Dalit burnt alive after his son elopes with girl
இந்தியவில் சாதி இந்துக்கள் மட்டும் SC/ST மக்களை வன்கொடுமைக்கு உட்படுத்தப்படவில்லை, மாறாக இந்துமத அதர்மத்தை உள்வாங்கிய மற்ற மதங்களும் (the times of India news dated 27.02.2011 இச்செய்திக்கு அடியில் தரப்பட்டுள்ளதை படிக்கவும் )இம்மக்களை துன்புறுத்துகிறார்கள். இந்துமத சனாதன வாதிகள் SC/ST மக்கள் இந்துக்கள் என்று பிரகடன படித்திகொண்டு அவர்களை சேரி என்னும் சிறையில் வைத்துவிட்டு மற்றமததினரை ஊருக்குள் வைத்து கொண்டனர் ,இதை உணராத இம்மக்கள் இன்றுவரை இந்துமத சிறையில் சாதி மற்றும் மத வன்கொடுமையை அனுபவித்து வருகின்றனர்.
A 61-year-old dalit man was burnt to death in Periyapatti village of Namakkal district after his son eloped with a Muslim girl of the same village.
Nallayan’s son Sekhar (27) was in love with Gilzar (21) and couple allegedly eloped recently. At 3pm on Monday, when Nallayan was working in a shop in Periyapatti, Gulzar’s father Shahjahan went there and called out to him. An argument ensued, followed by a scuffle during which Shahjahan allegedly poured petrol over Nallayan. He then lit his cigarette lighter, setting fire to Nallayan who suffered serious burn injuries.
Although he was admitted to the Namakkal government hospital, Nallayan died later, police said. Nallayan’s daughter Shanthi said Shahjahan and his relatives had threatened her family members soon after Sekar eloped with Gulzar. Nallayan had pleaded with Shahjahan to give him two days to search for his son. But he was killed before he could even begin the search, Shanthi said. She said the police should give protection for her family members because Shajahan and his family members were influential in the region.
Namakkal sub-inspector Lakshmana Kumar told TOI that Shajahan has been arrested and booked for murder as well as under the Prevention of Atrocities Act. “Preliminary investigations point towards a family feud. The investigation is on,” said Lakshmana Kumar.
“Of late, atrocities against dalits by non-dalits are on the rise in the southern districts of Tamil Nadu. Even though the issue was raised by many, no action has been taken so far in many cases,” said K Muthuvel, a dalit activist from Namakkal.
Human rights activist A Kathir, who heads NGO Evidence, has demanded that the government give jobs for Nallayan’s family members and a compensation of Rs 10 lakh.
Source: The Times of India dated 23.02.௨௦௧௧
PATRON GOD
THE MANY SHADES OF SHIVA
Sunday Times focuses on one of the most popular deities in the Hindu pantheon to unravel different facets of his appeal
Mahashivaratri, three days from now, will be a special day for Umer Farukh. He will celebrate the festival through the night, by reciting ballads and songs in praise of Shiva. Farukh belongs to the community of Muslim jogis, spread across the historical region of Mewat, which comprises parts of Haryana and Rajasthan. They are Muslim, but the jogis worship Shiva and other Hindu gods such as Hanuman. “We consider Hanuman as our elder brother and Shiva as our patron deity,” says Farukh.
What is it that has made this Mewati community — comprising more than 10,000 families — embrace Hindu gods as their own? The answer lies in the community’s origins. The jogis trace their lineage to the legendary guru Gorakhnath. Ismail Khan, a wandering minstrel from Bengal — and a follower of the Nath sect — is believed to have started the lineage. “Our community is also called Ismail-panthi, after him,” says Farukh.
In keeping with their lineage, the traditional role of the jogis is that of wandering minstrels — who survive on alms received for their singing. They also sing and perform at the homes of their patrons — known as jajman, who are traditionally from the Meo community. PK Mohanty, author of the “Encyclopaedia of Scheduled Tribes in India”, describes the Meos as a “highly Hinduised Muslim community, who believe they are direct descendants of Krishna and Rama, even as they claim to be among the unnamed prophets of God referred to in the Holy Quran.”
The jogis, who are also referred to as Mirasis, perform for their jajmans on occasions like marriage or aqeeqah — the naming ceremony of a child. “Depending on the lineage of the jajman, the jogis perform different compositions,” says Kuldeep Kothari of the Jodhpur-based Rupayan Sansthan, which is working towards preserving their compositions. If the Meo patron is a Tomar Muslim, who traces his ancestry to the Pandavas, the jogis sing the “Pandun ka kara”; for Yaduvanshis, it is “Krishna leela” and for Raghuvanshis, it is “Lanka chadhai” (Ramayana). “These compositions are quite unique, since they are based on Hindu mythology, but composed and performed by Muslim performers for a Muslim audience,” adds Kothari.
