"Our Casuarina Tree" is a famous lyrical poem by Toru Dutt (1856–1877), one of the earliest Indian poets to write in English. She belonged to the Bengali Dutt family and was a pioneer in Indian English literature.
Thematic Analysis:
The poem is a nostalgic and emotional tribute to a Casuarina tree that grew in her family garden.
The tree becomes a symbol of her childhood memories, lost loved ones (especially her deceased siblings), and the deep emotional connection with the past.
The poem combines Romantic and Victorian elements, with influences from poets like Wordsworth.
Why not the others?
Sarojini Naidu – Known as the "Nightingale of India," she wrote poems like Bangle Sellers, but not "Our Casuarina Tree."
Rabindranath Tagore – Nobel Laureate, wrote Gitanjali and other Bengali poems, but did not write this one.
Kamala Das – A modern Indian poet known for her confessional poetry, such as An Introduction, but not the author of this poem.
Year-wise PYQs
