Thursday, April 6th, 2017
Sumit Turuk
A small effort to make a rap on the experiences of Dalit identity and importance of Ambedkarism. Apologies for the video quality and the speed of the rap. Hope you like the message. Thanks!!!
(Dedicated to all the fighting Dalit students)
Friday, March 31st, 2017
Kalekuri Prasad
Even as the wounds festered 
Wasn’t it your footprints
That I bore on my heart
Even as death approached, didn’t I seek life with only you?
Beloved, with the rice mixed with curd
That you served me in the morning as my witness
Shall I tell you the cause of my death?
‘Beloved’! To call you that
How the language of our hearts’ blood struggled!
Even as our bodies enveloped each other
In the dark
I could only call you ‘Mistress’
My wish was never fulfilled until death
Even as your folks tied me to a tree
And beat me like I was a beast
I imagined I was a prince in a swashbuckler film
If someone had asked, what happened?
I wanted to say that I loved you
But the raccabanda* had charged me with being a thief
Weren’t you the witness!
I know how to burn dead bodies
But you burnt me alive
"Father, forgive them,
for they do not know what they are doing"
I remembered what the padre told me
About our lord’s plea.
In remembrance of the sleepless nights we had spent together
If even a single tear drop had glistened in your eyes
I would have forgiven you and your race
The furnace you had stoked in my heart
The flames from the kerosene your folks poured over me
If asked, which hurt more
I can’t say anything, love
As these flames engulf me
It feels like you’re embracing me.
~
This untitled poem by Kalekuri Prasad was translated from Telugu by Naren Bedide. The lynching of Kanchikacherla Kotesu for his love of an upper caste woman is illustrated in a series of drawings by Syam Cartoonist. Please see his album titled The Untouchable Love .
* The village bench, where the elders hold council.
Sunday, December 25th, 2016
Pabitra Bag
Let me tell you… 
I have a bulletproof dream
Made of love, transparent and transcendental
Where at times you feel
The dance of infinity and you became the one with everything
Where you feel neither disturbed by anyone
Nor have any altered state of consciousness
Respecting the social boundaries
of race, caste-class, gender, region, religion and stupidity
Let me tell you…
I have a bulletproof dream of DID syndrome
Where expectations is not troubling enough to be Desires
Where the expectations and desires have no Instability
Where desire is not a wild Dissatisfied and unstable bird
I have a bulletproof dream of honesty
Made of no hate, no pretension, no dependency and no lie
Where the language of love is a smile of no attachments
Such is the bulletproof dream with the dance of infinity
Let me tell you…
I have a bulletproof dream of colours
A dream of rainbow colours but with happiness as colours
With smiles as its figure and gladness as its gender
Where respect is the language and equality is feelings
Where freedom is the absolute state of inner and transcendental being
Where, in law, constitutionalism is the religion and justice is the highest form of love
~~
Pabitra Bag is a Ph.D student at the Centre for the Study of Law and Governance, JNU
Friday, December 23rd, 2016
Renu Singh
आते हैं कुछ धुंधले नज़र, अपने पैरों के निशान,
अभी तो बाकी है खुद से खुद के पहचान ।
अभी तो मिली है परिंदों को परवाज़,
अभी तो छेड़ा है उम्मीदों ने साज़ ।
अभी तो शुरू हुआ है नव्ज़-ए-ज़ोर का तूफ़ान,
अभी तो मिली है मंज़र- ए- खाक़ को ज़ुबान ।
माना आज़ादी हक है तुम्हारा,
पर आज़ाद थे कब तुम?
था आबाद कहाँ आशियाँ तुम्हारा?
कहाँ सुना कभी तुमको किसीने?
