week 4- Chitransha Singh

JOOTHAN

“Purdah-observing Tyagi women sat on Dabbowali’s shores without worrying about decency” in itself is an oxymoron which also metaphorically shows the real Indian culture where the Brahmins appear to be pure but ate pork and drank alcohol in the night at the untouchables residence who they didn’t touch. The fence between their houses showcases the huge literal and metaphorical divide between the humans of red blood and different caste. The series of stories highlight the inhuman, rather animalistic treatment given to the Chuhras where even the dogs were treated more humanly than the actual ones, they were not even allowed to enroll themselves in government schools, humiliated no matter how they dressed. When finally the author was given admission in the school, he beaten up by the teachers, made to sweep the entire school, hurled abuses at, made to sit on the floor away from the Taga kids, some were also sexuallu abused by the teachers.They got a leftover roti at noon every day that was specially made by mixing the flour with husk because it was for the Chuhras. Sometimes the joothan, the half-eaten scraps,would also be put in the basket with the rotis for them. The drudgery of the caste was such that authors father was asked to indenture a son on an annual lease and take as much grain as he wants, by the Tyagi.

Sadly enough, during the marriage season elders narrated, in thrilled voices, stories of the bridegroom’s party that had left several months of joothan. This is the amount of respect they were treated with, moreover, treated themselves with yet no one had any grudges or shame. They were advanced enough as widow remarriage was an accepted practice in their community.

“The  hand-me-downs clothes given to them could not cover their helplessness.”

“One can somehow get past poverty and deprivation,but it is impossible to get past caste.”