Demarcating the Concerns of the Indian Diaspora in Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's Poem Indian Movie: New Jersey

Abstract

The present paper is aimed at studying the representation of different concerns of the Indian diaspora as revealed in Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's poem ‘Indian Movie: New Jersey’. It discovers the themes of cultural displacement, identity, and the emotional turbulence experienced by the Indian immigrants. The poem captures the real picture of the struggles and ambitions of the Indian diaspora in America. Divakaruni uses the experience of watching an Indian movie in a foreign setting as a metaphor to highlight the struggles of the Indian diaspora in preserving their own cultural heritage and adapting to a new milieu. Through close textual analysis of the poem, this paper explores some of the prevalent characteristics of the diasporic experience. Specifically, it highlights the emotional alienation, nostalgia, and complex negotiations of identity. This paper aims to shed light on the broader socio-cultural dynamics that influence the diaspora’s sense of belonging.   It also examines how the poem reflects the typical concern of the Indian diaspora, namely, the simultaneous longing for home and the desire for integration in a new land.