जब सी दिया हलक तुम्हारा,
जब रोक दिए कदम तुम्हारे ।
चल चलकर तराश ले खुदको तू,
बुलंदियों का ये सफ़र नहीं आसाँ ।
तबियत से तलाश ले खुद की हुस्न- ए- पेशानी की बसर,
कि कोई रोक न पाए तेरी धड़कती रवानियों का सफ़र ।
समेट कर रख ले अपनी रूह में इस कदर,
की न सुन पाए तू, खुद से खुद की बेमानियों कि ख़बर ।
के, हर जद्द-ओ-जेहद हो मुकम्मल तेरी,
हर रज़ा खुद, तुझ-पर मेहेरबान ।
कर खुद को रिहा इन ज़माने के बेतुके, ग़ैर- मुतालिक़ फरमानों से,
है ललकारे तेरे होने पर, हाथ में लिए जो कमान ।
हर अक्स में झिलमिलाए बस बुलंदियों का चमकता शिखर,
कर खुद को बेख़ौफ़, ज़माने की इन जंजीरों से, बे- खबर ।
ठहर न जाये किसी की गुज़ारिश पर तू यूँही,
जायज़ है, तेरी नाकामियों की गुज़ारिश तो वो किया ही करते हैं ।
बिना किसी तक़ल्लुफ के,जिन्हें है तकलीफ़ तेरे होने से,
तेरी बेख़ौफ़ उड़ानों से, तेरी मोहारत के किस्से- कहानियों से ।
जो महरूम हैं तेरे हुनर की पहचान से,
या फिर तेरे गहरे पड़े क़दमों के निशाँ से ।
तू कर उन्हें आगाह,
तू कर उन्हें आगाह….
कर रुबरुह… तमाम गुलामी के खिदमतगारों को,
जो न जाने कबसे हैं बने फिरते, खालिक-ए-खाक़ तेरे ।
तो बनाये चल काफिले….
बढ़ाये चल काफिले…..
आबाद रहे ये काफिलें….
रौशन रहे ये काफिले…….
आते हैं कुछ धुंधले नज़र अपने पैरों के निशान,
अभी तो बाकी है खुद से खुद के पहचान ।
अभी तो मिली है परिंदे को परवाज़,
अभी तो छेड़ा है उम्मीदों ने साज़ ।
~~
नव्ज़-ए-ज़ोर: sturggle, toil, मंज़र- ए- खाक़: sight of destruction, हुस्न-ए-पेशानी: beautiful-forehead,खालिक-ए-खाक़: creator of demise.
~~~
Renu Singh, hails from Lucknow, UP and is currently pursuing Ph.D at the Dept. of Political Science, Jamia Millia Islamia. Raised in an Ambedkarite family, she is well acquainted with the stories of Babasaheb and Gautam Buddha, the Dalit movement, BAMCEF and BSP, the atrocities against dalit community and takes keen interest in issues of social justice, dalit feminism and exclusion of marginalized communities.
Monday, September 26th, 2016
Vivek Singh
Who? Me? A casteist? 
Oh, you must be mistaken,
Such illogical things have been shaken.
These are things of past,
Generations ago, it is said,
Human dignity was torn and shred.
But not today, sir, no.
How could untouchability have survived rationality?
If you think I'm wrong, check the legality.
Untouchability: BANNED
Manual Scavenging: BANNED
Discrimination: BANNED
See, sir, it's all gone now,
BANNED, by law, by the government,
Who says now it exists? Now there’s development.
What? A study shows it exists?
Well, sir you know how it is,
Those foolish villagers do all sorts of rubbish.
What? In cities too?
Old habits die hard, you know,
Some people just don't grow.
Oh, but they are very few, sir.
Modernity has dawned, development is here.
Awareness has grown, now even the few will disappear.
What? Me? A casteist? Why, sir?
For opposing reservation in colleges and universities?
That is because I believe in quality and equality.
What? Then the maid should get the same food?
Oh she does- everything left is for her.
Same plate? Same table? On a chair?
With all due respect, are you a fool, sir?
Dare I break traditions, sir!
I'm virtuous and religious, no wrong ever.
So, no to inter-caste marriages too?
That bhangi-chamar my wife? How can I break traditions?
Why curse me with unequals for life, give me equals for celebration.
What about equality then?
What? Human Dignity?
What about 'it's gone now'?
Oh, dear sir, be patient.
Don't be such a hard-core idealist.
You know, some things always exist.
~~
Vivek Singh is currently doing his MA (Political Science) from JNU
Saturday, July 23rd, 2016
Vruttant Manwatkar
चमचा काल से
प्रबुद्ध युग तक,
धम्मचक्र को आगे बढ़ाएं.
हिन्दू राज पीड़ित भारत को
ऊँच-नींच से मुक्त कराए.
मानव-मानव समान सारे
सब ने मिलके पुकारा हैं.
सोच नयी, आचार नया
यह नव बुद्धि का नारा है.
