Ghogargaon's Fr Jacquier Preface

KmoJaJmdMo \$mXa Om{H$`a~m~m

(Am¡a§Jm~mX {OëømVrb {¼ñVr {_eZ H$m`© - B g.1892 nmgyZ)

H$m{_b nmaIo

-------

{~en ES>drZ Hw$bmgmo,

Am¡a§Jm~mX Y‘©àm§V

{~eßg hmD$g,

Am¡a§Jm~mX, 431 002 17 gßQ>|~a 2008

                                                              Om{H$`a~m~m - EH$ AmXe© ì`{º$_Îd

hmS>mMo {‘eZar åhUyZ Á`m§M§ Zmd ‘amR>dmS>çmV Am{U {dX^m©‘Ü`o JmOV§` Vo ’«$mpÝgñH$Z Y‘©Jwê$ ’$mXa Om{H$`a~m~m `m§À`m AmXe© OrdZmMr, H$m`m©Mr d `emMr JmWm H$m{‘b nmaIo `m§À`m boIUrVyZ AmoKdË`m ‘amR>r ^mfoV gmH$ma hmoV Amho. ho nwñVH$ ‘amR>r ^m{fH$m§gmR>r Iyn ‘moR>o daXmZ R>aob `mV e§H$m Zmhr.

Om{H$`a~m~m§M§ Xe©Z ’$mXa ’«$mpÝgg ‘moO|À`m Á`m B§J«Or J«§Wm§‘Ü`o hmoV§ Ë`m 'ìhoJm~m±S>g \$m°a Jm°S>' Am{U 'eo\$S>©g \$m°a ¼mB©ñQ>' `m XmoZ J«§Wm§Mr nmam`U§ ‘r {M{H$ËgH$nUo Ho$br Amho. VgoM H$m{‘b nmaIo `m§À`m BVa boIm§M§ Am{U nwñVH$m§M§ dmMUhr ‘r gË`emoYH$mÀ`m ZOaoZ§ Ho$b§ Amho. `m boIH$mMr {dídgZr`Vm, ew^dV©‘mZmÀ`m KmofUo{df`rMr Ë`m§Mr Vi‘i Am{U Om{H$`a~m~m§À`m à^mdr OrdZm{df`rMm ‘OHy$a dmMH$m§Zm {ZpíMVM ‘§Ì‘w½Y H$arb.

Om{H$`a~m~m EH$ naXoer {‘eZar hmoVo. Ë`m‘wio Ë`m§À`m ‘amR>r ^mfoda ’«|$M Am{U B§J«Or ^mfm§Mm nJS>m AgUmaM. Vo bmoH$m§er g§dmX gmYV AgVmZm, CnXoe H$aV AgVmZm `oWrb ‘mUg§ dma§dma {‘píH$bnUo hgbr AgVrb. na§Vw Om{H$`a~m~m§À`m ‘wImVyZ {ZKUmè`m {¼ñVdMZm§Mr N>mn bmoH$m§da nS>br Am{U à^y `oey {¼ñVmMm g§Xoe Ë`m§Zr ñdrH$mabm. `m g§XoemV A§V^w©V Agboë`m ''‘r Ambmo Amho AemgmR>r {H$ ‘mUgm§Zm OrdZ Am{U Vohr {dnwb à‘mUmV àmá ìhmdo'' `m `oeyÀ`m {ZYm©amMr gË`Vm bmoH$m§Zm nQ>br. Ë`m‘wio {‘píH$bnUo hgUmar hr ‘mUg§ OrdZmVrb {d{dY AmìhmZm§er hgVIoiV ‘wH$m~bm H$am`bm V`ma Pmbr. `m H$maUm‘wi§M Om{H$`a~m~m§Zr Ë`m§À`m öX`mV H$m`‘M§ Ka Ho$b§ hr B{VhmgmMr {Od§V gmj Amho.

H$m{‘b nmaIo `m§Zr {b{hbob§ Om{H$`a~m~m§M§ ho M[aÌ AmOÀ`m {¼ñVmÀ`m AZw`m`m§Zm Amnë`m lÜXoV A{dMb amhmÊ`mgmR>r d ew^dV©‘mZm{df`rMr Om{H$`a~m~m§Mr Vi‘i Amnë`m OrdZmV CVa{dÊ`mV àoaH$ R>amo {hM à^yMaUr {dZ‘« àmW©Zm.

