This month, PARI’s Grindmill Songs Project has featured couplets on Babasaheb Ambedkar and caste issues to mark Dr. Ambedkar’s birth anniversary on April 14. Muktabai Jadhav of Beed district winds up this series

PHOTO • Samyukta Shastri

As the month of April draws to a close, we bring the last of this series of ovi on Babasaheb Ambedkar. The two couplets featured here are by Muktabai Jadhav of Bhim Nagar. This hamlet in Majalgaon, a taluka village, has a predominantly Dalit population. For the Grindmill Songs Project, it has been a rich source of songs about Ambedkar.

In the first ovi , the performer asks when Ramabai made gold earrings. She answers that Ambedkar sent them to his wife by an airplane. The gold ornaments and the airplane both signify prosperity and economic advancement.

In the second song, Muktabai asks women of Brahmin families why they are sprinkling their courtyards (a morning ritual), implying this is not the only work they should do. In the next line, she says that the Dalits have moved out of their (imposed) confines and reached Buddha’s mansion (Buddhism). They will no longer do menial duties like dragging the carcasses of dead animals, a task that the system of caste-based occupations has forced on them for centuries. Instead, the Brahmin women will have to do this work – a reference to breaking caste-based distinctions, even if symbolically.

सोन्याचे घोसफुल रमाबाई कधी केले
भीमराज तीचे पती इमाईनात पाठविले

बामणाचे पोरी काय टाकीतीस सडा
आमी गेलो बुध्द वाड्या आता तुम्ही ढोर वढा

sōnyācē ghōsaphula ramābāī kadhī kēlē
bhīmarāja tīcē patī imāīnāta pāṭhavilē

bāmaṇācē pōrī kāya ṭākītīsa saḍā
āmī gēlō budhda vāḍyā ātā tumhī ḍhōra vaḍhā

Ramabai, when did you make these gold earrings?
Bhimraj, her husband, sent them by airplane

Daughter of a Baman, why are you sprinkling water in the courtyard?
We have gone to Buddha’s mansion, now you drag the dead animals

PHOTO • Samyukta Shastri

Performer/Singer: Mukta Jadhav

Village: Majalgaon

Hamlet : Bhim Nagar

Taluka: Majalgaon

District : Beed

Caste: Nav Bauddha (Neo Buddhist)

Date: These songs were recorded on April 2, 1996

Poster: Shreya Katyayini

Also see — ‘Keep working and look for the divine everywhere’ by Jitendra Maid

Read more: here

Namita Waikar

ନମିତା ୱାଇକର ହେଉଛନ୍ତି ଜଣେ ଲେଖିକା, ଅନୁବାଦିକା ଏବଂ ପିପୁଲ୍ସ ଆର୍କାଇଭ ଅଫ୍‌ ରୁରାଲ ଇଣ୍ଡିଆର ପରିଚାଳନା ନିର୍ଦ୍ଦେଶକ। ତାଙ୍କ ରଚିତ ଉପନ୍ୟାସ ‘ଦ ଲଙ୍ଗ ମାର୍ଚ୍ଚ’ ୨୦୧୮ରେ ପ୍ରକାଶ ପାଇଥିଲା।

ଏହାଙ୍କ ଲିଖିତ ଅନ୍ୟ ବିଷୟଗୁଡିକ ନମିତା ୱାକର
PARI GSP Team

PARIର ‘ଗ୍ରାଇଣ୍ଡମିଲ ସଙ୍ଗସ’ ପ୍ରକଳ୍ପ ଟିମ୍‌: ଆଶା ଓଗାଲେ (ଅନୁବାଦ); ବର୍ଣ୍ଣାଡ ବେଲ (ଡିଜିଟାଇଜେସନ୍‌, ଡାଟାବେସ୍‌ ଡିଜାଇନ୍‌, ପ୍ରସ୍ତୁତି ଏବଂ ରକ୍ଷଣାବେକ୍ଷଣ); ଜିତେନ୍ଦ୍ର ମୈଡ଼ (ଅନୁଲେଖନ, ଅନୁବାଦନରେ ସହାୟତା); ନମିତା ୱାଇକର (ପ୍ରକଳ୍ପ ମୁଖ୍ୟ ଏବଂ କ୍ୟୁରେସନ); ରଜନୀ ଖାଲାଡ଼କର (ଡାଟା ଏଣ୍ଟ୍ରି) ।

ଏହାଙ୍କ ଲିଖିତ ଅନ୍ୟ ବିଷୟଗୁଡିକ PARI GSP Team
Photographs : Samyukta Shastri

ଲେଖକ ପରିଚୟ: ସମ୍ୟୁକ୍ତା ଶାସ୍ତ୍ରୀ ହେଉଛନ୍ତି ପିପୁଲସ୍ ଆର୍କାଇଭ ଅଫ ରୁରାଲ ଇଣ୍ଡିଆର ବିଷୟ ସଂଯୋଜକ। ପୁନେର ସିମ୍ବିଓସିସ୍ ସେଣ୍ଟର ଫର ମିଡିଆ ଆଣ୍ଡ ମ୍ୟାନେଜମେଣ୍ଟ ଷ୍ଟଡିଜରୁ ସେ ସ୍ନାତକ ଡିଗ୍ରୀ ଏବଂ ଇଂରାଜୀ ସାହିଦ୍ୟରେ ଏସ୍ଏନ୍ଡିଟି ମହିଳା ବିଶ୍ୱବିଦ୍ୟାଳୟ, ମୁମ୍ବାଇରୁ ସ୍ନାତକୋତ୍ତର ଡିଗ୍ରୀ ହାସଲ କରିଛନ୍ତି।

ଏହାଙ୍କ ଲିଖିତ ଅନ୍ୟ ବିଷୟଗୁଡିକ ସଂଯୁକ୍ତା ଶାସ୍ତ୍ରୀ
Editor and Series Editor : Sharmila Joshi

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