The literary critic and activist KK Kochu’s memoir, translated from the original Malayalam, shows that, despite the communist revolution in Kerala
Kerala’s story is now part of folklore. Amidst the Brahminical influence gripping north India, the southern state comes across as a liberal enclave of beef eaters. As one of the earliest post-colonial communist states in India and the colonies, the Kerala story is prefixed with the influence of communism. Like any well-crafted piece of propaganda, there is another side to things but we are unsure of where to find a credible version of the complete picture. Dalithan, a memoir of one of the state’s finest literary critics and activists, might serve us well in this regard.
The first autobiographical reflection written in Malayalam by a Dalit, it begins with the childhood story of the author, KK Kochu, growing up in Madhuraveli, a flood-prone region of Kottayam. Last year, my friend, Sunny Kappikadu agreed to take me to the Dalit settlements, earlier known as Harijan colonies, that I had read about in Maya Pramod’s doctoral thesis. The Kerala monsoon interrupted and the colonies became inaccessible. We had to park on a bridge that overlooked some helpless homes. The houses were an island surrounded by the scenic beauty of the country. For a passerby, it was a majestic visual, but if you zoomed in just enough, you would have been shaken. There were no boats or any means to help the trapped residents. Walking through the muddy waters was risky. One wrong step, and anyone attempting an escape would have been swallowed by the swirling current. Sunny said this was a snapshot of the Dalit colonies we had intended to visit. The homes were on 10 cents of land apportioned by the communist government, which expected these Dalits to be grateful and loyal servants of the party.
Courtesy: Hindustan Times
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