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Alms in the Name of a Blind Horse
Alms in the Name of a Blind Horse (Anhe Ghore Da Daan) is a modern classic that derives its title from an ancient myth associated with the Churning of the Ocean, in which Lord Vishnu had been less than fair in his dispensation to the Asuras, supposedly the progenitors of latter-day Dalits. Through this novel, Gurdial Singh emphasizes that just as the Asuras had to depend upon the arbitrary dispensation of the Lord, in the same way the modern Dalits have to depend on the mercy and compassion of the village overlords. On the day of the lunar and solar eclipse, they still go around asking for the alms in the name of the blind horse. The events of this novel are confined to one such day of lunar eclipse in the lives of its characters. Often it is believed that poor, landless and marginalized characters such as Melu, his bapu, his Chacha Partapa, etc. lead banal and uneventful lives, which are not even worthy of a description, let alone artistic treatment. Exploding this myth, Gurdial Singh has created this 'whirlpool of a novella' around unending spate of events that enmesh hapless lives of its characters, all in course of a single day.
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1976
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About the author
Gurdial Singh
62 books68 followersGurdial Singh Rahi (Gurdi'āl Sigh; 10 January 1933 – 16 August 2016) was a Punjabi language writer, novelist and Migration Agent from Punjab, India. He started his literary career in 1957 with a short story, "Bhaganwale”. He became known as a novelist when he published the novel Marhi Da Deeva in 1964. The novel was later adapted into the Punjabi film Marhi Da Deeva in 1989, directed by Surinder Singh. His novel Anhe Ghore Da Daan was also made into a film of the same name in 2011 by director Gurvinder Singh. Singh was honoured with the Padma Shri in 1998 and Jnanpith Award in 1999.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 23, 2025
This novel is about destructive nature of rampant capitalist greed and technological (so called) progress in the second half of 20th century in rural and urban Punjab. The way it promotes class system (by widening the gulf between classes) and oppresses the lives of families/ individuals especially marginalized communities and landless poor. The old humanist values and traditions are discarded for the sake of being practical and sensible and progressive. In actual its all done for exploitation and gaining power... But the characters live or try to live through whatever the life has offered them. Some clinging to religion and presence of nature around them, some drag themselves in the toils of work and then alcoholic journeys into themselves or their bitter condition, some live in the hope for finding solace of love (which is scarce) and many clinging to the profound misery of their emotions (this reminds of Pedro Paramo) as a distraction. Most of them are unable to comprehend and voice their situation. Unlike in Gurdial Singh's previous novel (Marhi Da Deeva) I read in which one of the character, Ronqi, wonders if in the next world apart from being judged for the way they led their lives, they will be answered for what wasn't given to them or the kind of live which was thrust upon them.
January 1, 2021
Published by Purple Pencil Project: https://www.purplepencilproject.com/a...
This book is an artistic treatment of lives at the margins
Gurdial Singh is one of the towering figures in Indian, not only Punjabi, literature. His fiction deals with the everydayness of life, and discusses the neglected, unseen, and unheard voices. Alms in the Name of a Blind Horse is one such celebration of a lifelong dedication toward rendering voice to the voiceless.
At the start of the book a child is told the Hindu myth of ocean churning and distribution of Amrit between the Asuras and Devas. Latter-day Dalits are thought to be the progenitors of the Asuras. Without valorizing this myth, which among many other tools is a way to perpetuate caste-based violence, Singh weaves a long, almost never-ending, series of oppressions against the people at the margins.
Razed to the ground
As an upper-caste person, it would be gross to talk about caste. In the capacity of a reviewer, and someone who is informing himself about caste-based atrocities every day, I can say that this book is one of the rare feats in articulating Dalit lives in fiction in an artistic manner in which most oppressors’ tales are told and celebrated.
When I was tasked to write about this book, I was excited as I was to read yet another work by Gurdial Singh, one of my favorite Indian writers. But having read this book, I found myself crippled to handle this subject: What should I write? Should I begin by the juxtaposition of the Hindu myth with the modern-day reality? Should I talk about how the people in power, upper-caste people like me, use their privilege, and rob people of their right to justice? Critiquing oneself was the only way. And this review is just that.
One of the tools that the oppressors have in their hands is culture. The Hindu myth is that culture that Singh strikes a blow on by using it to tell a narrative, an age-old practice where Dalits go out on the day of lunar or solar eclipse to ask for alms.
Starting from Dharma’s kothas being razed to the ground to Melu’s drug-addict life in town and her wife’s helpless in front of her brother, in a deft sketch of an about-to-be-modernized Punjab, we witness the viciousness of this oppressive circle of caste in its raw form. The haunting imagery of kite, wild animals and monsters that disturb Melu during the night, or the dust storms, and the quietness and sudden uproar in the twelve-hour period during which this tale is set also reveal the tumultuous lives that people live at the margins.
