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The Golden Threshold
by Sarojini Naidu
WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY ARTHUR SYMONS
DEDICATED TO EDMUND GOSSE WHO FIRST SHOWED ME THE WAY TO THE
GOLDEN THRESHOLD
London； 1896 Hyderabad； 1905
CONTENTS
FOLK SONGS
Palanquin…Bearers
Wandering Singers
Indian Weavers
Coromandel Fishers
The Snake…Charmer
Corn…Grinders
Village…Song
In Praise of Henna
Harvest Hymn
Indian Love…Song
Cradle…Song
Suttee
SONGS FOR MUSIC
Song of a Dream
Humayun to Zobeida
Autumn Song Alabaster
Ecstasy
To my Fairy Fancies
POEMS
Ode to H。 H。 the Nizam of Hyderabad
In the Forest
Past and Future Life
The Poet's Love…Song
To the God of Pain
The Song of Princess Zeb…un…nissa
Indian Dancers
My Dead Dream
Damayante to Nala in the Hour of Exile
The Queen's Rival
The Poet to Death
The Indian Gipsy
To my Children
The Pardah Nashin
To Youth
Nightfall in the City of Hyderabad
Street Cries
To India
The Royal Tombs of Golconda
To a Buddha seated on a Lotus
INTRODUCTION
It is at my persuasion that these poems are now published。 The
earliest of them were read to me in London in 1896； when the
writer was seventeen； the later ones were sent to me from India
in 1904； when she was twenty…five； and they belong； I think；
almost wholly to those two periods。 As they seemed to me to have
an individual beauty of their own； I thought they ought to be
published。 The writer hesitated。 〃Your letter made me very
proud and very sad；〃 she wrote。 〃Is it possible that I have
written verses that are 'filled with beauty；' and is it possible
that you really think them worthy of being given to the world？
You know how high my ideal of Art is； and to me my poor casual
little poems seem to be less than beautifulI mean with that
final enduring beauty that I desire。〃 And； in another letter；
she writes： 〃I am not a poet really。 I have the vision and the
desire； but not the voice。 If I could write just one poem full
of beauty and the spirit of greatness； I should be exultantly
silent for ever； but I sing just as the birds do； and my songs
are as ephemeral。〃 It is for this bird…like quality of song； it
seems to me； that they are to be valued。 They hint； in a sort of
delicately evasive way； at a rare temperament； the temperament of
a woman of the East； finding expression through a Western
language and under partly Western influences。 They do not
express the whole of that temperament； but they express； I think；
its essence； and there is an Eastern magic in them。
Sarojini Chattopadhyay was born at Hyderabad on February 13；
1879。 Her father； Dr。 Aghorenath Chattopadhyay； is descended
from the ancient family of Chattorajes of Bhramangram； who were
noted throughout Eastern Bengal as patrons of Sanskrit learning；
and for their practice of Yoga。 He took his degree of Doctor of
Science at the University of Edinburgh in 1877； and afterwards
studied brilliantly at Bonn。 On his return to India he founded
the Nizam College at Hyderabad； and has since laboured
incessantly； and at great personal sacrifice； in the cause of
education。
Sarojini was the eldest of a large family； all of whom were
taught English at an early age。 〃I；〃 she writes； 〃was stubborn
and refused to speak it。 So one day when I was nine years old my
father punished methe only time I was ever punishedby
shutting me in a room alone for a whole day。 I came out of it a
full…blown linguist。 I have never spoken any other language to
him； or to my mother； who always speaks to me in Hindustani。 I
don't think I had any special hankering to write poetry as a
little child； though I was of a very fanciful and dreamy nature。
My training under my father's eye was of a sternly scientific
character。 He was determined that I should be a great
mathematician or a scientist； but the poetic instinct； which I
inherited from him and also from my mother （who wrote some lovely
Bengali lyrics in her youth） proved stronger。 One day； when I
was eleven； I was sighing over a sum in algebra： it WOULDN'T come
right； but instead a whole poem came to me suddenly。 I wrote it
down。
〃From that day my 'poetic career' began。 At thirteen I wrote a
long poem a la 'Lady of the Lake'1300 lines in six days。 At
thirteen I wrote a drama of 2000 lines； a full…fledged passionate
thing that I began on the spur of the moment without forethought；
just to spite my doctor who said I was very ill and must not
touch a book。 My health broke down permanently about this time；
and my regular studies being stopped I read voraciously。 I
suppose the greater part of my reading was done between fourteen
and sixteen。 I wrote a novel； I wrote fat volumes of journals； I
took myself very seriously in those days。〃
Before she was fifteen the great struggle of her life began。 Dr。
Govindurajulu Naidu； now her husband； is； though of an old and
honourable family； not a Brahmin。 The difference of caste roused
an equal opposition； not only on the side of her family； but of
his； and in 1895 she was sent to England； against her will； with
a special scholarship from the Nizam。 She remained in England；
with an interval of travel in Italy； till 1898； studying first at
King's College； London； then； till her health again broke down；
at Girton。 She returned to Hyderabad in September 1898； and in
the December of that year； to the scandal of all India； broke
through the bonds of caste； and married Dr。 Naidu。 〃Do you know
I have some very beautiful poems floating in the air；〃 she wrote
to me in 1904； 〃and if the gods are kind I shall cast my soul
like a net and capture them； this year。 If the gods are
kindand grant me a little measure of health。 It is all I need
to make my life perfect； for the very 'Spirit of Delight' that
Shelley wrote of dwells in my little home； it is full of the
music of birds in the garden and children in the long arched
verandah。〃 There are songs about the children in this book； they
are called the Lord of Battles； the Sun of Victory； the
Lotus…born； and the Jewel of Delight。
〃My ancestors for thousands of years；〃 I find written in one of
her letters； 〃have been lovers of the forest and mountain caves；
great dreamers； great scholars； great ascetics。 My father is a
dreamer himself； a great dreamer； a great man whose life has been
a magnificent failure。 I suppose in the whole of India there are
few men whose learning is greater than his； and I don't think
there are many men more beloved。 He has a great white beard and
the profile of Homer； and a laugh that brings the roof down。 He
has wasted all his money on two great objects： to help others；
and on alchemy。 He holds huge courts every day in his garden of
all the learned men of all religionsRajahs and beggars and
saints and downright villains all delightfully mixed up； and all