Learning from poor class Dalits
- Parattai
Should Religious Leaders Thank Ms Jayalalithaa?
Ramankulam is a Dalit Village near the Rural Theological Institute. I had very good relationship with that village since 1975. It so happened that I was made the Director of the Institute in 1989.
One day the Dalit elders from that village came to my house at RTI. I found my old friend Pitchai among them. He was one of the respected elders of the village. He said, “We are going to worship our village deity and have come to invite you”.
I said to Pitchai, “Usually you just inform me about the worship. But today you have come with almost all the elders to invite me. Is that a special honor for the director of this Institute?”
He replied with his usual laugh, “That is not just the reason. We have decided to include you as a member of our village. I said, “Oh! what does that mean? You want me to live in your village?”
Pitchai once again presented me his laugh and said, “We will be happy to have you in our village. But we came here to get your share of worship expenses”. I was so glad that they had owned me and gave two hundred rupees.
Pitchai returned back hundred rupees and said, “The share is only hundred.” I said, “Oh! But what is wrong in giving more?” Pitchai said, “We don’t want anybody to pay more than their share. If any body pays more he will demand more. Isn’t it?”
I was taken aback by the reply. Pitchai has taught me that the Dalit worship does not allow inequality even in sharing expenses. I realized that if someone had paid more he would demand more power.
In other religions including Hinduism and Christianity those who pay more get more respect and power. How come these religions call themselves as major religions? Is it because they allow inequality?
It so happened that I could not attend the worship but they had sent me my share of the offerings. Once again I found equality. Like all other shares my share also had equal pieces of every thing including the meat. It is not a quantitative equality but qualitative. My share of meat had everything, from a piece of intestine to liver.
The so-called great religions say that Dalits offer blood to their deity and their religion is bloody. But as I was looking at my share I thought, “What are these Dalits really offering to their deity? Is it a bird or animal? Or Sharing? Solidarity? Equality?” I think the true God will be happy to receive these offerings of sharing, solidarity and equality than materials such as candles, coconuts etc.
Religious leaders should thank Ms.Jayalalithaa. True humans who study Dalit Religion would have left their religion if there is no Anti Conversion Bill!
Thamukku, English, Jan 2003