{~en ES>drZ Hw$bmgmo

àñVmdZm

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à_wI Y_©Jwê$, {¼ñVamOm _§{Xa,

_mirKmoJaJmd, _o 2008

{dgmì`m eVH$mÀ`m AIoarg \$mÝgÀ`m {H$Zmè`mdê$Z Jw[aEZ Om{H$`a ZmdmMm EH$ \|$M Vê$U hOmamo _¡bm§dê$Z KmoJaJmdmV nmD$b Q>mH$Vmo Am{U nmM XeHo$ ào{fV H$m`© H$ê$Z, BWë`m ^mfoer, g§ñH¥$Vrer EH$ê$n hmoD$Z VoWoM {Ma{ZÐm KoVmo.... ho na_oídamÀ`m BÀN>o{edm` Am{U H¥$no{edm` H$go eŠ` Amho? Zm ^mfm, Zm H$moUr OmVr-Y_m©Mo, Zm H$gbr AmoiI, Zm H$moUr ZmVbJ Zm H$moUr Jmddmbo. Varhr à^yH$m`m©gmR>r àoarV hmoD$Z hm Vê$U _mimoKmoJaJmdmgma»`m XwJ©_ JmdmV `oVmo Am{U ào{fV H$m`© gwê$ H$ê$Z nmM XeH$m§V {_eZH$m`m©Mm _im \w$b{dVmo, hm EH$ M_ËH$ma Zmhr Va H$m`? na_oídamMr _mirKmoJaJmdmda {deof Ñï>r Agbr nm{hOo åhUyZ Va ho KS>bo. hm \|$M Vê$U à^y `oey {¼ñVmMr gmj XoV `m n[agamV qhS>bm Am{U Amnë`m d¥ÜXmnH$mimV BWë`mM _mVrV {dgmdUo Ë`mZo ng§V Ho$bo. AmO `m {_eZarÀ`m nmM XeH$m§À`m ào{fVH$m`m©Mm {dMma H$aVmZm Amnbo _Z à^yÀ`m AX²>^wV gm_Ï`m©nwT>o {dZ_« hmoVo. {¼ñVmdarb lÜXm H$m` M_ËH$ma KS>dy eH$Vo `mMr àMrVr `oVo.

_mirKmoJaJmdmgmR>r Om{H$`a~m~m ho OUy YÝ`dm{XV Zmd Amho. Ë`m§Zr BWë`m hOmamo bmoH$m§Zm à^y `oey {IñVmÀ`m H$inmV AmUbo. AmOhr `m bmoH$m§À`m _ZmV Om{H$`a~m~m§À`m ñ_¥VrÀ`m Á`moVr VodV AmhoV. Iè`m AWm©Zo Om{H$`a~m~m _mirKmoJaJmd {_eZMo ^m½`{dYmVo AmhoV. Ë`m§Zr Oo ~r noabo Ë`mMm AmO gw§Xa _im Pmbm Amho. Ë`m§Zr Oo noabo Vo AmO ^aKmog {nH$bo Amho. Am¡a§Jm~mX {OëømÀ`m J§Jmnya Am{U d¡Omnya VmbwŠ`m§Vrb àË`oH$ {¼ñVr Hw$Qw>§~m§V Om{H$`a~m~m§Zm _moR>çm lÜXoMo ñWmZ Amho. \$mXa Om{H$`a~m~m§Zr EH${dgmì`m eVH$mÀ`m Mma XeH$m§V `m J«m_rU ^mJmV H$Yr KmoS>çmda ñdma hmoD$Z, H$Yr ~¡bJmS>rZo Va H$Yr KmoS>mJmS>rZo àdmg H$arV {¼ñVmÀ`m VmaUmMr gwdmVm© gm§{JVbr. Ë`m§À`m ñnem©Zo nmdZ Pmbobr Vr KmoS>mJmS>r `m JmdmV AmOhr lÜXoZo OnyZ R>odÊ`mV Ambr Amho.

Ë`mH$mimV _mirKmoJaJmd ZmJnya Y_©àm§VmV g_m{dï> hmoVo. {S>g|~a 1977 bm nmon nm°b ghmdo `m§À`m AmXoemZwgma Am¡a§Jm~mX Y_©àm§VmMr ñWmnZm Pmbr. {~en S>m°_{ZH$ Am{~«`mo `m§Mr `m Y_©àm§VmMo n{hbo _hmJwéñdm_r åhUyZ Zo_UyH$ Pmbr. AmO Am¡a§Jm~mX Y_©àm§VmMo ñdê$n ~Xbbo AgyZ à^yÀ`m H¥$noZo Y_©àm§VmMm gd© ~m~VrV {dH$mg hmoV Amho. {ejU, Amamo½`godm `m joÌm§V _moR>m {dñVma Pmbm Amho. _mirKmoJaJmd {_eZ H|$ÐmVyZ AmO ~moaga, d¡Omnya, dmhoJmd, J§Jmnya Am{U H$ÞS> hr ñdV§Ì Y_©J«m_o C^r am{hbr AmhoV. `m gd© Y_©J«m_m§Mr nm`m^aUr \$mXa Om{H$`a~m~m `m§ZrM Ho$br Amho. Ë`m§Zr Anma lÕoZo Am{U H$ï>mZo Ho$boë`m noaUrVyZ AmO hm _im \w$bbm Amho.

nÌH$ma H$m{_b nmaIo `m§Zr \$mXa Om{H$`a~m~m§da ho nwñVH$ {bhÿZ \$ma _moR>o H$m`© Ho$bo Amho. Zì`m {nT>rbm Om{H$`a~m~m§Mm AJXr OdiyZ n[aM` `m nwñVH$m_wio hmoV amhrb. Aem àH$maMo \$mXa Om{H$`a~m~m§Mo {_eZ H$m`© gm§JUmam M[aÌdOm hm n{hbmM J«§W Amho. Am¡a§Jm~mX Y_©àm§VmÀ`m B{VhmgmÀ`m Ñï>rZohr hm J«§W EH$ _mobmMm Eo{Vhm{gH$ XñVEodO R>aUma Amho.

`m J«§WmMo AmUIr EH$ AmJiodoJio _hÎd Amho, Vo åhUOo `m M[aÌmVyZ Om{H$`a~m~m§À`m µH$mimVrb VgoM ñdmV§Í`nyd© H$mimVrb gm_m{OH$ n[apñWVrMo Xe©Z KS>Vo. VgoM H°$Wmo{bH$ MM©Zo `m n[agamV nm`m^yV ñdê$nmMo \$ma _moR>o H$m`© Ho$bo Amho ho bjmV `oVo. Om{H$`a~m~m§Zr VËH$mbrZ Añn¥í`Vobm AmìhmZ {Xbo hmoVo, ho Va \$maM {MÎmdoYH$ Amho. boIH$ ZwgVo Om{H$`a~m~m§Mo M[aÌboIH$ Pmbo ZgyZ MM©À`m B{VhmgmMoM boIH$ Pmbo AmhoV. ho nwñVH$ Aä`mgë`mIoarO Am¡a§Jm~mX Y_©àm§VmMm B{Vhmg g_OyZ KoVm `oUma Zmhr. boIH$ nmaIo `m§Zr \$maM _mobmMo H$m_ Ho$bo Amho. `m _m¡{bH$ nwñVH$mbm àñVmdZm {b{hÊ`mMr g§Yr _bm {_imbr ho _r _mPo ^m½` g_OVmo. `mMo H$maU H$s, _mirKmoJaJmd `oWrb à_wI Y_©Jwê$ åhUOoM \$mXa Om{H$`a~m~m§Mm CÎmam{YH$mar `m ZmË`mZo hr àñVmdZm _r {b{hV Amho.

ho nwñVH$ AË`§V dmMZr` Amho, Ë`mhÿZ Vo A{YH$ _ZZr` Am{U qMVZr` Pmbo Amho. `m nwñVH$mÀ`m AZwH«$_{UHo$da ZOa Q>mH$br Varhr boIH$mZo ho nwñVH$ {bhm`bm {H$Vr H$ï> KoVbo AmhoV Am{U _moR>çm ì`mg§JmZo, Aä`mg H$ê$Z Vo {b{hbo Amho ho bjmV `oVo. à^y `oey {¼ñVmdarb lÕoÀ`m gm_Ï`m©da Om{H$`a~m~m§Zr AZoH$ g§H$Q>m§Zm Vm|S> {Xbo, gm_m{OH$, Am{W©H$ g_ñ`m§VyZ _mJ© H$mT>Ê`mgmR>r bmoH$m§Zm Ë`m§Zr _XV Ho$br. hgè`m Mohoè`mZo KmoS>mJmS>rVyZ Yra Úm`bm, _XVrMm hmV Úm`bm `oUmè`m Om{H$`a~m~m§Mr AmoiI `m nwñVH$mVyZ hmoVo.

Jwê$XrjoÀ`m nÝZmgmì`m dYm©nZm{Z{_Îm `m n[agamVrb JmdH$è`m§Zr Om{H$`a~m~m§Zm _mZnÌ {Xbo Ë`m KQ>ZoMo ^mdnyU© dU©Z `m nwñVH$mV Amho. Om{H$`a~m~m§À`m _hm{Zdm©UmMr KQ>Zm dmMVmZm _Z hobmdyZ OmVo, à^ynwT>o lÕoZo _mZ bdVo. boIH$mZo AË`§V AmoKdË`m e¡brV ho nwñVH$ {b{hbo Amho.

M[aÌboIH$mZo EH$m {R>H$mUr åhQ>bo Amho H$s bmoH$m§À`m Ñï>rZo _mirKmoJaJmdMo ào{fV Agboë`m Om{H$`a~m~m§Zr g§VnX H$YrM àmá Ho$bo Amho. hOmamo ^m{dH$m§À`m _ZmV Om{H$`a~m~m§Mo ñWmZ ho AmXaUr` g§VmMoM Amho. g§H$Q>H$mir ho bmoH$ `m 'g§Vm'Mr AmR>dU H$aVmV. `oWrb `mÌoV _moR>çm g§»`oZo gh^mJr hmoVmV.

