Vol. 1, Issue 11, Part E (2015)

Abstract
Prof. V.K. Gokak defines Indianness as, “A composite awareness in the matter of race, milieu, language and religion.” But Indianness has been interpreted differently by different critics. It can be described as the author’s feeling of being an Indian, whether he lives in India or lives abroad Indian writing in English reflects the authors’ cultural, socio-political and religious background. Whatever the genre; poetry, drama, fiction or even essays, this unique identity of the Indian author is mirrored. K.N. Daruwalla rightly says; “Nissim Ezekiel was the first Indian poet to express modern Indian sensibility in a modern idiom.” Ezekiel has experimented with the use of typical Indian English. The poems reveal the common Indian mistakes of using present progressive tense in place of the simple present. Indianness is a vital element in Ezekiel’s thoughts and feeling and imagery. Indianness has become one of the major themes of Ezekiel which he treats as an intensely personal exploration. Ezekiel’s poetry is noticeable for the depiction of typical Indian atmosphere. He has committed himself to Indian values, culture, people and language, and Indianness has always been in his blood and writing.