Mother (ai) by Jyoti Lanjewar
I have never seen you
Wearing one of those gold-bordered saris
With a gold necklace
With gold bangles
With fancy sandals
Mother! I have seen you
Burning the soles of your feet in the harsh summer sun
Hanging your little ones in a cradle on an acacia tree
Carrying barrels of tar
Working on a road construction crew….
I have seen you
With a basket of earth on your head
Rags bound on your feet
Giving a sweaty kiss to the naked child
Who came tottering over to you
Working for your daily wage, working, working…..
I have seen you
Turning back the tide of tears
Trying to ignore your stomach’s growl
Suffering parched throat and lips
Building a dam on a lake……
I have seen you
For a dream of four mud walls
Stepping carefully, pregnant
On the scaffolding of a sky scraper
Carrying a hod of wet cement on your head…..
I have seen you
In evening, untying the end of your sari
For the coins to buy salt and oil,
Putting a five paise coin
On a little hand
Saying “go eat candy”
Taking the little bundle from the cradle to your breast
Saying “Study, become an Ambedkar
And let the baskets fall from my hands”………
I have seen you
Sitting in front of the stove
Burning your very bones
To make coarse bread and a little something
To feed everybody, but half-fed yourself
So there’d would a bit in the morning……
I have seen you
Washing clothes and cleaning pots
In different households
Rejecting the scraps of food offered to you
With pride
Covering yourself with a sari
That had been mended so many times
Saying “Don’t you have a mother or a sister?”
To anyone who looked at you with lust in his eyes…..
I have seen you
On a crowded street with a market basket on your head
Trying always to keep your head covered with the end of your sari
Chasing anyone who nudged you deliberately
With your sandal in your hand……
I have seen you working until sunset
Piercing the darkness to turn toward home,
Then forcing from the door
That man who staggered in from the hooch hut…..
I have seen you
At the front of the Long March
The end of your sari tucked tightly at the waist
Shouting “Change the name”
Taking the blow of the police stick on your upraised hands
Going to jail with head held high…..
I have seen you
Saying when your only son
Fell martyr to police bullets
“You died for Bhim, your death means something”
saying boldly to the police
“If I had two or three sons, I would be fortunate.
They would fight on.”
I have seen you on your deathbed
Giving that money you earned
Rag-picking to the diksha bhumi
Saying with your dying breadth
“Live in unity….. fight for Baba…… don’t forget him….”
And with your very last breadth
“Jai Bhim.”
I have seen you….
I have never seen you
Even wanting a new broad-bordered sari
Mother, I have seen you……
Source: Images of women in Maharashtrian Literature and Religion.
You have expressed the ground reality of Dalit women, thankyou for this posting,
-Karthik Navayan
This poem is a brilliant testimony of the historical subjugation and strength of poor working class woman.It reflects the ground reality of the marginalised segments of the society who have the ideological courage and determination to challenge its oppressive structures and circumstances. And further to ultimately render a positive meaning to life and living.I salute the indomitable strength of the poor dalit working class mother and salute the women power reflected through this poem.thanks for posting.
Thanks jyothi for this beautiful poem..
it is a tribute to the working class women.They undergo suffering so that their children see a better future. it remains an obligation on these children to fulfll their dreams and take care in their older days.
what i personally liked in this poem,is the rebelliuos nature of the mother. this is what Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar is known for. though he did not show in literrary sense but through sheer hardwork and willpower he rebelled against the caste system. this is what we need today. The nedd of the hour is to rebel against any form of discrimination whether it is on you or your fellow Dalit. Mother play a crucial role in shaping the thought process of children. so they must try to instill that ” pride” which is missing in dalits. they should be proud of the resilient spirit of Dalits inspite of over 2500 years of subjugation. “Educate organize agitate ‘was the call given by dr. B R Ambedkar. The mother here represents all three in this poem.
Though she couldn’t get herself educated she ensure that her sons are educated. Her unwillingness to succumb to the taunts of onlooker , her leading the Long March , “Giving that money you earned Rag-picking to the diksha bhumi “ exemplifies her organizing and agitating naure. All have got a lot to learn from this poem.BE PROUD of your ancestory friends. They might have not repeated never ending, shlokas, nor they might have not done mindless rituals BUT they have given that strength to endure and yet not loosing hope amidst all the hardship
So all those who read this poem say a BIG THANK YOU TO YOUR MOTHER here…….
THANK YOU MOM
Yet not to loose hope amidst all hardships….
Those days i am not born but i can feel. how is our life.how upper caste people dominated us.one who he is intellectual TITAN Dr.B.R.Ambedkar. we cant tell words of our worries.we had been working hard but we cant eat well.oh………………………..my Bhim when these worrie wide out….?????????????????????????????. we need new revolution ………….