{¼ñVr ^m{dH$ VgoM {¼ñVrVa dmMH$hr _mirKmoJaJmdÀ`m `m ào{fVmÀ`m M[aÌmMo ñdmJV H$aVrb Agm _mPm {dídmg Amho. ho nwñVH$ dmMVmZm AmnU MM©_Ü`o {_ñgmÀ`m doir JmVmo Vo JrV AmR>dVo, ''à^yMo Pmbo ~hþ CnH$ma, hmoD$ H$gm _r CVamB©?''

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i)  {~en ES>{dZ Hw$bmgmo, Am¡a§Jm~mX Y_©àm§V
ii) \$mXa _m[a`mo {S>gmoPm- E_EgE\$Eg g§ñWoÀ`m nwUo àm§VmMo à_wI
iii) \$mXa pñQ>\$Z Aë_oS>m, KmoJaJmdÀ`m {¼ñVamOm _§{XamMo Y_©Jwê$

1)) Om{H$`a~m~m§À`m ñ_¥VtZm COmim
2) \$mÝg_YyZ KmoJaJmdmV 
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11) amhmVm `oWrb ào{fVH$m`©
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16) Añn¥í`VoÀ`m àWog Om{H$`a~m~m§Mo AmìhmZ
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Christians hail caste inclusion in census

Christians hail caste inclusion in census

http://www.sakaaltimes.com/SakaalTimesBeta/20100513/5741562463657674903.htm

CAMIL PARKHE

Thursday, May 13, 2010 AT 01:23 PM (IST)
Tags: CBCI, Church, caste, census, Christianity, Dalit Christians
PUNE: The Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI), the apex body of the Catholic Church in the country, has welcomed the government’s willingness to include caste in the national census.
The CBCI has said that the move will facilitate identification of the dalit Christians - the erstwhile untouchables converted to Christianity - and help them get benefits extended to dalits belonging
to other religions.
In an interview to a Christian website, Fr Babu Joseph, CBCI spokesperson, welcomed the Centre’s proposal and said that since caste remains a social reality, there should be the “actual picture of people belonging to a particular caste.” However, such data should be used for ‘our long term aim of removing caste’ from society, he said.
The Church, which does not endorse casteism in its community, however recognises existence of dalits in its fold and has been demanding that they should be given all the concessions given to dalit Sikhs and Buddhists.
Fr Malcolm Sequeira, spokesperson of Pune diocese, has said that mere religious conversion does not bring any changes into the socio-economic status of the dalits. Therefore, dalit Christians should not be discriminated on the grounds of their religion. Fr Sequeira said that the census form should have two separate columns for caste and religions, so that even dalit Christians or dalits of any religion may be able to specify their caste as well as religion.
Tribals from northeastern states converted to Christianity continue to get quota meant for scheduled tribes even after conversion. This benefit is not extended to the dalits Christians, formerly belonging to various scheduled castes.

Jacquierbaba challenges custom of untouchability

"Fr Gurien Jacquier of Ghogargaon
Catholic Mission in Aurangabad diocese (Maharashtra) - 1892 onwards"
By Camil parkhe

Published by: SFS Publications,
PB No 5639
Rajajinagar, 1st Block,
Bangalore, 560 010

