Blood Wave by Daya Pawar, Literatures from the Margin, B.A English Literature 3rd Year 6th Semester Elective Paper, University of Madras

 B.A English Literature

3^rd Year 6^th Semester

Elective Paper – BEN-DSE2C

Literatures from the Margin

UNIT-1: Poetry

1.1 “Blood Wave” – Daya Pawar

About Author:

     Daya Pawar or Dagdu Maruti Pawar, born in 1935 to a family in Dhamangaon, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra. Died on 1996. He was an Indian Marathi language author and poet known for his contributions to Dalit literature that dealt with the atrocities experienced by the dalits or untouchables under the Hindu caste system. In his first collections of poems Kondvada (1974), he voiced the atrocities and oppression faced by generations of Dalit. He gained fame for his autobiographical 1978 novel Baluta. Pawar won the prestigious Padma Shri awarded by the Government of India.

His Themes:

      Pawar’s writing’s reflects his active participation in the social, cultural and literary movements on the national level, his avid following of foreign literature, analytical and contemplative thinking, unwavering stance, deep understanding and empathy towards social happenings and issues.

Poem:

My ear pressed to your side

Heavy with child,

I hear rumours of the ocean.\the waves of blood swelling out

From a body fulfilled.

The mine nudging the seaward is

eager for its first glimpse

Of the universe.

Fists tight clenched for a blow,

The life small as a fist

is aflame with ardour.

But you are so desolate…why desolation?

Do you fear-

As our generations gave lifelong battle

Battered by wind and rain

Our birthing bed arrayed

Under a palm leaf thatch

Feasting off gruel

Boiled rolling on our cooking fires

Do you fear,

As our generations grown bull-strong, bull-bumped

Pulling the village like a cart,

Became lifeless lumps worth mud,

he too will be mud?

Truly, if he is to be

Thus crushed and lifeless

Then-remember the Greek Myth?-

As soon as the cord is cut

Let’s burn, scorch, hire-harden him

In leaping flames. This phoenix

Feeding on live coals

Will brave the powerful skies

And all that this nation never offered

To you or me- the joy, the glory-

He will pull down to his feet.

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