Expend your energy to fight the enemy within….

[The article “Gandhi-Ambedkar Ondishta Matu” from Devanur Mahadeva’s collection “Edege Pidda Akshara” has been re-narrated in English by journalist D.K.Vishwanath in the “March of Karnataka-October 2018” issue of the English monthly, published by the Karnataka News and Public Relations Department. .“Namma Banavasi”‘s heartfelt thanks to VL Narasimhamurthy, a young thinker and English teacher, who has given the information to us.  And also special thanx to N.R Vishukumar, retired Director, News and Public Relations Department, who gave full details about the publication of the article. ದೇವನೂರ ಮಹಾದೇವ ಅವರ ‘ಎದೆಗೆ ಬಿದ್ದ ಅಕ್ಷರ’ ಸಂಕಲದ “ಗಾಂಧಿ-ಅಂಬೇಡ್ಕರ್ ಒಂದಿಷ್ಟು ಮಾತು” ಲೇಖನವನ್ನು ಪತ್ರಕರ್ತರಾದ ಡಿ.ಕೆ.ವಿಶ್ವನಾಥ್ ಅವರು ಇಂಗ್ಲಿಷ್‍ನಲ್ಲಿ ಮರು ನಿರೂಪಿಸಿದ್ದು, ಅದು ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ವಾರ್ತಾ ಮತ್ತು ಸಾರ್ವಜನಿಕ ಸಂಪರ್ಕ ಇಲಾಖೆಯಿಂದ ಪ್ರಕಟವಾಗುತ್ತಿದ್ದ ಇಂಗ್ಲಿಷ್ ಮಾಸಿಕ “March of Karnataka-October 2018” ರ ಸಂಚಿಕೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಪ್ರಕಟವಾಗಿದೆ. ಇದನ್ನು ಹುಡುಕಿ ನೀಡಿದ ಯುವ ಚಿಂತಕರೂ, ಇಂಗ್ಲಿಷ್ ಅಧ್ಯಾಪಕರೂ ಆದ ವಿ.ಎಲ್.ನರಸಿಂಹಮೂರ್ತಿ ಅವರಿಗೂ ಹಾಗೂ ಲೇಖನ ಪ್ರಕಟಣೆಯ ಕುರಿತ ಸಂಪೂರ್ಣ ವಿವರವನ್ನು ನೀಡಿದ ವಾರ್ತಾ ಮತ್ತು ಸಾರ್ವಜನಿಕ ಸಂಪರ್ಕ ಇಲಾಖೆಯ ನಿವೃತ್ತ ನಿರ್ದೇಶಕರಾದ ಎನ್.ಆರ್.ವಿಶುಕುಮಾರ್ ಅವರಿಗೂ “ನಮ್ಮ ಬನವಾಸಿ”ಯ ಹೃದಯಪೂರ್ವಕ ಧನ್ಯವಾದಗಳು.]

[The Dalits need to fight their inner demons and take the middle path ridding themselves of intolerance as they fight the common enemy and strive for a more embracing and assimilative society, writes Devanuru Mahadeva, in his seminal essay on Gandhi & Ambedkar: A Handful Discourse* stating there is no other way]

Citing the example of what constitues the ideal family, and its various members, renowned literrateur and key proponent of the rebel Kannada Dalita Bandaya movement in the State, Devanoor Mahadeva observes that if Gandhi constituted the father figure, then JP or Jayaprakash Narayan was a helpless mother, with Vinobha the unmarried sister, Ram Manohar Lohia, the wandering tramp and Babasaheb Ambedkar, the son who dwells outside the house, given his resentment against discrimination.

This, in sum, is our family. We are the offspring of this family, he notes about the status of Dalits in the country. In what manner can we see this other than this way? muses Devnoor Mahadev, describing the contemporary political crisis in a flourish of dramatic language he is famous for, in this seminal essay on Mahatma Gandhi, specially commissioned by March of Karnataka, on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, this October 2.

The mahatma’s every step seemed like an effort to understand God, the supreme power, the almighty. I feel that the larger intention of all Gandhiji’s work was to liberate himself and achieve salvation. In his autobiography, Gandhiji observes: “Our life is our effort to see God in all living creatures,” and Devanoor posits that Gandhiji appears as if he seeks to stick to his words and moved forward in his life by examining every step he took towards causes he espoused.

Observing that while, for Gandhiji, solidarity would seem like godliness, diversity was its antithesis. Only a person who considers the entire world as a family can convert “fasting” into “satyagraha”, because “fasting” can become the potent and powerful weapon of protest when we feel that our enemy belongs to us.

Taking his argument further, in support of his hypothesis, notes the eminent writer, from the cultural context, he examines and reflects upon whether solidarity is religious or diversity is devilish. If a temple, church, masjid or monastery propagates discrimination and untouchability, then it is clear, says Devanur Mahadeva, these religions are worshipping the baseness of man. Though the people, who demolished Babri Masjid, were chanting God’s name while undertaking the task, their intention, however, he points out, proved that they had evil in their intent, action and execution, culminating in the crumbling of the edifice. Discrimination is like law which enhances the distance which also inspires one to protest against programmes which distance people from the almighty.