Interpret the connection between the poet's mother and the following: (i) shiuli flowers (ii) humming tune
The poet connects his mother to the shiuli flowers through the sense of smell. When the smell of shiuli flowers floats in the air on an early autumn morning, it reminds him of the scent of the morning service in the temple, which he directly associates with the scent of his mother.
The poet connects his mother to the humming tune through the sense of hearing. Amidst his play, a tune seems to hover over his playthings. This is the tune of the song that his mother used to hum while rocking his cradle, forming an auditory memory of her presence.
Explanation
The question requires interpreting the symbolic and sensory connections the poet makes between his mother's memory and specific elements from nature and sound. In the poem, Tagore uses the olfactory imagery of shiuli flowers to evoke the scent of his mother and the auditory imagery of a humming tune to recall her lullaby.