We did not go on to the stage,
Neither were we called.
We were shown our places,
told to sit.
But they, sitting on the stage,
went on telling us of our sorrows,
our sorrows remained ours,
they never became theirs.
– Waharu Sonavane
I plead guilty. I belong to a society which has been instrumental in dehumanising fellow beings. And the mere admittance of this provides no solace, nor answers. Any theories of egalitarianism would seriously threaten our lives as we live it. So let’s not fool ourselves discussing even small revolutions which would bring about a transformation. I mean, can you imagine Hindustan being also known as Balisthan? In our homes, can we ever hang a calendar which also has December 25th as Human Liberation Day (Burning of the Manusmriti), 3rd January as Teacher’s Day (Birth anniversary of Savitribai Phule) and September 24th as Global anti-slavery day (founding of the Satyashodhak Samaj)? Can our school texts have 40% of the curriculum decided by local needs and the rest 60% determined by common national standards?
Chewing trotters in the badlands
My grandpa, the permanent resident of my body,
The household of tradition heaped on his back, hollers at me
‘You whore-son, talk like we do. Talk, I tell you!’
Picking through the Vedas, his top- knot well-oiled with ghee,
My Brahmin teacher tells me, ‘You idiot, use the language correctly!’
Now I ask you, which language should I speak?
– Arun Kamble
Or, how likely are we to recite stories of Pochamma as fl uidly as we do of Lakshmi ? Can the knowledge and skill of rearing sheep be more revered than the knowledge of the Vedas? Can a fair price be attached to blood, sweat and bones or are we too intelligent not to risk doing that.
Hunger
There’s not a single grain in our house today
Not a single clever brain in our house today
Hunger, if we cannot mate you, cannot impregnate you
Our tribe will have to kill itself
– Namdeo Dhasal
We’ve read Wordsworth and Keats, who did you say was Anna Bhau Sathe? Socially, culturally, spiritually we have alienated ourselves from a quarter of our population. Yet politically at this point in our nation’s history we want to be closer to them than ever. And politics is all pervasive. Will this lead to assimilation in future? In a country as big as ours, there could be several answers depending on your geography. Before that, answer this… Untouched or Untouchable. Which is worse?
(The above extracts of poetry have been translated from Marathi into English. The names mentioned are of the original poets)