The uniqueness extends to the way the compositions are sung, often accompanied by traditional instruments like jogia sarangi and bhapang — a characteristic, one-stringed instrument reminiscent of Shiva’s damru. Since Shiva is a favourite of the community, songs in his praise form a bulk of the jogis’ repertoire, with “Shivji ka byavla” (Shiva’s wedding) being a popular theme. “The compositions are often in the shringar rasa, which describes beauty, and vir rasa that celebrates heroism,”says Kothari. The performances
are often lilting. In his
book, Mohanty gives a description:
“The Meo version of the Mahabharat called the “Pandun ka kara” is performed by Mirasis or jogis to an audience comprised of Meo Muslims…the Mirasis are dressed in flowing white kurtas and dhotis and bright crimson turbans. They play a musical rendering of the epic after a brief ode in praise of the Prophet Muhammad, and the Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti of Ajmer. The entire epic in its Meo form, rendered in the Mewati dialect, consists of some 800 verses or ‘dohas’ and takes more than three hours to recite. It relates the story of the Pandavas, whom it describes as their ancestors, ending with verses in praise of its composer, Sadullah Khan, an 18th century composer. “Pandun ka kara” is the only Muslim form of Mahabharat that exists. Today, barring a few Mirasis, no one else can recite it.”
However, times are now changing for the community. “There are not many avenues open for performers nowadays. Patronage from jajmans is dwindling,” says Farukh. Many in the community are either illiterate or semi-literate and prefer taking up low-paying jobs as labourers or rickshaw-pullers rather than follow their traditional profession. “We are working against odds to save our lineage,” admits Farukh, who has started a Trust to save the bhapang — the instrument his family specializes in.
On Mahashivaratri, as the bhapang and other instruments are played and songs sung from the Shiv-leela, the jogis may also be sending out a silent prayer to their patron deity to take care of their future.
What is it that has made this Mewati community — comprising more than 10,000 families — embrace Hindu gods as their own? The answer lies in the community’s origins. The jogis trace their lineage to the legendary guru Gorakhnath. Ismail Khan, a wandering minstrel from Bengal — and a follower of the Nath sect — is believed to have started the lineage. “Our community is also called Ismail-panthi, after him,” says Farukh.
In keeping with their lineage, the traditional role of the jogis is that of wandering minstrels — who survive on alms received for their singing. They also sing and perform at the homes of their patrons — known as jajman, who are traditionally from the Meo community. PK Mohanty, author of the “Encyclopaedia of Scheduled Tribes in India”, describes the Meos as a “highly Hinduised Muslim community, who believe they are direct descendants of Krishna and Rama, even as they claim to be among the unnamed prophets of God referred to in the Holy Quran.”
The jogis, who are also referred to as Mirasis, perform for their jajmans on occasions like marriage or aqeeqah — the naming ceremony of a child. “Depending on the lineage of the jajman, the jogis perform different compositions,” says Kuldeep Kothari of the Jodhpur-based Rupayan Sansthan, which is working towards preserving their compositions. If the Meo patron is a Tomar Muslim, who traces his ancestry to the Pandavas, the jogis sing the “Pandun ka kara”; for Yaduvanshis, it is “Krishna leela” and for Raghuvanshis, it is “Lanka chadhai” (Ramayana). “These compositions are quite unique, since they are based on Hindu mythology, but composed and performed by Muslim performers for a Muslim audience,” adds Kothari.
The uniqueness extends to the way the compositions are sung, often accompanied by traditional instruments like jogia sarangi and bhapang — a characteristic, one-stringed instrument reminiscent of Shiva’s damru. Since Shiva is a favourite of the community, songs in his praise form a bulk of the jogis’ repertoire, with “Shivji ka byavla” (Shiva’s wedding) being a popular theme. “The compositions are often in the shringar rasa, which describes beauty, and vir rasa that celebrates heroism,”says Kothari. The performances
are often lilting. In his
book, Mohanty gives a description:
“The Meo version of the Mahabharat called the “Pandun ka kara” is performed by Mirasis or jogis to an audience comprised of Meo Muslims…the Mirasis are dressed in flowing white kurtas and dhotis and bright crimson turbans. They play a musical rendering of the epic after a brief ode in praise of the Prophet Muhammad, and the Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti of Ajmer. The entire epic in its Meo form, rendered in the Mewati dialect, consists of some 800 verses or ‘dohas’ and takes more than three hours to recite. It relates the story of the Pandavas, whom it describes as their ancestors, ending with verses in praise of its composer, Sadullah Khan, an 18th century composer. “Pandun ka kara” is the only Muslim form of Mahabharat that exists. Today, barring a few Mirasis, no one else can recite it.”
However, times are now changing for the community. “There are not many avenues open for performers nowadays. Patronage from jajmans is dwindling,” says Farukh. Many in the community are either illiterate or semi-literate and prefer taking up low-paying jobs as labourers or rickshaw-pullers rather than follow their traditional profession. “We are working against odds to save our lineage,” admits Farukh, who has started a Trust to save the bhapang — the instrument his family specializes in.
On Mahashivaratri, as the bhapang and other instruments are played and songs sung from the Shiv-leela, the jogis may also be sending out a silent prayer to their patron deity to take care of their future.
Source: The Times of India dt 27.02.2011
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