Government Brahmana
An autobiographical piece of writing by Aravinda Malagatti.
(Short Summary )
Shri Aravinda Malagatti's autobiography is titled 'Government Brahmana'. This phrase is used for 'Dalit'. There is a sarcasm in this phrase. This book contains the painful experiences of the writer as a boy and young ma. It lays bare the hypocrisy of the so called 'Savarniyaru' (upper caste people).
The author begins with a tradition of throwing coins on the dead body by the rich only to show their vanity. Dalit men and boys throng to collect those small coins from mud not minding being trodden. These rich people invite the whole village for a lunch on the occasion of marriage. They invite everyone not out of love for them but to show their vanity. Such occasions are a happy occasions for dalits. They are called at end when other caste people finish their lunch. They are made to dip their hands in an ink-pot so that they don't come again. This is only for Dalits. Sometimes, these boys spread oil to their palm to cheat the watchman and go for a second round after sometime. The Dalit women had the habit of stealing food items.
In the next chapter Mr. Aravind says that he and his dalit friends were brutality beaten up by the teacher only because they didn't sweep the classroom. It was taken for granted that sweeping was their job though they were not paid anything for it. One name out of the four dalit boys used to be written on the blackboard daily. By chance if one failed to sweep, the teacher used to punish him brutally.
One of the menial jobs the family of Aravind did was skinning dead goats and selling the meat. He explains it in detail. It is nauseating.
Next, Mr. Aravind talks of stealing cotton to get some sweetmeat. The shopkeeper induced Arvind to bring more cotton if he wanted to have white bundi laddu. When Aravinda was caught red handed, he was thrashed with cowskin.
In the next chapter Mr Aravind talks of the hypocrisy of the upper caste men. They exploit the Dalit women in the name of tradition. Women are made to dress in such a way that their modesty is violated. Men splash water and colours on them. A cheap entertainment for all. Aravind questions why the upper caste men don't do the same thing with their wives and daughters.
Aravind's family was given linga deeksha. They were told to adhere to the tenets of Veerashaiva. Some of them could not follow the strict rules. So they gave it up. A few of them followed it partially while only one person in their family maintained it throughout her life. Aravind doesn't like to be a hypocrite like his uncle who conceals his caste and eating non-veg food. The height of casteism is exhibited when a man cuts the penis of a dog ( from dalit colony) just because it mated with the bitch belonging to an upper caste family.
Next, the author talks of his study at night. He says that some so called reputed men made the street light fuse repeatedly so that they can go to the prostitutes at night.
Mr. Aravind talks about a turning point in his life. Once an atheist and a Marxist, became a stanch devotee of Shri. Raghavendra swamy. He drew a picture of Shri. Raghavendra Swamy and got it framed. He then gifted it to the Matha. It was accepted, appreciated and hung on the wall. Aravind was so happy at this. But this was short lived. In a few days, he found the portrait missing from the wall. He was so disappointed. He had to confront the reality. Some people didn't tolerate the presence of the name of a dalit inside their shrine. But still his devotion for Raghavendra Swamy remained as it was.
Once, Aravind and his friends went to Mantralaya. On the way, two brahmin men became friends. Though they were disappointed to know that these people are Harijans, they kept Aravind and his friends with them. They gave them janivaara ( sacred thread) to wear and asked them to follow them. But, Aravind was caught while entering in to the bhojana shala, the dining hall exclusively meant for bahmins. He was asked to tell his gotra, (the sect,) by the man standing at the gate. Aravind could not reply, he was sent back. It is because the place is meant for only bhahmins. Mr. Malagatti regrets that he should not have visited Mantralaya. The discrimination hurts him.
The author talks of yet another great disappointment, with love. It is again the caste that played havoc in Aravind's life. He loved a brahmin young and beautiful maid. When the love was strong, the woman talked of her resolution of remaining a spinster if she failed to marry him. Much drama goes on between the two. Finally the maid slips away in the pretext of pressure from the family and conformity with the society. Aravind was awe struck when she pleaded him to handover all letters and photos,along with negatives. This made Aravind despise the woman and himself. He had to undergo the torment because he is a dalit and made a mistake of loving a brahmin girl.
The author gives an example of his roommate who spoiled his brilliant career because of love. It is believed that this was a conspiracy to stop a dalit young man becoming a great research scholar. Mistake lies with the young man also.
Next, the author talks about the irony of changing social order. Dalits want to come out of eating non vegetarian food and taking liquor while upper caste people are attracted towards it. He narrates an incident when his ex- lover, a brahmin, eats non-veg food. This is regarded as a mark of progress. The upper caste people around him ridicule Aravind for not drinking liquor.
In another incident, a friend mentions that he doesn't mind about caste. When he further says that so many harijan men and women visit his house, the author gets irritated. He thinks that despite being a scholar and rich, the devil called caste doesn't go away from our mind. A clear regret is seen here.
Aravind is confronted with himself for being suspicious. He avoids going for a lunch or dinner hosted by upper caste people. He cites an example of a so called progressive and Marxist. This man forces Aravind to have lunch with him at his house. After the lunch, he hints that he has to wash his plate as the woman is away. Aravind doesn't mind cleaning his plate. But when he noticed that the utensils he used were left there for hours while other utensils were taken inside the house. This hurts Aravind. This is the reason for avoiding going to someone's house for a lunch or dinner.
When Aravind was in Mangalore, he comes to know a new thing about plantain leaves used as plates. Even there is a discrimination in giving the part of a leaf. The tip is for god or brahmin. The base side is for dalit. This discrimination makes Aravind to stop using a plantain leaf for lunch or dinner.
The author then talks about his skill in using the hair cutting machine. He remembers how horrible it was when his uncle tonsured the heads of the members of his family and later the hair cutting was carried out using a machine. He also remembers how the time has changed the attitude of a barber of his village.
Aravind says some interesting and painful incidents about his father. When he was appointed as teacher, the village heads refuse to accept him in their midst. The only reason was that he was an untouchable. He was advised to go elsewhere. His father had to request for a change of place. He went to other village and started his career as teacher without students. Later some students came to the school. On 15 August 1947 his father was one of the happiest persons. He distributed sweets to his neighbours. He went to all the village wells along with his people and drew water from the well just to assert that they are free to use water from any well. But, next day he found that nothing would change the system.
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