ISBN 81-85376-78-6
First edition 2009
Copyright : SFS Publications

23) Jacquierbaba challenges custom of untouchability

Even after their conversion to Christianity, there was absolutely no change in the lifestyles of the members of untouchable community in any parts of India. They carried on with their traditional occupations (the vatandari) and customs, i.e, disposal of cattle carcasses, eating flesh of the dead animals, following orders of the members of the upper castes and making the two ends meet on whatever meager was paid to them in the form of grains. 1
The untouchables were so accustomed to the inhuman treatment meted out to them that they never even considered anything wrong or unjust with it. Even if anyone were to raise a murmur of protest against this treatment, the person would have found it difficult to live in the village community. First of all, he or she would have been ostracised by the members of the upper castes and would be denied any source of livelihood.
With the arrival of missionaries in the rural areas, the Mahar, Mang men and women who otherwise were compelled to move around with heads lowered and faces covered, slowly gained a self-esteem.
There was however some sort of relief for the Dalits when they embraced Christianity. Most of the Catholic and Protestant missionaries in Ahmednagar, Jalna and Aurangabad were from Germany, Switzerland, America, France etc. There were very few British priests in India. These missionaries tries to change the lifestyle of the untouchable communities by offering them education, jobs in the church complex.
Though the European missionaries were familiar with terms like slaves and slavery, they found it difficult to understand the concepts of casteism and untouchability, a legacy found only in India. According to this custom, a person was born as untouchable and died as untouchable. There was no way to make the person climb the social order and be a part of the higher caste community.
The Mahars, Mangs and other members of the other untouchable communities members were pleasantly shocked when the European missionaries mingled with them freely and also ate along them. Earlier no person superior to them in any respect would ever dare to physically touch them. These missionaries also worked for the upliftment of these forsaken communities by admitting their children into the Church-run schools. Children of untouchables in Ahmednagar, Sangamner, Rahata, Ghogargaon, Aurangabad and other adjoining areas had special schools run by these missionaries.
I have often heard my parents and relatives speaking about an incident associated with my maternal uncle, Waman Shingare, who had served as a horse cart driver to Fr Jacquier. This incident is a classic example of the psychological support extended by the Christian missionaries to the Dalits against their higher caste oppressors. During the 19th and 20th centuries many foreign missionaries must have boosted the morale of the newly baptized Christians in this manner.
Before the Independence, jurisdiction of Ghogargaon mission centre included several villages in Gangapur and Vaijapur talukas of Aurangabad district. Fr Jacquier frequently visited these villages with my uncle Waman Shingare in the cart driver’s seat.
During those days, there were several restrictions on the members of the untouchable communities. For example, they were not allowed to flaunt new clothes or wear footwear in the presence of the higher caste people. They were required to take off footwear while approaching an upper caste individual. The bride belonging to an untouchable caste was not allowed to move ceremoniously in a procession in the village while sitting on a horse back.
This was the situation prevailing in Maharashtra and most parts of India when Fr Jacquier preached Christianity in Aurangabad district. Therefore, the sight of a young Mahar speedily driving a horse cart through the village entrance gates was considered by the higher caste persons as most outrageous. They viewed it as a serious violation of the age-old chaturvarna (social hierarchy based on four categories) custom.
However Waman was a cart driver of a missionary who was an European, a white man. No one could dare to stop the cart in which Fr Jacquier was travelling. Scolding Waman for violating the rules of untouchability would have invited the wrath and displeasure of the white sahib. People knew how Jacquierbaba alone used to bring an abrupt end to stage shows of tamasha troupes at various places. It was necessary to prevent the untouchable Waman from riding his cart through this village entrance gate in this ‘objectionable’ style. His act would have encouraged many other lower caste youths and others to challenge the custom of untouchability and the prevailing social hierarchy.
Once Waman was driving the horse cart through a village gate when the local village Patil could no longer contain his rage. He signaled Waman to halt the cart as soon as the vehicle approached nearer.
"Hey you Mahar, how can you be so arrogant? How dare you seat in the cart while crossing the village gate? Step down immediately from the cart and walk. And don’t you dare to repeat driving the cart in this village again," the village chief shouted.
Threatened in this manner, Waman immediately slowed down the cart, stepped down and started on foot still holding the reigns in his hands. He occupied the cart driver’s seat again only after moving out of the village border when he was totally out of the sight of the patil.
It was later that Waman informed Jacquierbaba about the conversation transpired between him and the village patil. He told Jacquierbaba that the members of the untouchable communities had no right to ride a horse cart while crossing a village entrance gate or when an upper caste individual was nearby. An untouchable individual was expected to run either before or after the cart when his master was sitting in the horse cart.
Jacquierbaba was furious but he decided to wait for another occasion to react to this barbaric custom. Some days later, Jacquierbaba’s horse cart was returning to Ghogargaon via the same village. Coincidentally, the village patil along with a few other persons was sitting in the Chawadi, the village community place, when the horse cart approached nearer. As instructed by Jacquierbaba, Waman slowed down the pace of the cart. His fears came true as the enraged village chief rushed to the cart. Abusing Waman, he snatched away the horse bridle.
Jacquierbaba had never imagined whatever had transpired before his eyes. He was furious that his cart driver was being humiliated on the grounds of his untouchable caste. Within a few seconds, Jacquierbaba stepped down from the cart. It is said that he trashed the village chief in the presence of the local villagers gathered at the site. The missionary did not stop there. He later approached Aurangabad district collectorate to complaint against the village patil's behaviour. The village chief subsequently had to face music for halting the horse cart of the European missionary. Eventually, Patil apologised over his high handedness and true to his nature, Jacquirbaba pardoned him immediately and also withdrew the complaint against him.

This episode relating to the custom of untouchability had caused a sensation in rural parts of Aurangabad district. The incident must have served as a warning to many upper castes persons who used to exploit the Christians and others belonging to the untouchable communities.


* * * * * *

Jai Bhim Jai Khrist Unity of Dalit Christians and Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar followers

‘Dalit Christians: Right to Reservations’

By Camil parkhe
Publisher: Indian Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, New Delhi

ISBN 9788172149796




18. Solidarity of Jai Bhim and Jai Khrist
Unity of Dalit Christians and Dr Ambedkar followers


Renowned Marathi Christian poet Shahu Dagdoba Ujagare, had in 1929 dedicated his poetry entitled Nave Anjan to Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar who fought against untouchability.1 It was the first conscious move on the part of a dalit Christian to establish and maintain close ties between the dalit Christians and the Ambedkarite movement.

