Title: A book also travels: circulating small booklets in Dalit<i>poorva</i>
Abstract: Abstract This article examines how Dalit popular booklets, known as ‘chhoti kitab’, emerge in the Dalit space and who writes these. It studies the readership and social impact of this writing, including the missionary zeal of the authors and publishers who market these booklets on cycles, in fairs, festivals, chetna mandaps, meets and rallies, melas commemorating Dalit heroes and political gatherings. It unravels how these booklets travel from the writers to the various agencies that disseminate the message of these booklets and then to the educated, aware Dalits from whom they reach the grassroots in the Uttar Pradesh villages. In open spaces, like village tea stalls, educated Dalits read these booklets, while their illiterate brethren listen with rapt attention. Discussions follow, causing a socio-political awareness amongst them. The article also addresses the Dalit popular writing as a contested domain, studying the responses of the state and the judiciary. It focuses on the making of Dalit publics in rural north India through such writings. Keywords: Dalitpopular literature chhoti kitab writerspolitics Notes 1. Chauhan, Rural Life, 17. 2. Field Diary, research team of Dalit Resource Centre, GBPSSI, Allahabad. 3. Kanshi Ram was an Indian politician of Dalit Raidasia/Ramdassia Sikh background. He founded the BSP, a political party with the stated goal of serving the traditional lower castes of Indian society (that historically also included the ‘untouchables’). 4. Mayawati is the current head of the BSP and Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. After three short tenures between 1995 and 2003, it is her fourth term in this office. Her supporters refer to her as Behen Ji, which means sister. At the age of 39, she became the youngest politician to be elected chief minister in Uttar Pradesh and the first Dalit-woman chief minister of any Indian state. She is regarded as a symbol of political inspiration for millions of Dalits who were oppressed by the Hindu upper castes. 5. See Narayan, ‘Heroes, Histories and Booklets’. 6. Yad, Samajik Parivartan Ke Mahanayak, 11. 7. This was between March 21, 1997 and September 20, 1997. 8. Interview of Avnish, Lucknow, by Nivedita Singh, November 8, 2008. 9. Yad, Samajik Parivartan Ke Mahanayak, 4. 10. Kushwaha, Arakshan Ke Hatyare. 11. Interview of A.R. Akela, Aligarh, by Brijendra Gautam, July 9, Citation2008. 12. Interview of R.B. Trisharan, Basti, by Archana Singh, August 2, 2008. 13. Interview of Buddha Sharan Hans, Patna, by Brijendra Gautam, December 1, 2008. 14. Kshirsagar, Dalit Movement in India and its Leaders, 128. 15. Swami Achutanand was the pioneer of the anti-Brahminical Movement in North India, especially Uttar Pradesh. Under the guidance of Swami Sachitanand he learned the Vedas but gave it up when he found it meaningless for the purpose of social change. He then started a social movement against Brahminical social authoritarianism. He started to publish two papers namely Achhut and Adi Hindu. He also established two important organizations in North India namely Achhut Mahasabha and Adi Hindu Mahasabha. His leadership and efforts for Dalit liberation were deeply acknowledged by Ambedkar. 16. Interview of G.P. Madan, Allahabad, by Brijendra Gautam, February 16, 2002. 17. Interview of S. Sajeevan Nath, Allahabad, by Nivedita Singh, August 12, 2005. 18. See Bechain, Hindi Ki Dalit Patrakarita par Patrakar Ambedkar Ka Prabhav, 177. 19. See Choudhary and Srikant, Swarg Par Dhawa: Bihar mein Dalit Andolan. 20. Baudhhacharya S. Rao Sajeevan Nath is an eminent writer activist of Dalit community. In spite of social pressure and financial crisis in his personal life, he continues his writing and struggle for Dalit emancipation. 21. Interview of S. Sajeevan Nath, Allahabad, by Nivedita Singh, July 12, 2006. 22. Kshirsagar, Dalit Movement in India and its Leaders, 372. 23. Interview of S. Sajeevan Nath. 24. Kshirsagar, Dalit Movement in India and its Leaders, 231 25. Ibid., 236. 26. Ibid., 403. 27. Ibid., 301. 28. Narayan, Women Heroes and Dalit Assertion in North India, 53. 29. Field Diary, research team of Dalit Resource Centre. 30. BSP is one of the only five prominent national political parties of India. The party's ideology is ‘Social Transformation and Economic Emancipation’ of the ‘Bahujan Samaj’, which comprises of the Scheduled Castes (SCs), the Scheduled Tribes (STs), the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and Religious Minorities such as Sikhs, Muslims, Christians, Parsis and Buddhists. 31. Interview of Amarnath, Godampatti, Shahabpur, by Archana Singh, April 12, 2009. 32. Interview of Lalji Premi, Godampatti, Shahabpur, by Badri Narayan, April 14, 2009. 33. Field Diary, research team of Dalit Resource Centre, GBPSSI, Allahabad. 34. Interview of Sangam Lal, Varanasi, by Nivedita Singh, November 2, 2008. 35. Ibid. 36. Interview of Bhullar, Godampatti, Shahabpur, by Badri Narayan, April 21, 2009. 37. Field Diary, research team of Dalit Resource Centre. 38. Jyotiba Phule of Maharashtra revolted against the traditional religious beliefs, rites and customs of the Brahamanical system and declared education to be an effective tool to obliterate Brahamanical hegemony. His greatest revolutionary step was to open a school to educate women. He also authored a number of books which include eminent literary works like Gulaamgiri and Sarvajanik Satyadharma. He worked not only for the emancipation of women and poor workers but also for peasant welfare and prosperity. He formed the Satyashodhak Samaj that believed in the equality of human beings. 39. Savitribai Phule, a great revolutionary social reformer, was the first Dalit woman leader who favoured equality and education for women. She was greatly influenced by the teachings of Lord Buddha and opened many Mahila Seva Mandals (committees for the service of women) for improving the condition of women. She fought the conservative norms and customs of the Hindu society and worked for the underprivileged. 40. Field Diary, research team of Dalit Resource Centre. 41. Valmiki, Joothan. 42. Interview of K. Nath, Kanpur, by Brijendra Gautam, August 11, 2008. 43. Interview of Buddha Sharan Hans, Patna. 44. Interview of Sushil Kumar, Kanpur, by Archana Singh, December 11, 2008. 45. Interview of Mohan Lal Gautam, Lucknow, by Archana Singh, December 8, 2008. 46. Interview with Avnish, Lucknow. 47. Ibid. 48. Akela, Behen Kumari Mayawati Ke Saakshatkaar, 49. 49. Section 153A: promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc. and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony. Section 295A: deliberate and malicious act, intended to outrage religious feelings or any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs. 50. Interview of Pandit Sundarlal Sagar, Mainpuri, by Brijendra Gautam, September 1, 2008. 51. ‘Judgement about Sachchi Ramayana’, Ambedkar Today (Hindi magazine), February 2008. 52. Hans, ‘Gau Brahmin Namo-Namo’. 53. Interview of Buddha Sharan Hans, Patna. 54. Interview of R.B. Trisharan, Basti, August 2, 2008.
Publication Year: 2010
Publication Date: 2010-12-10
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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Cited By Count: 1
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