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Gender | She uses pen to fight for Dalits’ rights

She uses pen to fight for Dalits’ rights

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published Published on Nov 14, 2011   modified Modified on Nov 14, 2011
-DNA
 
Faustina Mary Fatima Rani, better known as Bama, never wanted to become a writer. But she found solace and a friend in a pen after witnessing the marginalisation of Dalits in society.

Already rejected and humiliated, the behaviour of upper castes towards Dalits in her a strong desire to work for the betterment of her community.

As the second edition of her book - Kurukku -- was launched at the National Colloquium on Indian Women Writers in English - Bama shared her journey as a writer and how she used the pen as a weapon to fight for the rights of Dalit.

“When I was in school, I used to play with my friends who never discriminated against me as a Dalit. As part of a game we played, everyone had to touch the coconut by climbing the tree. Once, when everyone finished and my turn came, the coconut fell and my school headmaster charged me with stealing the fruit. His answer to my question - why he doubted me -- was shocking. “You are a Dalit and you must have done it,” said Bama, quoting an instance from her school days and people’s attitude towards Dalits during those times.

A teacher by profession, she said that the biggest challenge Dalits face is that others decide how they can be human in every sense of the word - culturally, religiously and materially.

Sharing her experiences, she said that when she wrote her first book narrating the problems faced by Dalits, the villagers fought with her parents and advised her not to go to the village for six months. “When the villagers were told the real meaning behind the book, they were very happy. I became the ‘daughter of the village,’ as well as my parents’ daughter,” stated Bama.

For the younger generation, Bama has a word of advice: “Do not be ashamed of who or what you are. Be yourself and march on the road to success.”
 
 

DNA, 13 November, 2011, http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_she-uses-pen-to-fight-for-dalits-rights_1611914


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