Delivering the presidential address at the fifth Marathi Khristi Sahitya Sammelan held at De Nobili College in Pune in 1972, Satyavan Namdeo Suryawanshi, editor of Marathi weekly Aapan had strongly advocated that the dalits Christians should unite with other dalits and minority communities in the State. His ideology is important even today.

Suryawanshi gave the call for uniting all dalit forces at a time when the dalit movement in the State had just started making its presence felt. The established Marathi litterateurs and majority of the society had not recognised this separate rebellious ideology till then. Suryawanshi’s call came at a time when even the dalit community itself had not realised the potential of the movement. Significantly, Suryawanshi at that time was editor of a weekly, which was run by the Jesuits.

Suryawanshi enjoys a special place in Marathi literature and also in the dalit movement in Maharashtra. In the 1970s, a series of autobiographies by dalit writers created a major upheaval in Marathi literary circles as well as in the society. The autobiography of Suryawanshi – ‘Aga Je Kalpile Nahi’ (‘I had never even imagined this’) published in 1975, was the front-runner of these autobiographies. Suryawanshi had stated in this book that in his childhood, despite being a Christian, he was always treated by the high caste Hindus as a Mahar, an untouchable caste.

Unfortunately, Suryawanshi’s autobiography remained neglected for quite some time due to lack of effective marketing system. Veteran dalit writer and poet Daya Pawar’s autobiography ‘Baluta’ and P. E. Sonkamble’s autobiography ‘Athavaniche Pakshi’ were published subsequently in 1978 2 and became landmarks in Marathi literature.

In his presidential address at the Khristi sahitya sammelan, Suryawanshi had said, “In today’s democracy, a handful of Christians have absolutely no value. Even in a democratic set up, the government’s facilities and rights cannot be distributed evenly to all because every community thinks for itself and lives by protecting its own interests. Everyone is trying hard to gain a major share of cream for one’s own community, and gets maximum benefits with the help of majority votes in democracy. Due to this ‘Might is right ‘ situation, the sweet fruits of democracy are being enjoyed by majority communities and at the same time our poor community is merely watching it in bewilderment. All the minority communities also face a similar situation. However hard we may try and get our community organised and united, we would never be the rulers!. We would never be able to acquire the power to rule. If a dalit Christian writer is shrewd, intellectual and practical, he will realise mere uniting the Christian community would not yield any major benefits for the society. In a democratic set up, some social benefits can be secured only if the people are able to cause some kinds of nuisance to the government or the rulers, if they can cause terror or pose challenges on the basis of their solidarity. A handful and peace-loving Christians can never pose such challenges. Therefore, why should we waste our strength and intellect in running after mirage of securing and protecting welfare and interests of the Christian community?

Instead, let us mingle and be a part of the crowd of those who are helpless, dalit, distressed, ignored, weak and exploited. Let us share their misfortune, their pain, let us wipe out their tears, and while protecting their welfare, and while pleading for them, let us protect our welfare as well. Our interests and welfare are no different from them, nay, without them, we do not have any existence!

Sometimes, referring to my Aapan weekly, some of my friends ask me, ‘’You take up issues of Muslims, Buddhists, Harijans and tribals in your weekly very enthusiastically. But in comparison, you are less enthusiastic while fighting for the Christians’ issues, why is it so? Who will protect our interest? Who will fight for us Christians? Who will plead for us?’’ I reply to my friends, “Our interests are not different from the interests of the sad, exploited and the dalits. One who pleads for these people also pleads for the Christians. Because, I perceive Lord Jesus in every sad person. If some one is making a false and unjust propaganda against the Muslims, he is doing the same against the Christ and defaming Him. If Buddhist women are stripped, I feel my sisters Martha and Maria have been molested.3

Christians as well as some others from my native town Shrirampur were astonished when they saw a photograph of Dr. Ambedkar prominently placed at the local Catholic parish priest’s office. Most of the people are under the impression that they should keep themselves away from the Ambedkarite movement if they are Christians. Marathi writer Avinash Dolas has described this mentality of dalit Christians in following words: “Members of this community find themselves in a fix. On one hand , they looked at Christ for the heavenly abode and on the other hand, there was Dr Ambedkar who could solve their worldly problems and help them to lead life on this earth. The dalit Christian community was caught in a dilemma. Will they, as Christians, be able to march on the streets, shouting slogans of Jai Bhim? Can they, even after remaining true Christians, become Ambedkarites and return the salute of Jai Bhim of the Amberkarite brigade? 4

It was Rev. Arvind Nirmal who succeeded in solving the predicament faced by the dalit Christians in Maharashtra. Rev Nirmal, an authority on Christian theology, declared that the dalit Christians can retain their umbilical cord with the Ambedkarite movement while still practicing Christianity. Rev Nirmal who is credited with bringing in the dalit Christian liberation movement in Maharashtra motivated many dalit Christian writers and social activists to be a part of the Ambedkarite movement.

