Arun Kolatkar’s Ajamil And The Tigers – An Ecocritical Perspective

The poem Ajamil and the Tigers by Arun Kolatkar is considered a political satire, as indicated in the Woven Words, an English literature textbook for Class XI, published by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT). However, this study re-examines the poem from an ecocritical perspective, manifesting its deep ecological and environmental themes. By using a qualitative and conceptual research methodology, the study makes a textual analysis of the poem, revealing how Ajamil’s actions are not driven by political cunningness but are guided by an inherent understanding of ecological harmony. Ajamil, a shepherd, does not represent the modern corrupt politicians, nor do the sheep represent the people of weaker sections. After the re-analysis, Ajamil instead emerges as a wise shepherd who understands the interdependence of species in an ecosystem. His decision to release the tigers and offer them food, rather than killing them all, points out his knowledge of maintaining ecological balance. The study correlates his actions with real-world ecological principles, including the role of predators in controlling herbivore populations, preventing overgrazing, and sustaining biodiversity. Comparisons are drawn between Ajamil and real-life shepherds, particularly those in Rajasthan’s Jawai-Bera region, who coexist with leopards without resorting to exterminating them. The study argues that English literature textbooks, such as those prescribed by the NCERT, have the potential to promote environmental awareness among students. The National Policy on Education (NPE) 1986, the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2005, and the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 gave great emphasis to the importance of environmental education. And so, this paper recommends that the NCERT revise its textbook exercise of this chapter to reflect the poem’s ecological aspects rather than limiting its interpretation to political satire. By doing so, Ajamil and the Tigers can contribute meaningfully to environmental education and reinforce the need for ecological balance and human responsibility towards nature. This research thus reclassifies the poem as an ecology-based literary work, opening up new possibilities for interdisciplinary studies at the intersection of literature, ecology, and education.