s4scratch

From the life of a Dalit: Joothan reflects on the narrator’s journey from ‘Chuhre ke’ to ‘Valmiki’. It was difficult to be Valmiki coming from the swamp. He survived and thrived. The parental support Valmiki had was commendable. The father, who held pride in his son being educated, died with the contentment of his son escaping the caste, although he died as a chuhra. Valmiki’s mother, who dared to dream along with his son, heard the stories he narrated. Even after the severe financial crisis, her Bhabhi didn't hesitate to sell her only jewelry to let the narrator stay away from the dirt of the responsibilities they bore. The livelihood helps people in this community survive, but it dismisses the emotions. When you've got a family to feed with no social support, just fighting with the world to barely exist, this is what comes out as a result. The irony of how we say what's written in a name, yet the emphasis we place on digging into someone’s caste, is quite ironically happ