Group Discussion Activity On The Poem Leaving India By Rachna Joshi

This blog on The poem Leaving India By Rachna Joshi as Group Discussion Activity assigned by Prakruti Ma'am.

Group Members 

1. Khushi Goswami 
2. Sanket Vavadiya 
3. Smruti Vadher
4. Dhruvika Gohel 
5. Mita Jambucha 
6. Mansi Joshi

The Poem "Leaving India" By Rachna Joshi 

Why did I leave India

And came to North America.

I was very young and full of

naive ideas about studying

poetry, traveling and finding

true love.

North America was clean, sanitized

almost sterile. Everything

swept orderly and shining.

The crowds are smaller, more manageable.

In Syracuse N.A , the skies were blue

The autumnal trees red and orange

And the light is golden and white.

I saw

Beautiful pictures.

Everything smelt of plastic and perfume.

India is stark, ancient and ugly,

Magnificent, uplifting or degrading.

In North America, there were

No ruins, No myths, no ghosts.

This really seems brave new

Naked world.

In India, all meaning comes from

Sacramental link with the Past

We may deny history, family and tradition

But somewhere

Five thousand years of continuous civilisation

Lie in wait like a doting grandparent

Step 1: Based on the poem assigned to your group, discuss the thematic and critical aspects, and prepare one long and one short answer from the question bank.

Long Question 

1) Discuss Diasporic Identity and raise the question of belongingness.

Introduction 

The poem Leaving India by Rachna Joshi, written in a reflective tone, presents  the poet’s experience of living in North America. Through thoughtful expression and emotional depth, Joshi explores the complexities of diasporic identity. She describes her migration from India with youthful aspirations of poetry, travel, and love. However, she soon finds herself suspended between two contrasting worlds. This emotional dislocation—of feeling neither fully at home in the new country nor entirely disconnected from the homeland—is central to the diasporic experience.

1. Cultural Displacement and Emotional Isolation

Once in North America, the speaker senses a lack of emotional and spiritual depth in her new surroundings. The line “The crowds are smaller, more manageable” may suggest peace and comfort, but it also subtly expresses a feeling of emptiness and loneliness. Compared to India’s vibrant and chaotic life, this quietness feels isolating.

Joshi writes, “Everything smelt of plastic and perfume,” indicating a sense of artificiality. While the surroundings may appear beautiful, they lack genuine cultural warmth. This reflects the speaker’s feeling of cultural disconnection and displacement in a foreign land.

2. Memory and Cultural Inheritance

Memory plays a significant role in the poem, particularly in how the speaker relates to India. The homeland is not just remembered—it is felt through myths, rituals, and family traditions that continue to shape her sense of self. These inherited cultural elements are not easily left behind, even after physically migrating. The speaker's identity remains rooted in the collective memory and spiritual history of India, suggesting that belonging can transcend physical borders and persist through emotional and ancestral connections.

3. Identity as Fragmented and Evolving

The poem subtly reveals that diasporic identity is never fixed or singular. Instead, it is fragmented, evolving, and constantly negotiated. The speaker is torn between two places, two cultures, and two versions of herself. She is not fully Indian nor fully North American. This in-between state reflects the broader diasporic experience, where individuals are shaped by multiple influences and must continually redefine their sense of self in response to changing environments and inner conflicts.

Conclusion 

Leaving India portrays the inner conflict faced by those living in diaspora—the longing for personal freedom and exploration in a new land, contrasted with the enduring pull of one’s roots and cultural past. Rachna Joshi’s poem beautifully captures the emotional complexities of migration, showing that the feeling of “home” is not defined by geography alone, but by the emotional, spiritual, and cultural ties that continue to shape a person’s identity.

Short Question 

2) Write a short note on ‘Usage of Paradox’ in rachna joshi’s poem.

In the Paradox, a literary device in which contradictory ideas are placed side by side, is effectively used in Leaving India to reveal deeper truths about the speaker’s diasporic experience.

For example, India is described as “stark, ancient and ugly, magnificent, uplifting or degrading,” presenting a series of opposing descriptors. These contradictions highlight the complex and multifaceted nature of the speaker’s homeland—a place that is both beautiful and chaotic, a source of pride as well as pain. Through such paradoxical imagery, the poet captures the intense emotional bond and cultural richness that define India.

In contrast, North America is portrayed with phrases like “clean, sanitized, almost sterile.” While these words may initially suggest order and comfort, the term “sterile” also implies a lack of life and emotional depth. Thus, the new land appears outwardly perfect but inwardly hollow, reinforcing the speaker’s sense of emotional disconnection.

The poet’s internal conflict—feeling drawn to both cultures yet unsettled in each—reflects the paradox of belonging. Identity and culture are not fixed or simple; they are shaped by contradictions and emotional tension.

Furthermore, the phrase “brave new naked world” conveys this paradox with striking clarity. While the word “brave” suggests optimism and progress, “naked” implies vulnerability and emptiness. North America may be advanced and organized, but it feels soulless and detached from history and tradition. Through such paradoxes, the poet underscores the complexity of diasporic identity and the emotional costs of cultural displacement.

Use of Paradox

New World (North America)	Homeland (India)
Clear, sanitized, sterile	Ugly, ancient, stark
Brave, new, advanced	Naked, vulnerable, exposed
Plastic, perfume (artificial beauty)	Chaos, clutter, natural depth
Smaller, manageable crowds (peaceful)	Loud, overwhelming crowds (alive)
Perfect surface (emotionally shallow)	Flawed appearance (spiritually rich)

Step 2: Prepare a report of the group discussion addressing the following questions:

• Which poem and questions were discussed by the group? Was there any unique approach or technique used by your group to discuss the topic?

We discussed the poem ‘Leaving India’ by Rachna Joshi discussed by our group and we divided topics one by one, 

Khushi Goswami dealt with the Diasporic Identity of Rachna Joshi and how it is represented in the poem, themes of the poem and Usage of Paradox.

I dealt with critical aspects of the poem.

Smruti dealt with her love for India.                                                                               

The other three members are absent from the discussion. (Mita, Manasi and Dhruvika)

At the end we discussed through the Question Bank for the. 

• Who led the discussion or contributed most to the discussion? Did everyone contribute equally?

Khushi Goswami led the discussion and all members contributed equally. With all aspects of the poem also we discussed other poems which are in syllabus.

• Which points were easy and which ones were difficult for everyone in your group to understand?

the poem Leaving India were quite easy for our group to understand, as the poem is more accessible compared to other poems we have studied. After discussing this poem, we moved on to An Introduction by Kamala Das, We also discussed the themes of fascism and communism from Meena Kandasamy’s Eklavyam, which I personally found difficult to understand as well.

Step 3: Briefly present your learning outcomes from this activity.

The group discussion activity was very beneficial for me and my classmates. It provided an excellent opportunity to revisit and revise all the poems included in the unit. Through this collaborative process, we were able to clarify difficult concepts and resolve doubts that some students had regarding specific poems. 

Moreover, the group discussion encouraged active participation, critical thinking, and the development of communication skills. Listening to different viewpoints expanded our understanding and allowed us to approach the texts from multiple perspectives.

Thank you