प्रबुद्ध भारत
प्रबुद्ध भारत
नव जन राष्ट्र हमारा हैं.
सत्य खोजती तर्ककला का
नालंदा का, तक्षशिला का.
विश्वशांति परचम फहराए
चक्रवर्ती की सिंह सीला का.
बलिराजा की, शिवराजा की
सत्ता से राज सँवारा हैं.
इतिहास नया, विश्वास नया
यह नव स्वराज्य का नारा है.
प्रबुद्ध भारत
प्रबुद्ध भारत
नव जन राष्ट्र हमारा है.
क्रांतिसुर्य की नव ऊर्जा का
शेख फातिमा, सावित्री का.
अहंकारी वीरों से लड़ती
लगामधारी झलकारी का.
मर्यादा पुरुषोत्तोम का नहीं
मुक्ता ने यहललकारा है.
बोधनया, प्रतिरोध नया
यह नव समाज का नारा है.
प्रबुद्ध भारत
प्रबुद्ध भारत
नव जन राष्ट्र हमारा है.
उल्गुलानो उलगुलान!
स्वतंत्रता के युद्धनाद का.
पीड़ित जन को प्रेरित करते
बिरसा के मानवतावाद का.
बंधुता की किरणों से
जग में जगमगता तारा है.
तरंगें नयी, प्रकाश नया
यह नव प्रभात का नारा है.
प्रबुद्ध भारत
प्रबुद्ध भारत
नव जन राष्ट्र हमारा है।
नानक, गुणावली, ख्वाजा का
लालोन, तुका, खुसरो, कबीरा का.
मन मूल्यों की राह दिखाते
अभंग-दोहे कि सतवाणी का.
बेगुमपुरा का ध्येय लिए
मानव दर्शन का पिटारा है.
विमर्श नया, आदर्श नया
यह नव मुक्ति का नारा है.
प्रबुद्ध भारत
प्रबुद्ध भारत
नव जन राष्ट्र हमारा हैं.
शिक्षित बनो और संगठीत हो
संघर्षों से जग को जीत लो.
बोधिवृक्ष के ज्ञानमूल से
नव निर्माण की नीव को रख लो.
न्याय नीती से विधि शासन का
बाबासाहेब का इशारा है.
सम्मान नया, अधिकार नया
यह नव विधान का नारा है.
प्रबुद्ध भारत
प्रबुद्ध भारत
नव जन राष्ट्र हमारा है.
बहुजन हिताय
बहुजन सुखाय
बुद्ध धम्म सम्यक वाणी का.
स्वयं सदा सेवा में तत्पर
समताकारक मैत्रीभाव का.
अत्त दीप भव, ज्ञान तेज से
बहती मंगल धारा है.
मुट्ठी बाँधो, 'जय भीम' करो
यह नव क्रांती का नारा है.
प्रबुद्ध भारत
प्रबुद्ध भारत
बहुजन राष्ट्र हमारा है.
बहुजन राष्ट्र हमारा है.
~ Vruttant Manwatkar is from Nagpur, and is pursuing PhD at the School of International Studies, JNU.
Wednesday, March 2nd, 2016
Mudnakudu Chinnaswamy
A bonded labourer was my grandfather
Leaving the cattle at the tank bund
He gathered some water in cupped hands and drank
The news spread through the village
That the tank was defiled
Caste men threw him to the haystacks in flames
And burnt him alive
Unable to bear the burden of the burnt ashes
Mother earth sobbed in lightning and thunder
Then the Lord of the sky poured down as rain
And soothed her
Then was born my father
As cinder was covered in ashes
A bonded labourer was my father
Like his father, craving for a son like him
He prayed standing on his head and stretched his
Hands to the courtyard of the temple
The news spread through the village
That the God was defiled
Caste men lit fire to the hut
The skeleton of my sleeping father inside
Was burnt alive
Unable to bear the burden of the burnt ashes
Mother earth wept and cried, sobbing in earthquakes
The sea rushed in a deluge, soothing her and
Then was I born, a volcano
Now they can’t burn me,
They burn themselves trying to grab me
Because I have turned into
The letter that burns the ignorance,
A witness for the deathless truth
~~~
Translated from the Kannada original by the poet
Friday, January 8th, 2016
Kadhiravan (Hari)
Just like your god,
You morph into multiple avatars,
Just as you like,
A Hindu atheist, a Hindu communist,
A Hindu Left, and a Hindu Right,
Just like your god,
Formless, you take shape,
Caste-less and yet full of caste,
Benevolent, and yet full of hate,
Just as much mysticism, just as you like,
Just like your god,
With limitless power, to discipline us,
To make us your dumb worshippers,
But, not long shall we remain, dumbed down,
We have our Mook Nayak, our Mukiya Nayak,
Who teaches us to break idols!
