Arun Kolatkar’s Ajamil And The Tigers – An Ecocritical Perspective
by
Vijay Singh Rajput
ABSTRACT
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
.
Keywords: English Textbook, NCERT, Ecology, Environmental Education, Literature Textbook.
Source Credit: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GLOBAL RESEARCH INNOVATIONS & TECHNOLOGY (IJGRIT) https://inspirajournals.com/uploads/Issues/1312507885.pdf
APA Citation:
Rajput, V. S. (2025). Arun Kolatkar’s Ajamil and the Tigers – An ecocritical perspective. International Journal of Global Research Innovations & Technology (IJGRIT), 3(2), 29–33. https://doi.org/10.62823/IJGRIT/03.02.7394
