Wednesday, December 8, 2010

[ZESTCaste] A window to the Dalit community

http://www.hindu.com/2010/12/04/stories/2010120452770200.htm

Kerala

A window to the Dalit community

Not many visiting the ongoing International Book Festival at the
Ernakulathappan Ground in Kochi would realise that the 21-year-old
guiding them from the committee office is a budding writer in her own
right.

Dalitharude Jeevitham Oravalokanam (A look into the life of Dalits)
authored by Ligy K.R. had fetched her the Dr. Ambedkar National
Fellowship Award. The book published by Kurukshetra Publications was
released in May this year.

She spent a week with the Adivasis of Wayanad to research on the
subject. "It was an enriching experience as I always wanted to know
about the Adivasi community," said Ligy.

The book split into seven chapters runs into 95 pages. It tries to
give an overview of the life of the Dalit community in the State and
the historical injustices done to them. The book remains simple but
informative.

It looks into the reasons why the Dalits were denied proper education
and revolts held to win the community their rights.

The lives of some giants who fought for the community and the rights
ensured to the Dalits in the Indian Constitution were some of the
other topics.

While it was her first published work, the first completed book was on
the topic " Vaishnava Bhakthi Paramparyam Bharatiya Kalakalil"
(Vaishnavite influence in Indian arts).It was actually an essay that
won her the first prize in the competition organised by the Guruvayur
Devaswom in 2008 that inspired her to write. She has now focused on
what she regards as the lopsided liquor policy of the State
government. She has already started writing. "Why can't the government
hike the price of liquor sold through Beverages outlets on a par or
more than what's being charged in bars and use the increased returns
from it to subsidize essential items," she asks.

She has graduated in Economics and is now pursuing an MBA degree.

Hailing from a poor family in Chengamanad near Angamaly, Ligy is
candid about her financial situation and the need to start earning a
livelihood.

Her father is a daily wage worker while her mother is bed-ridden owing
to a spinal disease.

She is realistic enough to earn a job with a steady income and to
carry on with writing alongside.

During this week, however, she will keep aside all her worries
enjoying her time with the books which she so dearly loves.

M. P. Praveen


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