~
But when I do pray at your temples,
When I tread with the weight of your flags,
Flags of all your colours, red, reddish and more,
When I learn to by-heart your theories,
Your lies on all our lives,
From where I consume your abuse,
And learn the art of self-abuse,
I remain a Pariah,
I remain a category among categories,
Of the many creations, you have created,
Not a Hindu, not a Marxist, not lettered, not a human,
I remain a Pariah, praying at your altars,
Waving your flags, reciting your rhymes,
Remaining what I am, so you would remain all the same,
But, not long shall we remain, dumbed down,
We have our Mook Nayak, our Mukiya Nayak,
Who teaches us to break idols!
Thursday, October 22nd, 2015
Asha Singh
महिषासुर शहादत दिवस के अवसर पर
महिषासुर मेरा कौन लागे है
दुर्गा मेरी कुछ नहीं लगती
महिषासुर मेरा बहुत कुछ लगता है
महिषासुर मेरा बाप
मैं उसकी आज्ञाकारी बेटी
महिषासुर मेरा भाई
मैं उसकी सुशील बहन
महिषासुर मेरा पति
मैं उसकी सेविका पत्नी
महिषासुर शहादत दिवस मनाओ
मैं चलूंगी तुम्हारे पीछे-पीछे
सदैव तुम्हारी
आज्ञाकारी
बेटी, बहन, पत्नी, बस?
~
Asha Singh recently submitted her PhD thesis at TISS, Mumbai, on Bhojpuri Folk songs and Women. Before that she was a Hindi journalist in Bhopal. She belongs to Bhojpur district in Bihar.
Thursday, October 8th, 2015
Gaddar
The paddy fields ask,
Where’s the farmer who quenched our thirst?
The cotton fields ask,
Where’s the farmer who sprinkled blood to protect us?
They hug each other and weep–don’t understand why
They roll on the ground and weep–Don’t understand why
The basmati asks,
Where’s the sweat-scented farmer?
The masoors ask,
Where’s that large-hearted man?
They thump their chests and wail–don’t understand why
They question the dawn–don’t understand why
The palak asks,
Where’s the farmer so dear to us?
The coriander asks,
Where’s the farmer so full of goodness?
They sobbed and sobbed and withered up–don’t understand why
They waited and waited and shrivelled up–don’t understand why
Windless, the red gram and the horse gram fields
Nod listlessly
They look in all directions and ask,
Where’s the farmer so full of love?
They sink into sorrow–don’t understand why
They’ve fallen senseless in grief–don’t understand why
The snake gourd and the bottle gourd
The ridge gourd and beans
The eggplant so tender
Blood red tomatoes
All ask–where’s the farmer
Who kissed us before we started rotting?
They slap their heads and cry–don’t understand why
They wail loudly and cry–don’t understand why
The onion and garlic
Groundnuts and potatoes –
All of which nestle in the earth mother’s womb
As they grow up, ask
Where’s our father who would show us the world?
They wept uncontrollably–don’t understand why
They rot and die–don’t understand why
All the cotton fields together
Spread a new garment over him
The dried sticks assemble themselves
Into a cot
The paddy straw becomes a mattress
So that his ribs wouldn’t hurt
The betel leaf presses her mouth
Over his and kisses him
They cook seven kinds of rice
In a new pot
The kumkum tree shines
As the crescent moon on his forehead
They all say
We will leave with the farmer who gave us birth
They hug each other and weep–don’t understand why
They roll on the ground and weep–don’t understand why
They cry, our existence has lost meaning
They burn and burn on the pyre
And rise as an inferno
They burn to ashes
The villain who poisons the farmer
The sugarcane fields dive into the water
Release the drawing bucket and return
The green fields become red–don’t understand why
They took to the path of the angry rebels–don’t understand why
~
Translation of Gaddar's Telugu song 'vori sElu aDiginaayi'. Translator: Naren Bedide.