Balbir Madhopuri
translated from the Punjabi by Tripti Jain
OUP
Rs. 395
Pp.216
ISBN: 9780198065500,
Hardback
Blurb
The first Dalit autobiography in Punjabi to appear in English, Changiya Rukh means a tree lopped from the top, slashed and dwarfed. Balbir Madhopuri uses it as a metaphor for the Dalit robbed by a tradition that places every sixth Indian beyond touchability. Significantly, by bringing forth fresh branches and leaves, the lopped tree proves its innate worth through defiant resilience.
Set in the village of Madhopur in Punjab, the work leads most centrally to the question of how a man conducts himself among people who either do not understand him or would like to see him in the slush where they think he belongs. Madhopuri’s vision is both melancholy and honest as he captures and sensitively portrays the plight of his community despite all constitutional and legislative measures. But in the end, this real life story of a Dalit’s rise from bonded labourhood to the editorship of a socio-economic journal is one of triumph of resistance, of achievement, and of hope.
Perceptively introduced and contextualized by Harish Puri, this book will appeal to students and teachers of caste studies, Indian literature in translation, comparative literature, and translation studies.
Review
Against the night... Hindu
... is the first Punjabi dalit autobiography to appear in English translation. Excerpts...
D uring this phase of terrorism in which brother was killing brother, another incident disturbed me a great deal. One of our relatives informed us, “The Sardarni I work for as a sweeper had one day happily told me, ‘Sister, Khalistan is about to be created. That would be great. The Hindus will all leave, and you people will live with us in Khalistan!'”
We all listened intently to her, our questioning eyes were fixed on her face as she went on, I said, ‘Sardarni it would be great for you, but will we also get some land? Then again, why are you insisting that we should stay here with you in Khalistan? For us, Hindus and Sikhs are the same. Do you really love us so much Sardarni …?'
“Then?” We had to hear what came next.
‘Then what!' She said, ‘We like you that is why I am telling you! Who will clean and sweep for us in Khalistan?'
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