Untouchables My Family's Triumphant Journey Out of the Caste System in Modern India

Chapter One: Up Against Bondage March 1, 1930 It was an unbearably hot afternoon in the village of Ozar. Damu was barefoot, running as fast as he could, soles burning on the scorching ground. The mamledar, a senior revenue official, was visiting the village for a routine inspection and Damu had to herald his arrival. Outpacing the mamledar's horse, he ran until he felt his legs would give way. He ran singing the praises of the mamledar, alerting the villagers that an honorable person was arriving. This was his Yeskar duty.Later, Damu patiently waited outside the house of the patil, the village headman, to escort the mamledar to another village. He could hear loud laughter echoing from inside. Hours later, they came out. By the time Damu had led the mamledar back, he was tired and hungry. Walking home slowly, he was looking forward to some hot tea and bhakris, homemade millet bread, when a policeman came looking for him."Eh, Damu Mahar, I have been looking everywhere for you. Where have you been wandering, you son of a bitch?"The constable was flustered; a dead body had been found floating in the broken well by the mangroves."You will sit guarding the body till the fauzdar and the police party come to inspect the scene and write a report," the constable ordered. "Nobody is allowed near the well. Remember, if anything happens to the corpse, your body too will end up in the well."Damu told him that he had not eaten since he had met the mamledar's tonga -- horse carriage -- that morning and that he would be back in no time, but the constable would not listen."Do you see my baton?" he asked, brandishing it. "I'll stick it up your ass and you will see it come out of your throat. I'll beat you up so badly that you'll forget the name of your father."Damu ran, stopping only when he reached the mangroves.It was quiet by the well. Damu looked all around but there was no one in sight and no sound except for the crickets.Gathering all his courage, Damu hesitantly approached the well and peeped inside, only to turn back in revulsion. It was a ghastly sight -- the body of a woman in white garb, disfigured and swollen, a shoal of fish nibbling at her limbs.It was getting dark and the stars were beginning to come out. There was no one around, he thought, and it was a corpse after all. What harm would it do if he went home for a quick bite? He was sick with hunger and had not been home since sunrise. It was already midnight; his wife would be worried. Soon, however, he was glad that he had not moved from his post. The constable had come to check on him."Damu," he yelled, "I am going home. Be sure to keep a watchful eye and don't let me catch you asleep. The fauzdar is expected to arrive by morning to make his report.""Saheb," Damu said humbly, "I have not gone home since sunrise...my wife will not take a sip of water without some word about me."The constable's face took on an angry expression. Damu faltered; no words could form and he stood open-mouthed."So what, you bastard? Do you want me to go feed her while you are away?"Damu cringed; yet without realizing that his voice had taken a sharp edge, he persisted. "Can you at least let my folks know that I will not be home till this body is cremated?""Let my folks know, you say. Look at this lout's arrogance! Do you think we were born as messengers for you lowly outcastes? Your woman is not going to die if she does not eat one night. And if she does, who cares?"Soon, dawn was breaking and the villagers were beginning to come to the fields for their morning ablutions. Damu sat by the well, unseen by anyone. He could hear them as they started whispering. All kinds of rumors were afloat."Why did she commit suicide?""How do you know it was suicide? She might have been pushed into the well.""What would you expect when a widow from a high caste gets pregnant, eh?""Arre, sheJadhav, Narendra is the author of 'Untouchables My Family's Triumphant Journey Out of the Caste System in Modern India', published 2005 under ISBN 9780743270793 and ISBN 0743270797.