The text and the translation
In the 2020 Actors A-List by Rajeev Masand, Nawazuddin Siddique says that our cinema is yet to appreciate and use ‘silence’ as a medium of communication. Rana Nayar, translator and a major literary figure, writes that “in this particular novella that Gurdial Singh has managed to strike a balance between ‘silence’ and ‘language’.” And it is indeed that quality that makes this work explosive.
But I’m not sure if he knows this, this narrative becomes weak in his translation. He pens down remarkable meditation about translation and translations, and the difficulties in unearthing the “cultural layers” in the original text that can sometimes “turn into a contraction or reduction, and at worst, a deflection, if not a total loss of meaning.” Whether what he wrote about translation was practiced is hard to tell. He’s not the only one to blame, however, supporting this poor translation is the editor, too, who, for reasons best known to them, has left unnoticed hundreds of ‘suddenly’. I don’t remember reading six ‘suddenly’ in two pages. Not only was it frustrating, but it also did injustice to a tale that must be read by all.
Favorite Quote:
“If someone says that ‘your beard shakes while eating,’ what explanation can you offer for that?” — Pala
This book is an artistic treatment of lives at the margins
Gurdial Singh is one of the towering figures in Indian, not only Punjabi, literature. His fiction deals with the everydayness of life, and discusses the neglected, unseen, and unheard voices. Alms in the Name of a Blind Horse is one such celebration of a lifelong dedication toward rendering voice to the voiceless.
At the start of the book a child is told the Hindu myth of ocean churning and distribution of Amrit between the Asuras and Devas. Latter-day Dalits are thought to be the progenitors of the Asuras. Without valorizing this myth, which among many other tools is a way to perpetuate caste-based violence, Singh weaves a long, almost never-ending, series of oppressions against the people at the margins.
Razed to the ground
As an upper-caste person, it would be gross to talk about caste. In the capacity of a reviewer, and someone who is informing himself about caste-based atrocities every day, I can say that this book is one of the rare feats in articulating Dalit lives in fiction in an artistic manner in which most oppressors’ tales are told and celebrated.
When I was tasked to write about this book, I was excited as I was to read yet another work by Gurdial Singh, one of my favorite Indian writers. But having read this book, I found myself crippled to handle this subject: What should I write? Should I begin by the juxtaposition of the Hindu myth with the modern-day reality? Should I talk about how the people in power, upper-caste people like me, use their privilege, and rob people of their right to justice? Critiquing oneself was the only way. And this review is just that.
One of the tools that the oppressors have in their hands is culture. The Hindu myth is that culture that Singh strikes a blow on by using it to tell a narrative, an age-old practice where Dalits go out on the day of lunar or solar eclipse to ask for alms.
Starting from Dharma’s kothas being razed to the ground to Melu’s drug-addict life in town and her wife’s helpless in front of her brother, in a deft sketch of an about-to-be-modernized Punjab, we witness the viciousness of this oppressive circle of caste in its raw form. The haunting imagery of kite, wild animals and monsters that disturb Melu during the night, or the dust storms, and the quietness and sudden uproar in the twelve-hour period during which this tale is set also reveal the tumultuous lives that people live at the margins.
The text and the translation
In the 2020 Actors A-List by Rajeev Masand, Nawazuddin Siddique says that our cinema is yet to appreciate and use ‘silence’ as a medium of communication. Rana Nayar, translator and a major literary figure, writes that “in this particular novella that Gurdial Singh has managed to strike a balance between ‘silence’ and ‘language’.” And it is indeed that quality that makes this work explosive.
But I’m not sure if he knows this, this narrative becomes weak in his translation. He pens down remarkable meditation about translation and translations, and the difficulties in unearthing the “cultural layers” in the original text that can sometimes “turn into a contraction or reduction, and at worst, a deflection, if not a total loss of meaning.” Whether what he wrote about translation was practiced is hard to tell. He’s not the only one to blame, however, supporting this poor translation is the editor, too, who, for reasons best known to them, has left unnoticed hundreds of ‘suddenly’. I don’t remember reading six ‘suddenly’ in two pages. Not only was it frustrating, but it also did injustice to a tale that must be read by all.
Favorite Quote:
“If someone says that ‘your beard shakes while eating,’ what explanation can you offer for that?” — Pala
October 1, 2024
ਅੰਨ੍ਹੇ ਘੋੜੇ ਦਾ ਦਾਨ (Alms for Blind Horse) Gurdial Singh 1978
Penned by the eminent author, Dr. Gurdial Singh, this unique narrative delves into the lives of Dalits residing in the Malwa region of Punjab, enduring impoverished conditions in ghettos on lands not legally theirs. The ruthless dismantling of Dharma’s home by factory owners, legally sanctioned yet morally reprehensible, underscores the pervasive injustice. The land bought by factory owners was made liveable by hardwork of Dharma’s family. Melu’s father has two sons and a daughter. He is suffering from chronic cough and used to work as helper with jatts. Now, he is unable to work due to ill health. His elder son Melu, left village in search for better life. He works as rickshaw puller and lives in an urban slum. Conditions are very similar to that of his village. This highlights that for low-caste poor people, life isn’t much different in the village or city. With the rise of auto rickshaws, Melu finds city life tough and wants to leave. On the contrary, Melu’s father and sister, disheartened by village poverty and indignity, want to escape to the city.
