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An emerging
voice
Shonali Muthalaly
The Hindu November 10 2003
Narendra Jadhav's book `Outcaste:
A Memoir', a story about dreams coming true, was
the topic of discussion at Landmark
EVERY SIXTH human being is an
Indian and every sixth Indian is a Dalit says
author, eminent economist and banker Narendra
Jadhav in his book `Outcaste: A Memoir'. Unfortunately,
vast numbers don't necessarily mean vast influence,
or even representation. Yet, Dalit voices are
finally emerging, as though from a deep silent
well. They're not always audible, and they're
not always listened to - but they're steadily
gaining strength, aided by education and the occasional
liberal publisher. However, open minded publishers
are apparently few and far between, leaving Dalit
writers with stories to tell and no one to tell
them through.
So when Ravikumar, a Pondicherry-based
activist-theoretician of the Dalit movement in
Tamil Nadu and S. Anand, a Chennai journalist
who's been exploring caste issues, combined forces
to launch `Navayana', a publishing venture that
intends to concentrate on caste issues, they decided
to make a splash. Narendra Jadhav was invited
to discuss his book along with N. Ram, Editor-in-Chief,
The Hindu, writer P. Sivakami and poet Kanimozhi.
Jadhav's book `Outcaste: A Memoir' is an expanded
version of his Marathi novel `Amcha Baap Aan Amhi'.
The story, written in the first person, explores
the world Jadhav lived and struggled in through
the eyes of his family.
`Outcaste... ' follows Damu's
journey from a small village, Ozar in Maharashtra
to Mumbai to escape the persecution he faces as
a Dalit. Thanks to his grit, hard work and courage,
his children and grandchildren fulfil his aspirations,
armed with little besides education and determination.
It's a story about dreams coming true - the kind
that audiences all over the world find irresistible.
However, its print run in European
languages far exceeds the numbers it has sold
in India. Jadhav's book sold 20,000 copies in
French in less than a year. (In India, an English
work of fiction or non-fiction sells an average
of 700 to 1,000 copies). A Spanish version will
be appearing in November and last year Jadhav
was invited to participate in a literary festival
`Les Belles Etrangeres' to talk about his book
and experiences as a Dalit in India.
Navayana's contention, that publishers ignoring
Dalit literature is both unjust and unintelligent
since a large number of people are interested
in the subject, was proved true by the turnout
for the discussion. Taking Landmark by surprise,
the crowds spilled out of the book reading area
into the aisles and between bookshelves to listen
to the animated discussion.
Kanimozhi began by examining
the pain the book evokes. "He doesn't impose
the pain on you. It's like poetry - you read the
silences. The pain creeps in slowly, after you
finish. It haunts you for days." Autobiographical
Dalit literature of pain and oppression has been
making an impact lately because it's so powerful,
and so real. As Jadhav says in `Touchable Tales'
published by Navayana, "The facts that I
have are stranger than fiction. Therefore, the
facts that I have are far more exciting than fiction."
Kanimozhi also touched on the
fact that the story of discrimination in India
is far from over. "Even though the voice
of people suppressed for centuries is being heard
loud and clear, there are still people who, like
computers, can reel off castes and sub castes.
In the cities we like to believe that we all merge.
But that's not true." She concluded by asking
Jadhav how he and Damu, could just walk away from
their oppressors without wanting to hit back.
Sivakami discussed the idea of Jadhav asking Dalits
to join the mainstream. "What is the mainstream?
Do we have to accept saffronised education and
master it better than our masters? Does the mainstream
advocate equality, or dignity of labour and manual
labour?"
As Jadhav nodded thoughtfully and took down notes,
Sivakami ended with "A positive note sends
positive waves... The beat of the victor's drum
is so loud he can't hear the lowest of the low.
Maybe once the dust settles, he will."
N. Ram discussed the practical
problems of putting together a book like `Outcaste.'
He talked about the difficulties of getting an
English book out of what would have been difficult
material, "transcribing and restructuring
work in a completely different manner" and
translating different sources into literature.
"You are struck by the plurality of voices,"
he said, adding that the story, set "in a
formidable backdrop of great events" deserves
to be celebrated for its continuity of spirit.
Jadhav, who concluded the evening,
said, "The book is in two levels - it's the
story of a family on the one hand; it's also about
the social metamorphosis that has taken place
over the past 80 years. And the fact is that Ambedkar
is the agent of that change. He made my father
and his generation ask a simple question, which
had never been asked before. "It may be okay
for you to be our masters, but how is it in our
interest to be your slaves?" Jadhav went
on to talk of how they "realised education
is the only panacea. The Only hope for the future."
"For those of you who think
the caste system is no more, just open the matrimonial
column in any newspaper or magazine. It's only
moved into a more sophisticated form - and that
is lethal," he says before he answers Kanimozhi's
question. "Why don't I react? When others
look down on you for centuries, you develop a
complex and look down on yourself. This complex
was removed by Dr. Ambedkar. We are Dalits. If
people discriminate against us, they have a problem.
Not us. Why do I ignore them? I think that's a
sign of liberation."
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