“Father built this house decades ago. He must have understood the unpredictability of rain, air, earth, and water. He must have thought to himself of building a strong house. With all his children around him, he wanted to ensure that the house stood still. For the times when he would be gone. When you have a house to shelter your body, one can manage the rest. He understood that. I remember father quite vividly. He went to pick oranges in Sikkim. He went to carry salt, oil, and iron to bring home. He did not own the goods he carried, he was just a porter who bartered his sweat and blood with the wealthy and upper caste for some grains so that he could feed his children. I remember joining him during his trips. I remember walking with the heavy load with an ever-hungry stomach. Things were difficult back then for men and for women. There was no such thing as employment, where you check in a 9 and return home at 6 and at the end of every month draw a salary. Labor work was also scarce, you had to know people and even if you did you never knew if your turn would come. The caste we carried in our names made things difficult for us too. After the law interfered the oppressors, things have become easier. No one says nothing in our face but many do practice the same mindset inside their homes and talk about ‘impurity’ behind closed doors. We can do nothing about that. And during a meeting, a new thing came up. The upper caste said, ‘But you discriminate among yourselves too. There is upper caste and lower caste among yourselves too. Go sort it out among yourself and come complaining to us about the injustice we do to you.’ And then it made me think. What was said was true and I have abolished such thoughts in my home. I have told that to the men and women in my family, the daughters and the sons. The house that father built is for everyone. Come thirsty, you will get water. Come hungry, you will get food.”
It made me think
