LC2 Students
The venue that law students of Delhi University had selected for their event was occupied by the ‘Madari’ organizers. When asked what is ‘Madari’? A group from Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar explained in Hindi that ‘Madari’ means a person who makes the monkey dance”. They also added, “This is how the politicians make the people dance”
Amidst the noise and bustle on one side, and the artists practicing for the ‘Madari’ programme on the other side, 12 young men were determined to make their meeting successful. They walked into the soft sunshine and placed the portrait of Ravidasji, the philosopher in the human circle created with brotherhood. The men spoke gently, representing the various regions – Etah, Agra, Delhi, Meerut, Ghaziabad, Azamgarh, Chhindwara etc.
Slowly the Madari’s beat of the drums receded in the background and quietly the group grew from 12 to 21. Pushpendra in his unassuming manner inaugurated the programme. The life and teachings of Guru Ravidasji unfurled before the audience as Pushpendra took the listeners to the world of Ravidasji, to whom, as per folk tales, even the gods listened.
Against the backdrop of Kumbh Mela, where around 40 crores dipped to gain salvation from their sins and several hundred died in the stampede, the teachings of Guru rings loud and clear: मन चंगा तो कठौती में गंगा. In the caste-Hindu framework of God and rituals, there was no spiritual salvation for the creative-assertive marginalized class (Dalits in other words). Guruji proved that purity of thoughts leads to salvation and showed the path to spiritual and intellectual salvation from slavery by teaching reason through verses. His verses have found a place in the prayer books of various religious texts and the songs of Mira bai.
The 648th birth anniversary of the great social and religious guru Sant Shiromani Ravidas continued with unabated enthusiasm despite the obstacles. Pawan said that Ravidasji earned the title of “Sant Shiromani“ through his remarkable power of teaching. Emphasizing that ‘Ganga mata’ is at one’s home itself, and there is no need to travel to Kashi, Ravidasji offered the most effective strategy for the working class which reminds us of Sahib Kanshiram who used to keep meetings in the early morning, so that people could go back and resume work safely. The narrative that Goddess Ganga gives a golden bangle in return for a silver coin sent by Ravidasji through a Brahmin is evidence that common sense is rewarded in manifold ways.
Rohith Kumar, without mincing words, says that Ravidasji brings to us the reason in God. He says Ravidasji reasoned that one’s mind should be pure and free of superstitions. He explained, that if God had created such rational and reasonable human beings, how could God himself be so irrational and unreasonable to create and perpetuate such degraded and inhuman conditions for some people? Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, Buddha, and Babasaheb Dr. Ambedkar believed that ideas need propagation.
Prasenjit said, Ravidasji, like the unknown creator of all beings, soaked the leather in the wooden tumbler, ‘kathauti’, to soften it, which he hit on his anvil to give it a shape for use. He shaped the leather while he spoke verses that carried revolutionary messages for equality, respect, and humanity contrary to an intolerant society that practiced inequality in all aspects.
Pawan and Alkesh brought to light how inequality is visible and palpable, the political apathy towards the symbols of assertion of the marginalized creative-assertive sections of society, for example, the Ravidasia park in Agra is in ruins, and Seer, the birthplace of Sant Ravidas remains underdeveloped with no visible signs of reverence. As the men poured their thoughts, the discussions seemed like a canvas of Kurosawa’s film, Rashomon – with lights following darkness. The frail man, Aniket, shows us how a small lamp can flicker in the form of resistance amidst the forces of darkness or ignorance that shroud Chhindwara.
Since his birth, Aniket has only heard of Buddha and Ambedkar. The photo of Ambedkar in his house has raised the curiosity of the Gonds in the village. Explaining ‘Buddha’ as a state of Enlightenment and the three important teachings of Buddha – Pragya, Sheel, and Karuna – he quotes “atta deepo bhava” as the last words of Buddha, and put the question before the audience, “Why did Gautama Buddha say those words before his death?”
