The Lotus by Toru Dutt Summary

 The Lotus by Toru Dutt: this poem is written by the famous indo-anglian poetess Toru Dutt (1856-1877). It is a sonnet written on Petrarchan style. It has 14 lines, devided into two stanzas; octave (a stanza of eight lines) and sestet (a stanza of six lines). 

LOTUS POEM BY TORU DUTT   

Love came to flora asking for a flower 
That would of flowers be undisputed queen,
The lily and the rose, long, long had been
rivals for that honour. Bards of power
Had sung their claims. "The rose can never tower 
Like the lily with her Juno mien"-
"But is the lily lovelier ?" Thus between
Flower factions rang the strife in Psyche's bower. 
Give me a flower delicious as the rose 
And stately as the lily in her pride"- 
"But of what colour?" - "Rose-red," Love first chose,
Then prayed,-"No, lily-white,-or, both provide;:
And Flora gave the lotus, "rose-red: dyed,
And "lily-white,"- the queenliest flower that blows.  

LOTUS BY TORU DUTT SUMMARY 

Toru Dutt has written this poem to establish the  superiority of Hindu culture all over the world. Lotus has an important role in Hindu religion because the goddess Laxmi, god Vishnu and god Brahma sit on Lotus flower. Moreover, it is used in worshipping the lords as well. Toru Dutt describes the Lotus as a superior flower of all the flowers. 

In this Poem their is 'Love', personified as a character who came to Flora (a Roman goddess of spring and flowering plants) asking for a flower that would be the queen of flowers and there would be no disputes on its being queen. Further, Toru Dutt explains that the rose and the lily had long rivals for achieving the high honour of being the queen of flowers. Some powerful bards had sung their claims that  the rose can not be stately as the lily. Then the poetess arises a question that is the lily lovelier than rose?. Further Toru Dutt describes that after hearing this dispute there occurred a strife between the flower factions in Psyche's bower. 

Anymore in this poem, 'Love'  ( a personified character) urged to Flora for giving him such a flower which is delicious as the rose and stately as the lily in her pride. Then, Flora asked to Love that of what colour does the flower he wants then he first chose red  as rose but suddenly he changed his opinion and corrected- he wants white coloured or provide the mixture of both. Then Flora gave him Lotus which contains both colour; red and white. And the Lotus is the queenliest flower of all. 
Moreover lotus is our national flower. 

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