Rev Nirmal was a student of Milind College, one of the institutions founded by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. He had the fortune to see Dr. Ambedkar from a very close quarter. While in Chennai, he started Christian Dalit Liberation Movement (CDML) . He has edited a book, entitled ‘Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, a centenary tribute’.

One of the major contribution of Rev Nirmal is starting the tradition of holding separate dalit Christians’ sahitya sammelans, Until his death in 1995, he took the initiative to hold the annual sammelans for consecutive four years. Until Rev Nirmal established this rebellious path in literary circle, the dalit Christians considered themselves as a part of the `main stream’ literary circles although their existence was not even acknowledged there. Rev Nirmal himself presided over the first and third dalit Christian sahitya sammelans held at Ahmednagar in 1991 and at Lonavala in1994. The presidents of other sahitya sammelans were S N Suryawanshi (Jalna, 1993), Devdatta Husale (Ahmednagar 1995), Bishop Pradeep Kamble (Pune 2001) and Rev Subhash Chandorikar (Sangamner 2004).

On behalf of ‘ Sugava’ magazine of Vilas Wagh and Usha Wagh, and also on behalf of ‘Christian Dalit Liberation Movement’ (CDML), a seminar was organised in Aurangabad some fifteen years ago. Along with Shantaram Pandere, Sharad Patil and Avinash Dolas literary personalities and leaders from Christian community like, Rev. Nirmal, Anil Dahivadkar, Sunil Adhav also had participated. 5 The organiser Rev. Nirmal had tried to take Marathi Christian community to Dr. Ambedkar’s movement through this seminar.

After the death of Rev Nirmal, Dr Gilbert G Londhe, Rev Chandorikar and Vasant Mhaske have kept up dalit Christians’ movement in Maharashtra alive.

Well-known Marathi author Devdatta Husale has succeeded well in maintaining the ties between dalit Christians and the Ambedkarite movement. Well known for rural literature, Husale has commented on the situation of the dalit Christians often in a terse manner.

Delivering the presidential address of the 19th Marathi sahitya sammelan, at Ahmednagar in 2001, Husale said, “Instead of praying ten times and living in constant fear, the dalit Christians should just erect a memorial ( of Dr Ambedkar) and then not a single organisation will ever have the courage to challenge the Christian locality. In any case, do we not attend birth and death anniversaries of people who have never come to the rescue of Christians? We will definitely have the solid backing of our own Buddhist brothers if we give them call at any time. If we participate in Dr Ambedkar’s birth anniversary celebrations and if the Buddhists attend the Christmas celebrations, the unity of the two communities will have the desired effect.“

The large number of dalit Christians from Marathwada region, from Pune, Nashik, Jalna, Latur and Ahmednagar districts and the migrants to Bombay should serve as a natural vote bank to various factions of the Republican Party of India (RPI) and its alliances. The dalits in Maharashtra originating from the same castes, roots and after living together for ages in villages have now got divided into three religions, Hindu dalits, neo Buddhists and the dalit Christians. Fortunately, they have never got separated geographically and psychologically. It is a fact that the neo-Buddhists have progressed more than the dalit Christians due to the availability of reservations and other concessions.

The social and political leaders of both these communities have not realised that the interests of the people would be served better if these communities remained united politically. These leaders are yet to realise that their social, economical, educational and political problems may have a common answer in spite of their different religious streams, as the root of these communities is one and the same.

During my first meeting with Vilas Wagh of Sugava Publication, he asked me whether I was in any way connected to the movement of the dalit community. Wagh, who is a prominent leader of the dalit movement in Maharashtra, said. “Dalit Christians must maintain strong ties with the Ambedkarite movement,’’ adding “though the two communities follow different religions, their original root and community is the same, their problems also are similar. Therefore, the two communities must stay together in their struggle.” .

Dalit Christians belonging to the older generations greet each other, saying ‘Jai Khrist.’ People from the Ambedkarite movement have the tradition of greeting each other with the ‘Jai Bhim’ slogan. When a dalit Christian participates in Ambedkarite movement, it cannot be considered as being disloyal to his religion. Therefore, he may well greet a fellow dalit from the Ambedkarite movement with salutation, ‘Jai Bhim’.