There was silence and repetition of the words. Pawan reminded us how disheartened he was when he heard that a group of Ravidasias asked for the removal of Dr B R Ambedkar’s photo from the Gurdwara. Gurdwaras are divided along the lines of untouchability, contrary to the what the word ‘Sikhi’ means. Hatred has no limit when the current-day Hindu and Sikh preachers appropriate Ravidasji’s teachings by erasing his name. Nitin, Vrijinder, and Pushpendra corroborated the fact and alerted that some Gurdwaras do not use the teachings of Ravidasji and even if the verses are used, his name is avoided.
The stigma attached to the Untouchables can be felt in how the caste Hindu men and women, and the Shudras shamelessly deny the contribution of the giants of social harmony, peace, and knowledge even on their birth anniversaries. Songs eulogizing Shivaji and Prithviraj Chauhan were played by the right-wingers to invoke false pride in certain sections.
Shubham, who comes from a family involved in Bahujan politics, expressed his bitterness over the divisions among the untouchables themselves and indicated the need for working towards unity among the people. We agreed that such acts of dissension are contrary to the teachings of our Guru Ravidas, the champion of social equality. The fissures among the untouchables themselves have arisen as an offshoot of identity, an identity that is defined with differences rather than similarities.
Like Guru Ravidasji, Guru Harichand Thakur calls for social unity, carrying on the task of uniting people across the oppressed section and establishing faith in one God, the formless God. But there seemed to be no salvation from illiteracy without education. Mahatma Phule and Savitrimai Phule came together to assert the educational rights of the neglected masses and led them to seek freedom from illiteracy.
The social movement that started in the time of Buddha continues till today. Guruchand Thakur, the son of Harichand Thakur, took a robust stand for the spread of education just as his father’s contemporary, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule had done. Education became the way to salvation for the people in India under the influence of these gurus. Finally, Babasaheb wrote in the Constitution about the rights for social equality and education for all sections of society.
Social equality emerges through a healthy exchange of thoughts among people. And as they say, charity begins at home, Royal Gautam has taken the responsibility of spreading education among the young children in his village. This token of payback to society by Pushpendra and Royal is praiseworthy given their age and in circumstances where humanity (as taught by Ravidasji) has taken a backseat in Indian society.
Anoop Kumar, who sowed the seeds for the Nalanda Academy in 2013 in Wardha belonged to the land of Ravidasji. Sachin, a devoted follower of Ravidasji, summarised the preachings of Guru Ravidas. His speech was disturbed by the security officer who smelled something different as Asutosh Vidrohi came with Bahujan Lives Matter camera person. Ashutosh Vidrohi concluded the thought-provoking programme with the hope of working towards “Begumpura” as envisioned by Ravidasji – a place free of taxes and exploitation, a thought so relevant in the current times. “Begumpura” is that desirable state that the Constitution espouses – social equality, humanity, peace, and harmony.
Guru Ravidas, the great visionary whose desire for a casteless society and knowledge surfaced again and again among the gurus – Buddha, Harichand Thakur, Mahatma Phule, Guruchand Thakur, Swami Achhootanand, Babasaheb Ambedkar and so on. Atul lamented that the youth from the marginalized creative-assertive sections rejoice on the birth anniversary of our great leaders – Babasaheb, Buddha, and Guru Ravidasji – but haven’t tried to learn much about the great leaders. Yes, what a choice, all three together. Is this not enough?
Why should one hold the hardworking, creative, assertive marginalized sections as ignorant? The participants of the right-wing cultural programme, Madari, mistook the photograph of a swamy-like figure as Vivekananda. All the participants performing in front of the Vivekananda statue on the 12th of February, on the lawns of DU, identified the portrait of a turbaned man as Vivekananda but correctly identified a female statue with lotus, swan, and tanpura as “Ma Saraswati.” Leading the 12 young men, Pushpendra said, “Why should we take permission?” Nothing could discourage the boys despite Sultan Singh’s warning “Dean madam may take actions.”
All is not dark, the humble son from Chhindwada, Aniket smiled and said, “It is Dayanand Saraswati and today is his birthday.” The right-wingers prioritized a lesser-known leader’s birthday over Guru Ravidasji but were knocked out by this act of erasure. The ex-untouchables have surpassed the privileged castes and class in terms of clarity and courage and they are surely going to take Babasaheb’s caravan ahead. It took just a few men to do it.
Jai Ravidas! Jai Bhim!
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LC2 Students are from Faculty of Law, Delhi University.
