Meri Saree


1. The Main Comparison: The Saree is the Self (Metaphor)

Usually, when we talk about clothes, we talk about them covering our body. But in this poem, the poet changes the rules. She uses a metaphor a comparison where one thing becomes another to tell us that the saree is not just cloth; it is her actual identity.

Hindi Line: "Yeh woh nau ghaz ka kapda hai, jisme maine khudke wajood ko lapeta hai." 

English: "This is that nine-yard cloth, in which I have wrapped my own existence."

How the Figurative Language Works:

  • The Image: A nine-yard piece of fabric.

  • The Real Meaning: Her soul, her identity, and her "Wajood" (Existence).

  • The Explanation: By saying she wraps her existence in the saree (instead of just her body), she is saying that the saree holds her together. If she takes it off, she isn't just naked; she loses a part of who she is. This imagery helps us understand that for an Indian woman, the saree is deeply connected to how she sees herself in the world. It is a "second skin," not just a fashion choice.

2. Giving Life to the Saree (Personification)

In poetry, personification is when you treat an object as if it were a living person. The poet uses this to challenge the idea that women are just passive dolls who get dressed up. She asks a very deep question about who is actually in control the woman or the tradition she wears?

Hindi Line: "Hum sari ko pehente hain, ya sari humein pehenti hai?" 

English: "Do we wear the saree, or does the saree wear us?"

How the Figurative Language Works:

  • The Question: Usually, we think humans control clothes. Here, she suggests the clothes might control the human.

  • The Explanation: This creates a feeling of a relationship. The saree is described almost like a companion or a partner. It suggests that the history, the culture, and the weight of the saree are so strong that they shape the woman’s body and movement. The saree "hugs" her and "forms" her. The figurative language here makes the audience realize that tradition is a living force that grips you.

3. The Clash of Opposites: Softness as Power (Paradox)

One of the strongest tools in poetry is a paradox combining two opposite ideas to create a shocking new truth. The poet takes the softest, most gentle thing (a saree) and compares it to the hardest, most violent things (war tools).

Hindi Line: "Yeh meri dhaal hai... mera hathiyar hai." 

English: "This is my shield... my weapon."

How the Figurative Language Works:

  • The Conflict: A saree is made of cotton or silk; it is fluid, unstitched, and delicate. A "weapon" or "shield" is made of metal; it is rigid and hard.

  • The Explanation: By forcing these two opposites together, the poet changes our understanding of "strength." She is arguing that you don't need to be masculine or rigid to be strong. The saree is powerful because it is soft. It can wrap around you to protect you (like a shield), or it can be used to fight back. The imagery tells us that a woman's resistance is flexible it flows like water, but it is just as tough as steel.

4. Objects Holding Memory (Association/Symbolism)

Words in poetry often carry "baggage" or emotional weight. The poet uses the saree to transport the listener back in time. She connects her modern saree to the sarees worn by great women in history.

Hindi Line: "Krantijyoti Savitribai Phule ki saree..." 

English: "The saree of [Revolutionary] Savitribai Phule..."

How the Figurative Language Works:

  • The Association: Savitribai Phule was a historical figure who fought for women's education. People used to throw mud and stones at her, so she carried an extra saree to change into.

  • The Explanation: When the poet mentions this name, her simple saree transforms into a historical archive. The "patches" and "tears" she talks about in the poem are not just holes in the cloth; they represent the pain and insults women have suffered for centuries. The saree becomes a symbol of survival. It shows that the woman wearing it today is carrying the legacy of the women who fought before her.

5. Rejection of Judgment (Irony)

Finally, the poet uses irony to reject what society thinks of her. In India, a covered woman is often praised for being "sanskaari" (virtuous or traditional). The poet uses a metaphor from school (a report card) to mock this idea.

Hindi Line: "Yeh mere sanskaaron ki marksheet nahi hai." 

English: "This is not the marksheet (report card) of my virtues/values."

How the Figurative Language Works:

  • The Comparison: She compares her clothing to a "marksheet" a piece of paper that gives you a grade.

  • The Explanation: Society tries to "grade" women based on how they dress (Good girl vs. Bad girl). By saying her saree is not a marksheet, she is reclaiming it. She is telling the audience: "I am not wearing this for your approval. I am not wearing this to be a 'good Indian woman' for you. I am wearing it for myself." This use of language destroys the "stock response" (the automatic assumption) that a saree means a woman is submissive.

Conclusion or Summary 

Through these simple but powerful comparisons, Sabika Abbas Naqvi takes a piece of cloth and turns it into a living, breathing character. The figurative language works by taking something familiar (the saree) and making it strange and new (a weapon, a history book, a second skin), forcing the audience to look at the Indian woman with fresh eyes.

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