References:



1.Sunil Adhav –‘Dharma Khristacha, Vichar Sahityacha- Shatakateel Khristi Sahitya Sammelanadhyakshiya Bhashane Va Tyavareel Samiksha’ (page 409)

2.Dr. Vasudeo Mulate ’Dalitanchi Atmakathane : Sankalpana Va Swaroop’, Swaroop Prakashan, ‘Akshar’, 858, Sahyadri nagar,n-5(south) CIDCO, Aurangabad,431003, 2nd edition April2003(pages 25, 26)

3.Sunil Adhav – Dharma Khristacha, Vichar Sahityacha- Shatakateel Khristi Sahitya Sammelanadhyakshiya Bhashane Va Tyavareel Samiksha (page187)

4.Avinash Dolas, ‘Ambedkari Chalval : Parivartanache Sandarbh, Sugava Prakashan, Pune, first edition 1995 (page 47)

5.Avinash Dolas, As above (page 45)

6.Sunil Adhav – Dharma Khristacha, Vichar Sahityacha- Shatakateel Khristi Sahitya Sammelanadhyakshiya Bhashane Va Tyavareel Samiksha’ (page 410)

7.As above (page 344)

The Church’s stance on untouchability, casteism

‘Dalit Christians: Right to Reservations’

By Camil parkhe

Publisher: Indian Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, New Delhi


4. The Church’s stance on untouchability, casteism


Even though untouchability and casteism had been practiced for several centuries among the Christian communities in south India, the Church hierarchy avoided either dissuading the people from following these practices or taking action against those perpetuating these social evils. The British rulers in India had taken a lesson from the war of independence of 1857 and to continue their rule decided not to interfere in the religious matters of India. Even before the arrival of the British in India, Robert De Nobili and other European missionaries had adopted a similar view in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries in Madurai and Tiruchirapally.

The European missionaries did not believe in the practice of untouchability. However they realised that the converts faced the risk of ex-communication from their own community if they gave up practices of casteism and untouchability after embracing Christianity. So the missionaries decided to go slow in the matter. As a result, inhuman practices like untouchability could take roots in the south Indian Christian communities and continued to flourish for many years even after Independence.

Missionaries connive at casteism, untouchability

In Madurai and other areas of southern India, during Robert De Nobili’s time, many Brahmins embraced Christianity. However, the high caste Hindus coming into Christianity meant closing the doors of Christianity to the low caste and untouchable communities. The missionaries faced a difficult dilemma- whether to choose high castes or low castes for their missionary work. If they selected one caste, it was certain that the other would turn its back on them. The missionaries did not want to lose either of the two. Therefore depending on the possibilities at different places at different times, they baptised people from both the communities and bought them to Christ.

The missionaries permitted the converts to continue observing social customs like untouchability, casteism, strictly vegetarian diet in case of the Brahmins and non-vegetarianism of the lower castes, etc. The missionaries presumed that having learnt the tenets of Christianity, over a period of time the converts would give up untouchability and casteism. This proved wrong.

The native high caste missionaries may have found nothing amiss in all this. As a result, the walls of casteism continued to separate the Indian Christians from each other for nearly four centuries after they gave up Hinduism. Till the twentieth century, the erstwhile high caste Christians continued to be vegetarians and no inter-caste marriages took place within the Christian community.

Cyril Bruce Firth says- “On the whole, the Roman Catholic Church did not directly address the problem of casteism. It was assumed that casteism is an inevitable social aspect of life in India, therefore it was permitted to have social strata as per caste in the Christian community. Still, due to education, casteism was curtailed. It condemned the extreme casteism in the form of untouchability and hoped that unity will slowly grow in the society.”1

‘Dalit is dignified’

The dalit converts to Christianity were initially referred to by the Catholic Church. as ‘Christians of Scheduled Caste Origin (CSCO). This term was frequently used since the First National Convention of Christian leaders held in Bangalore in 1978. After the 1970s and in the 1980s, the term ‘dalit Christians’ was accepted in the Christian circles of south India. Like the famous phrase- ‘black is beautiful’, the phrase, ’dalit is dignified’ found acceptance with the Dalit Christian Liberation Movement which began to take strong roots in south India after the mid 1980s.



The term ‘dalit Christian’ had led to greater awareness among the dalit Protestant Christians as early as 1970s. The national conference of All India Catholic Union (AICU) held in 1989 passed a resolution formalising the use of ‘dalit Christians’ in reference to the Scheduled Caste Christians. This very conference also dedicated the 1990s as the ‘decade of the dalit Christians’.2

The issue of discrimination towards the dalits in churches and across the Christian community was discussed for the first time at the meeting of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) held at Bangalore in 1969.3 Thereafter, the CBCI has made substantial efforts to remove casteism within the Christian community and to secure reservations and other concessions for the dalit Christians.

The general body meeting of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India held in Goa in 1986 appointed a commission under the chairmanship of Bishop Cheriankunnel to take up the cause of Scheduled Castes, Tribes and Backward Classes. 3



References:

1.Firth, Cyril Bruce ‘Hindi Khristi Mandalicha Itihas’, translator- Ratnakar Hari Kelkar, (Page 301).

2.L. Stanislaus, ‘The Liberative Mission of the Church among Dalit Christians’, (Page 44).

3.As above, page 117

4.as above, page 117