Manikya Manaswini Week 5

This week, my reflection is on the book, ‘Baluta’, written by Daya Pawar. The book’s title refers to the share received by people of the Mahar community, from the village produce, in return for various social ‘duties’ which may range from cleaning carcass to announcing events to playing music at weddings. There is a unique perspective provided in this book, that is both shocking and gut wrenching.

The preface by writer and critic Shanta Gokhale sets the gritty mood for what awaits the reader in Baluta while the translator’s note by Jerry Pinto gives an accurate synopsis about the book and adds his own observations about Daya Pawar’s life and writing. Baluta is not written in a chronological structure but in fact, comes across as a conversation between the writer and reader and at times, a deep monologue by the author. There is utter honesty and self-deprecation when Daya examines his convictions about justice thanks to his education and political awareness and yet unable to take a stand when injustice is meted out in various forms. There is a relaxed pace when Daya Pawar writes about life in the village at Maharwada where amidst the oppression and the injustice, there is shared joy and community spirit.