Deity of the ruined temple! (song 88) by Rabindranath Tagore (poem, summary & analysis)

 

Deity of the ruined temple! (song 88) by Rabindranath Tagore (poem, summary & analysis) 

Deity of the ruined temple! The broken strings of Vina sing no more your praise. The bells in the evening proclaim not your time of worship. The air is still and silent about you.

In your desolate dwelling comes the vagrant spring breeze. It brings the tidings of flowers - the flowers that for your worship are offered no more.

Your worshipper of old wanders ever longing for favour still refused. In the eventide, when fires and shadows mingle with the gloom of dust, he wearily comes back to the ruined temple with hunger in his heart.

Many a festival day comes to you in silence, deity of the ruined temple. Many a night of worship goes away with lamp unlit.

Many new images are built by masters of cunning art and carried to the holy stream of oblivion when their time is come.

Only the deity of the ruined temple remains unworshipped in deathless neglect.

Deity of the ruined temple! The broken strings of Vina sing no more your praise. The bells in the evening proclaim not your time of worship. The air is still and silent about you.

 

Summary

The song tells the sad story of a broken temple and its forgotten idol of God. The poet is sad because no one sings hymns for God in the ruined temple anymore. The broken vina, the quiet air, and still bells show the bad state of the temple. In the empty place of God, the spring breeze blows. It brings the news of flowers, but these flowers are no longer offered to God. The old worshipper wanders around, full of hope that he never finds. He returns to the temple at night, but there are no lights, no lamps, and no worship for the idol. He comes with a hungry heart. Festivals come and go, but the temple stays empty. New idols are made by skilled artists, but they are forgotten over time. Yet, the idol of God remains in the ruined temple, unworshipped and ignored.

 

Critical Analysis

The broken temple and idol show that people have abandoned their old beliefs and values. Like the God of the temple, they were once respected but are now mostly ignored. While God and religion last forever, they are often forgotten in today’s world focused on money and material things. The tired worshipper represents the sad state of religious people in a world that cares more about physical and material things.