According to a mythology, after churning ocean, the gods and demons fought over the nectar. Lord Vishnu took the form of Apsara Mohini and convinced both parties of equal distribution. There are queues for nectar and a demon sat in the row with the gods. By mistake Mohni gave him the nectar too. The gods Sun and Moon recognized him, and angry Vishnu severed his body in two parts. But he had already drunk the nectar, so he could not die. Because of the two parts of the body, one part became Rahu and the other Ketu. Now, whenever there is eclipse, it is thought that Rahu and Ketu come on their blind horses to claim their debt. Hence, on the day of solar or lunar eclipse, the descendants of Gods ( so called rich and upper castes) give alms to descendants of demons ( poor and lower castes ) in order to drive blind horses away from them.
A section of oppressed class wants equal rights and freedom and not alms, but a majority of them still wants to live on donations from rich. And the balance of so called God (to whom everyone looks for equality and justice) always tilts in favour of upper caste and class. Unfortunately, the few who want to fight this injustice are hindered by their own because they are bribed by their oppressors. Hence, the potential agents of change (the poor masses who are blind horses) are bribed by oppressors and they turn away from path of revolution.
Penned by the eminent author, Dr. Gurdial Singh, this unique narrative delves into the lives of Dalits residing in the Malwa region of Punjab, enduring impoverished conditions in ghettos on lands not legally theirs. The ruthless dismantling of Dharma’s home by factory owners, legally sanctioned yet morally reprehensible, underscores the pervasive injustice. The land bought by factory owners was made liveable by hardwork of Dharma’s family. Melu’s father has two sons and a daughter. He is suffering from chronic cough and used to work as helper with jatts. Now, he is unable to work due to ill health. His elder son Melu, left village in search for better life. He works as rickshaw puller and lives in an urban slum. Conditions are very similar to that of his village. This highlights that for low-caste poor people, life isn’t much different in the village or city. With the rise of auto rickshaws, Melu finds city life tough and wants to leave. On the contrary, Melu’s father and sister, disheartened by village poverty and indignity, want to escape to the city.
According to a mythology, after churning ocean, the gods and demons fought over the nectar. Lord Vishnu took the form of Apsara Mohini and convinced both parties of equal distribution. There are queues for nectar and a demon sat in the row with the gods. By mistake Mohni gave him the nectar too. The gods Sun and Moon recognized him, and angry Vishnu severed his body in two parts. But he had already drunk the nectar, so he could not die. Because of the two parts of the body, one part became Rahu and the other Ketu. Now, whenever there is eclipse, it is thought that Rahu and Ketu come on their blind horses to claim their debt. Hence, on the day of solar or lunar eclipse, the descendants of Gods ( so called rich and upper castes) give alms to descendants of demons ( poor and lower castes ) in order to drive blind horses away from them.
A section of oppressed class wants equal rights and freedom and not alms, but a majority of them still wants to live on donations from rich. And the balance of so called God (to whom everyone looks for equality and justice) always tilts in favour of upper caste and class. Unfortunately, the few who want to fight this injustice are hindered by their own because they are bribed by their oppressors. Hence, the potential agents of change (the poor masses who are blind horses) are bribed by oppressors and they turn away from path of revolution.
December 3, 2020
This is a quite captivating novel which narrows down the bitter truth of poverty in life and clearly explains how caste creed & religions have impacted many in rural areas. This book will take you to a journey where you take a complete round to reach starting point refreshed. The way analogies have been worked out by the author associating with Hindu mythology is something quite artistic and remarkable. Overall a great read and opens up layers of economic disparity in both urban and rural areas.
December 22, 2022
It is a story of a family living in poor condition in a village due to socio-economic reasons. There is caste angle and the family is thinking about migrating to town. The language of this novel is very authentic. But the story is open ended. It's just like a scene in a drama which comprises the one day of a village life. But the irony is that in a single day 5-6 incidents happen which seems unlikely. But overall a must read for Punjabi literature lovers.
April 1, 2021
There is probably a great story in that short book... Unfortunately the choices of the translator to leave a lot of vocabulary untranslated and the choice of the editor to not provide a glossary and a character list makes it really hard to follow the plot, the characters, and the point. Big disappointment.
November 19, 2017
This book tells of the problem of poor rural people and there dealings with hardship of the life. There dillema in living in city or in village. The most important thing this book tells readers is about that people and society are changing and humanitarian views are getting lost.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews