History News Desk!! Was a Marathi poet, writer and human rights activist. He founded ‘Dalit Panther’. Various of his works have also been translated into European languages. He used to write against caste supremacy. Namdev Dhasal was a shining star of Marathi Dalit poetry. His life began with difficult circumstances, but with his struggle and courage he created a unique place for himself in history. ‘Dalit Panther’ had raised its voice against the incidents of Dalit oppression in the then Maharashtra. The credit for changing the grammar of Marathi poetry goes to Namdev Dhasal.
Birth
Namdev Dhasal was born on 15 February 1949 in a Dalit family of Purgaon in Pune district. In his childhood, he came to Bombay with his father Laxman Dhasal. His father worked in a slaughter house in Bombay. First village then Bombay. Religion and traditional rituals were present in both places. Namdev Dhasal had to face these and become a strong poet. A poet whose words had the power to burn the Hindu religious system.
Poetry collection ‘Golapitha’
Namdev Dhasal’s first poetry collection was ‘Golpitha’. It was published in 1972. With its arrival there was an earthquake in the world of Marathi literature. It was natural for many upper caste writers and critics to feel bad. The reason for this was Namdev’s words, which attacked him and his culture like a hammer. Whatever expression the life of the Dalit people was demanding, emerged strongly in the poems of Namdev Dhasal. An unwanted aspect of life in the red light area of Bombay, women in cages ready for the body festival. She struggled with the dilemma of hunger and restlessness. The compulsion of prostitution to satisfy the hunger below the stomach is depicted in detail in poet Namdev Dhasal’s poetry collection ‘Golpitha’. Question after question of women related to prostitution emerge in his poetry. There are no tears in those questions but anger. Such a truth of life, due to which those who enjoy the flesh make relationships, but superficial ones.
background
The language style and choice of words in Namdev Dhasal’s poetry collection ‘Golpitha’ is different. This is not found in his other poems. Famous Marathi playwright Vijay Tendulkar has also said this in the preface of ‘Golpitha’. It is said that there is some incident behind every creation of every writer. There is also a special incident in the background of the creation of ‘Golapitha’.
Namdev Dhasal loved someone, but their love could not blossom. The reason was caste. Obviously he had to get a shock. This was the reason why he had to resort to alcohol and dark streets. Anyway, his childhood was an eyewitness to this kind of environment. When you get down from the local train towards Grant Road East in Bombay, you start seeing brothels after a kilometer. Falkland and Golpitha are nearby. Full markets where everything is open. No restrictions. There is a school and also a dispensary there. All this has been going on since British times, there was never any restriction. Nor the movement to close these markets. It is also said that just as the government had given license to those who drink alcohol, similarly this market was also licensed, people used to come and go. The women also lived there and so did the children born to them.
Major works
Golpitha (1972) Murkh Mhataryane Dongar Halwale (1975) An Indispensable Character in Our History: Priyadarshini (1976) Tuhi Yatta Kanchi (1981) Khel (1983) Gandu Bagicha (1986) Ya Sattet Jeeva Ramat Nahi (1995) Me Marle Suryachya Rathache Ghode Saat Tujhe Boat Dharun Challo Aahe Awards and Honors Namdev by the Government of India in 1999 Dhasal was awarded Padma Shri. In the year 2004, Sahitya Akademi had given Jeevan Gaurav. Maharashtra Government had also awarded Namdev Dhasal for literary service. Namdev Dhasal was awarded the Soviet Land Nehru Award for ‘Golpeetha’.
death
Writer Namdev Dhasal died on 15 January 2014 in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
