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Give Us This Day a Feast of Flesh
Where the word becomes flesh, where reason is dazzled and magic reigns supreme: in that world delves Rajkumar. Sensuous and ferocious, the poetry of Rajkumar cracks open a world that offers the modern reader stunning glimpses into a magic-drenched, living dalit history. Born into a traditional shaman community in a border town between Kerala and Tamil Nadu, Rajkumar revels in his ability to claim disparate discourses as his poetic subjects. His angry goddesses of unreason and excessive emotion embody unfettered power, independence and freedom—elements excised from the daily life of the dalit.
- GenresPoetry
110 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
May 28, 2020
"Our gods do not hide
within the Brahmam
or tell stories only
in the language known
to the few.
They enter the loose,
betel-chewing mouth of the
nappy-haired Thangasamy
possess him
jive in him
tell signs in our language
eat pig flesh
drink arrack
smoke a cigar
and settle down amongst us
in the ghettoes
next to sewer ditches
in the no-man's lands."
RATING: 5/5
I got this two years ago during Navayana's year-end sale as I was instantly drawn to its unusual title. The blurb on the back and bio of the poet sealed the deal for me. It looked like a great opportunity to read an unfiltered #ownvoices text. Plus I had been wanting to read more new Dalit literature in translation. N D Rajkumar has received formal education only till the seventh grade. He works as a temporary labourer for the Mail Service of Indian Railways in Nagercoil, Tamil Nadu and he casually describes himself as a coolie. Dalit literature has a rich history in India, especially in the regional languages. It developed as a challenge to the dominant modes of thinking perpetuated by the upper class brahminic patriarchal status quo. Dalit ("broken/scattered") is a term used for ethnic groups that have been historically subjected to untouchability caused by widespread discriminatory purity politics.
In terms of impact, Dalit literary writing can be compared to the Negritude Movement. In her essay included in the book, the translator Anushiya Ramaswamy talks about how they lead to "the formation of new narratives and vernaculars". She mentions how texts such as these become sociological documents to members outside of the community, making the plight of Dalits more accessible through a literary form than what it would have been through non-fiction reports and statistics. I think that is enough of an overview, I would highly recommend reading her illuminating essay for yourself. Now coming to Rajkumar who constantly breaks the mould of artistic expectation throughout this collection. He is not someone who will let himself be reduced to a singular caste-based identity. He is so much more than just a Dalit. A man of many personas, he continually shifts subjectivities.
Belonging to the kaniyan community, he uses the rich lore in his poetry to narrate originary tales about primordial gods and goddesses from a time before Brahmanical interference. He delves deep into the occult and shows the primal visage of mankind. Rajkumar will not be bound by the socio-cultural establishment and he repeatedly makes a case against ill-thought assimilation into the mainstream. In his poetry, Dalit individuals aren't just limited to being powerless victims of forces beyond their ken, silent sufferers meant to be pitied. They have the power to fight back, buoyed by a deep well of raging fury, transforming them into unrelenting figures desiring retribution. Every verse is a provocation, sending the very foundations of a caste society into upheaval. The body is used as a microcosm, its suffering writ large. Rajkumar doesn't shy away from being brutal in his depiction, he doesn't want to perpetuate a false consciousness. And in that process, he creates incendiary poems which crackle and burn, bring new truths to light, and dismantle age-old held notions.
within the Brahmam
or tell stories only
in the language known
to the few.
They enter the loose,
betel-chewing mouth of the
nappy-haired Thangasamy
possess him
jive in him
tell signs in our language
eat pig flesh
drink arrack
smoke a cigar
and settle down amongst us
in the ghettoes
next to sewer ditches
in the no-man's lands."
RATING: 5/5
I got this two years ago during Navayana's year-end sale as I was instantly drawn to its unusual title. The blurb on the back and bio of the poet sealed the deal for me. It looked like a great opportunity to read an unfiltered #ownvoices text. Plus I had been wanting to read more new Dalit literature in translation. N D Rajkumar has received formal education only till the seventh grade. He works as a temporary labourer for the Mail Service of Indian Railways in Nagercoil, Tamil Nadu and he casually describes himself as a coolie. Dalit literature has a rich history in India, especially in the regional languages. It developed as a challenge to the dominant modes of thinking perpetuated by the upper class brahminic patriarchal status quo. Dalit ("broken/scattered") is a term used for ethnic groups that have been historically subjected to untouchability caused by widespread discriminatory purity politics.
In terms of impact, Dalit literary writing can be compared to the Negritude Movement. In her essay included in the book, the translator Anushiya Ramaswamy talks about how they lead to "the formation of new narratives and vernaculars". She mentions how texts such as these become sociological documents to members outside of the community, making the plight of Dalits more accessible through a literary form than what it would have been through non-fiction reports and statistics. I think that is enough of an overview, I would highly recommend reading her illuminating essay for yourself. Now coming to Rajkumar who constantly breaks the mould of artistic expectation throughout this collection. He is not someone who will let himself be reduced to a singular caste-based identity. He is so much more than just a Dalit. A man of many personas, he continually shifts subjectivities.
Belonging to the kaniyan community, he uses the rich lore in his poetry to narrate originary tales about primordial gods and goddesses from a time before Brahmanical interference. He delves deep into the occult and shows the primal visage of mankind. Rajkumar will not be bound by the socio-cultural establishment and he repeatedly makes a case against ill-thought assimilation into the mainstream. In his poetry, Dalit individuals aren't just limited to being powerless victims of forces beyond their ken, silent sufferers meant to be pitied. They have the power to fight back, buoyed by a deep well of raging fury, transforming them into unrelenting figures desiring retribution. Every verse is a provocation, sending the very foundations of a caste society into upheaval. The body is used as a microcosm, its suffering writ large. Rajkumar doesn't shy away from being brutal in his depiction, he doesn't want to perpetuate a false consciousness. And in that process, he creates incendiary poems which crackle and burn, bring new truths to light, and dismantle age-old held notions.
September 13, 2022
“We who cannot experience
The Brahmam
Link hands and walk
With our Jungle Gods”
Unsettling, intense, and visceral. N.D. Rajkumar has painted images in my mind that will remain for a long time. His world is one of magic, violence, and a deep deep bodily rage, of oppressed masses and ferocious goddesses.
Insightful afterword by Ramaswamy to contextualize Rajkumar’s writing. I can’t speak for the quality of the overall translation but there were a few uncomfortable moments where it seemed as though Ramaswamy had taken some liberties in trying to make the vocabulary legible to a western audience by using racialized terms typically associated with Blackness. That’s my only complaint and I hope an updated translation would address this.
The Brahmam
Link hands and walk
With our Jungle Gods”
Unsettling, intense, and visceral. N.D. Rajkumar has painted images in my mind that will remain for a long time. His world is one of magic, violence, and a deep deep bodily rage, of oppressed masses and ferocious goddesses.
Insightful afterword by Ramaswamy to contextualize Rajkumar’s writing. I can’t speak for the quality of the overall translation but there were a few uncomfortable moments where it seemed as though Ramaswamy had taken some liberties in trying to make the vocabulary legible to a western audience by using racialized terms typically associated with Blackness. That’s my only complaint and I hope an updated translation would address this.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews