, Nissim Ezekiel was born on 14 December 1924 in
Mumbai. His father, Moses Ezekiel, was a professor of Botany at Wilson College,
and his mother was Principal of her own school. The Ezekiels belonged to
Mumbai’s Jewish community, known as the ‘Bene Israel.’ In 1947 Ezekiel took his
MA in English Literature from Mumbai University. Then he studied philosophy at
Birbeck College, London. He married Daisy Jacob in 1952 and the same year his
first collection of poems titled A Time to Change was published by Fortune Press
(London). Returning home Ezekiel joined The Illustrated Weekly of India as an
assistant editor in 1953 and stayed there for two years. He published his second
book of verse Sixty Poems the same year. He also worked as a broadcaster on arts
and literature for All India Radio. Prof. Ezekiel was the head of the Department of
English in Mithibai College, Mumbai from 1961 to 1972. He rendered his service
as visiting professor at University of Leeds (1964) and University of
Chicago (1967).
Ezekiel’s poetic collections include: Time to Change (1952), Sixty
Poems(1953), The Third (1959), The Unfinished Man (1960), The Exact
Name (1965), Snakeskin and Other Poems (1974), Hymns in
Darkness (1976), Latter-Day Psalms (1982), and Collected Poems 1952-88 (1989).
Poem- Summary
The poem Goodbye Party for Miss Pushpa TS written by Nissim Ezekiel
is a satire on the way Indians use the English Language. As English is
the second language, there remains a lot of influence
of Hindustani when people try to talk in English and somehow the
cultural and traditional habits are also quite visible in their language.
Nissim Ezekiel in this poem narrates an incident when a lady namely
Miss Pushpa is supposed to leave India and her colleagues have arranged
a “Goodbye Party” for her. The narrator who is probably a man
uses Babu English which is quite funny as he uses
the Hindustani dialect and manners in it. The poem is quite long and I
have divided it into two parts.
Part 1:
Summary
The narrator begins by announcing that their dear friend is about to leave
the country and they have gathered there to bid her goodbye. He then
starts praising Miss Pushpa saying that she is beautiful not only because
of her charms but her honesty as well. She keeps smiling each time.
He then tells that she comes from a reputed family. Her father is a
renowned advocate. The narrator doesn’t remember the place and
guesses that it could be Bulsar or Surat. He then starts talking about
himself. According to him long ago he had stayed in Surat with his
Uncle’s friends’ family. His wife used to cook very delicious food.
Analysis
The narrator uses Babu English which can be considered a mix of
English and Hindustani. e.g. ample use of -ing and funny terms like two
three days, What sweetness is Miss Pushpa, external and internal
sweetness, smiling and smiling, simply because she is feeling etc.
The narrator is actually trying to exaggerate to show his love and respect
for Miss Pushpa. Such kind of exaggeration is quite common
in Hindustani and even an important part of Indian culture. After
praising Miss Pushpa, the narrator begins talking about his stay in Surat
which is also an exaggeration or a kind of self-praise which is also
common in Indian culture.
According to him, he has stayed with his uncle’s friends’ family whose
wife cooked good food and in the end, he adds that was long time
ago which indicates that he does not want others to cross-check his
statement.
Part 2
Summary
Having talked about himself, the narrator returns back to Miss Pushpa’s
praise. According to him she is quite popular as she does everything
whenever asked to do. She never refuses. Now that she is leaving he
asks others to bid her goodbye. In the end, he asks other to praise her
and finally, Miss Pushpa will sum up the event.
Analysis
The narrator again uses the exaggeration and all those Babu
English words to praise Miss Pushpa. He narrates how good she had
been to him. In the end, he asks other to deliver a speech which would
be of course praise for Miss Pushpa.
This tradition of over-praising the one who is about to leave or retire is
common in India. The colleagues praise the person and talk too good of
him though he might not be so. e.g. here narrator says that Miss Pushpa
never said “no” which is, of course, a boastful statement and cannot be
true.
Hence the poem is all about the use of English by Indians and the
reflection of their culture in their expression.
…………………………………………..
Summary -2
This is one of the poems of Ezekiel which illustrate a major

characteristic of the later phase of his poetic career, namely his
preoccupation with Indian themes, a preoccupation to which he seems
to have been led by his acceptance of the reality of the Indian
situation. Included in his Hymns in Darkness, this poem was one of
the eight poems which appeared in the 1970s under the group Very
Indian Poems in Indian English.
Though this poem is often described as a parody of or satire on Indian
English illustrating the idiolectical features of the brand of English
used by Gujarati speakers, as a humorous reconstruction of a
particular variety of Indian English, it is actually “a satiric self-
revelation of the speaker”. As Bruce King has put it, “Language
reveals the speaker’s mind and social context; clichés, triteness,
unintended puns are among the devices used to imply hypocrisy,
pretence, limited opportunities and confusion”.
Note the Indianness inherent in the very title of the poem, the
occurrence of the initials at the end of the name, a very Indian habit
both in speech and writing. Even ‘goodbye party’ seems to be an
Indian imitation of ‘birthday party’!
Notes:
1.2: dear sister: addressing a chief guest or speaker as “dear” or
‘beloved’ sister, brother, professor etc., is very common in India.
1.3: departing for foreign Note the Indian use of ‘foreign’ as noun and
departing in the sense of going or leaving. In standard English Foreign
is usually used as an adjective- as in foreign country, foreign currency
etc or these feelings many be foreign to you.
1.4: two thru days: translation of a parallel vernacular expression.
1.6: we are meeting today: This is one of the many instances of the
use of the progressive for the simple present in the poem. The Indian
predilection for the use of the progressive tense is well-known. Pick
out all the other expressions of this kind in the poem.
1.10-11: Note the way in which the speaker chooses to convey that
Pushpa is not only a woman of pleasant exterior but also of many
sweet qualities of head and heart
1.12- 13: All that is meant is that Pushpa always puts on a smiling
face which shows that she is emotional by nature.
1.15- 19: Though these words are meant to be complimentary, they

can be hurting too to Miss Pushpa, for the speaker’s words sound
empty as he is not quite sure of her actual parental background and
makes vague references. Note the absence of the indefinite article in
“very high family” and in “renowned advocate”.
1.20: Surat? Ah yes: obviously someone has reminded the speaker

that it is Surat.
1. 22: family members: ‘family members’, ‘family friend’ ‘family matter’

etc., are common Indianisms.
11. 22-25: In India one does not hesitate to thrust oneself as a guest
on anyone, however distant a relative of oneself or one’s friend’s
friend!
1.24-25: Look at the ambiguity and the irony resulting from the
expression ‘that was long time ago’.
1.27- 28: Popular lady with men also, and ladies also: an unusual
collocation, for ‘men and ladies’ do not collocate well.
1. 30: Just now only I will do it: a typical Indian-English expression.

Note the numerous uses of the progressive tense in the lines that
follow.
1. 34: Pushpa Miss: This reversal of the word order is typical of the
Indian speech habit. This is how most students in India refer to their
lady teachers
1. 40-42: The lines mean that Miss Pushpa will reply to the felicitations
offered to her.

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Introduction to the author

Nissim Ezekiel is acclaimed as the father of post-independence Indian-English

This is one of the poems of Ezekiel which illustrate a major

1.4: two thru days: translation of a parallel vernacular expression.

1.15- 19: Though these words are meant to be complimentary, they

1.20: Surat? Ah yes: obviously someone has reminded the speaker

1. 22: family members: ‘family members’, ‘family friend’ ‘family matter’

1. 30: Just now only I will do it: a typical Indian-English expression.

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