On B.R. Ambedkar’s 125th Birth Anniversary, a dalit scholar continues Babasaheb’s fight against discrimination through literature
Bhargav Nimmagadda
Meet Dr. Pasunoori Ravinder, the first recipient of Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar from divided Telugu states (Andhra Pradesh and Telangana) in 2015. Not just that; he is a man of letters pursuing his Post Doctoral Work in Telugu literature from University of Hyderabad, a writer, a poet, a journalist, a balladeer and an activist. Madiga (SC) by birth, he has experienced discrimination in every walk of life. Ravinder grew up in a “Velivada” (Ousted tract of land) of historical Warangal, which was once capital of Kakatiya dynasty.
Having done his M.Phil on the topic “Literary Criticism in the Context of Globalisation” and submitting his doctoral dissertation on “Lyrical Literature of Telangana Movement”, which is soon to be published; he ventured into Telugu fiction, which won many accolades.
Dr. Ravinder’s anthology, comprising 15 short stories, “Out of Coverage Area” created ripples in Telugu literary circles not without a reason. How? MK Gandhi and Nehru envisioned the newly formed country in their own terms, Village and Urban, respectively. Ravinder disowned both Nehruvian socialism and Gandhian village economy finding them socially exclusionist. Coming from a once-active-member of left-wing organisations, it took some time for him to get rid of Communist ideology before embracing and then digesting Ambedkarism. He says that there is enough existing literature talking about untouchability in villages but casteism extant in so-called urban spaces has not surfaced. Thus he came up with the anthology, which won accolades.
Here are excerpts from an interview with Dr. Pasunoori Ravinder:
Social Background
My father was a rickshaw puller in Shivanagar, Warangal and used to encourage on my education front. After facing lot of discrimination at school, I pleaded him (Mr. Veeraswamy) to give up that profession and he heeded. My father after that supported our family by working as a Hamali (unorganised labourer) in the grain market in Warangal town.
Education
Till my Post-graduation (Telugu; Gold Medallist), I studied with government scholarship. In hindsight, I feel that it is a very courageous act. We were not properly given ration of food among others. During holidays, back home I got yelled at many times by my childhood friend’s parents for watching “Chitrahaar” (Hindi) or “Chitralahari” (Telugu) during the 90’s from outside or through the window. Even though I was an active member with organisations belonging to Leftist ideology, there was a realisation that I could understand.
Ideological Shift
I’m from Shivnagar, a Dalit ghetto in Warangal (close to the railway station). As my father worked as a Hamali and due to the times most of the educated lot got inspired from Maoism (then PWG) and allied Leftist ideology, especially, in the 90’s and early 2000’s. During my M.Phil course and after being in a very elite institute (UoH), my thoughts about caste discrimination got reified. I did very committed scholarly work in the course of my Ph.D too. In the process, I got influenced by Bahujan philosophical outlook that opposes the looting brahmanical ideals. Thwarted in a room where I had to share with five upper caste members, I found solace in the readings of Kalekuri Prasad, Nagappagari Sundararaju, Gyara Yadaiah among others. However, I could never relate to the curriculum prescribed throughout my education till my admission into M.Phil programme. That was the point when I realised that caste discrimination is omnipotent and shifted from reified leftist ideology to more relevant and appropriate Dalit-Bahujan one. And also, I could never relate to the long speeches and lengthy articles by the so-called left intellectuals against imperialism and capitalism, at a time when downtrodden individuals are getting killed under the name of “black magic” or “evil possession”; not only in my vicinity but elsewhere too.
On Intolerance
Our society throughout the ages has been intolerant. Why make a hue and cry now? I feel that media (print and broadcast) has been giving a partial coverage towards Dalits, Bahujans, Muslims and religious minorities. As a litterateur, I affirm that the current so-called “intolerance” by regional and nation media is of no help. At a time when a person is deprived of his/her choice of food under the aegis of rampant Hindutva forces, popular media is only projecting one’s Constitutional rights as intolerance. Precisely, it’s the reason I don’t subscribe to that.
About Ghar-Whapsi and Award Returning
Okay, I got Yuva puraskar from Central Sahitya Akademi. What I feel is that most of the persons who returned their awards are from upper-caste. I have nothing against them. In fact, I respect them. But it doesn’t mean that it is THE form of protest. Where were these people/intellectuals all this while? Discrimination against any sort of minorities is not a new issue. May be the current ruling party is doing it overtly, but covertly it has been the case throughout our known and recorded history. Of course, I agree that there was never so much antagonism against food culture and also popular disdain about literary personalities who speak their heart out, especially from downtrodden sections of our societies. I feel that there should be some recognition from the State about genuine literary contribution, which I got to an extent.
Discrimination in urban spaces
As I told earlier, discrimination is everywhere. Many people believe that god is all pervasive and omnipotent. I don’t know much about that. Certainly, caste is everywhere to the core. After my MA degree, I landed in University of Hyderabad, which is located in Hyderabad – supposed to be a global city. Even there I experienced discrimination. It was almost like ghosts from the past. But the real shock which I along with my wife experienced is when we struggled to get a rental home. This voyage became the crux for my work “Out of Coverage Area.” Going by my skills, I preferred to outlay many of encountered experiences in a fictional form. That took a shape and became “Out of Coverage Area.”
On Telugu Literature
I intentionally used English language for my latest work. It connects to the readers, right? This is the age of mobile communication. More importantly, this is the age when Telugu literature became synonymous with Dalit and Bahujan literature in that language.
Guiding Forces
This achievement is not entirely mine. I have a strong support in the form of bahujan literary activists, my family members and friends from campus.
Bhargav Nimmagadda is a doctoral scholar from University of Hyderabad in the Department of Communication. He has earlier worked as a journalist with a leading National daily.
