Joothan-1

जूठन #1

by Omprakash Valmiki

जूठन-1 आज़ादी के पाँच दशक पूरे होने और आधुनिकता के तमाम आयातित अथवा मौलिक रूपों को भीतर तक आत्मसात कर चुकने के बावजूद आज भी हम कहीं-न-कहीं सवर्ण और अवर्ण के दायरों में बँटे हुए हैं। सिद्धान्तों और किताबी बहसों से बाहर, जीवन में हमें आज भी अनेक उदाहरण मिल जाएँगे जिनसे हमारी जाति और वर्णगत असहिष्णुता स्पष्ट दृष्टिगोचर होती है। ‘जूठन’ ऐसे ही उदाहरणों की शृंखला है जिन्हें एक दलित व्यक्ति ने अपनी पूरी संवेदनशीलता के साथ खुद भोगा है। इस आत्मकथा में लेखक ने स्वाभाविक ही अपने उस ‘आत्म’ की तलाश करने की कोशिश की है जिसे भारत का वर्ण-तंत्र सदियों से कुचलने का प्रयास करता रहा है, कभी परोक्ष रूप में, कभी प्रत्यक्षतः। इसलिए इस पुस्तक की पंक्तियों में पीड़ा भी है, असहायता भी है, आक्रोश और क्रोध भी और अ

Genres: Autobiography, Biography, Indian Literature, Nonfiction, Society, India

197 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Omaprakāśa Vālmīki or Omprakash Valmiki (30 June 1950 – 17 November 2013) was an Indian Dalit writer and poet. well known for his autobiography, Joothan, considered a milestone in Dalit literature. He was born at the village of Barla in the Muzzafarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh. After retirement from Government Ordnance Factory he lived in Dehradun where he died of complications arising out of stomach cancer on 17 November 2013.[3]

Being a Dalit child, he was tortured and abused everywhere in society. He was fortunate enough to be born in a household where everyone loved and cared for him. The support and encouragement he gained from the family enabled him to face the dangers of being a Dalit. Right from the early stages of his life, Valmiki was conscious of the importance of studies and hence he was always a bright student. Reading and writing made him an enlightened human being. Valmiki married Chanda; despite the protestations his father accepted her as his daughter-in-law. He was not allotted a house in the government colony. They had to struggle a lot during the initial days of marriage. But he soon settled and both Valmiki and Chanda started a happy married life.

In his novel Joothan he talked about the discrimination they had to face in the school at different points. He says: “During the examinations we could not drink water from the glass when thirsty. To drink water, we had to cup our hands. The peon would pour water from way high up, lest our hands touch the glass”. Omprakash Valmiki describes his life as an untouchable, or Dalit, in the newly independent India of the 1950s. Joothan refers to scraps of food left on a plate, destined for the garbage or animals. Dalits have been forced to accept and eat joothan for centuries, and the word encapsulates the pain, humiliation, and poverty of a community forced to live at the bottom of India's social pyramid. Although untouchability was outlawed in 1949, Dalits continued to face discrimination, economic deprivation, violence, and ridicule. Valmiki shares his struggle to survive a preordained life of perpetual physical and mental persecution and his transformation into a speaking subject under the influence of the Dalit political leader, B. R. Ambedkar.

Besides Joothan (1997) Valmiki published three collections of poetry: Sadiyon Ka Santaap (1989), Bas! Bahut Ho Chuka (1997), and Ab Aur Nahin (2009). He also wrote two collections of short stories, Salaam (2000), and Ghuspethiye (2004). In addition, he wrote Dalit Saahity Ka Saundaryshaastr (2001) and a history of the Valmiki community, Safai Devata (2009), Do Chera' (a play).

Reviews

[Durgesh Deep · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was very painful for me to read this autobiography of a Dalit boy. He had to face lots of social injustice due to the caste system prevailing in India. His surname was one of the issues that he had to go through. Being Dalit, It was inspirational for me. Looking forward to read Joothan-II.

[Sapna · Rating 5 out of 5]

कड़वा सच और सवर्णो का दोगलापन | It is sad. Tells the struggle of Dalits for thousands of years and the struggle yet to continue.

[Tony Sheldon · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is sad how the world, although with the same mentality tells itself new with a veil on the face.One can deny easily the truth and one can easily say the conditions are better but it is never easy to see someone else without judgement.To see them with their suffering and past and Joothan brings it a little closer.To tell you the truth of the people who suffered from thousands of years and will suffer a little more yet.The fight is not about respect but about existence and stories like these from the corners of India tells that ever so more.5/5 easily.

[Ashutosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

A deeply traumatic revelation of the severely disturbing casteism faced by the author throughout his life. Through his own journey through such hardships, Omprakash Valmiki presents a story of a persistent battle against the extremely problematic reality of India, a land where superficially everything seems fine until you start observing the cracks. This is just one of the stories that highlights the reality of caste discrimination that continues to persist even today, which makes you want to imagine a similar or even worst reality faced by millions.

[Divya Pal · Rating 5 out of 5]

एक तथाकथित 'सुवर्ण' होने के नाते मेरा सिर शर्म से झुक जाता है। निम्नलिखित उद्धरण हिंदू धर्म की निंदनीय जाति-व्यवस्था तहत पाखंड का सार प्रस्तुत करता है

इसे जस्टिफाई करने के लिए अनेक धर्मशास्त्रों का सहारा वे जरूर लेते हैं। वे धर्मशास्त्र जो समता, स्वतंत्रता की हिमायत नहीं करते, बल्कि सामंती प्रवृत्तियों को स्थापित करते है।
तरह-तरह के मिथक रचे गए - वीरता के, आदर्शों के। कुल मिलाकर क्या परिणाम निकले?

पराजित, निराशा, निर्धनता, अज्ञानता, संकीर्णता, कूपमंडूकता, धार्मिक जड़ता, पुरोहितवाद के चंगुल में फंसा, कर्मकांड में उलझा समाज, जो टुकड़ों में बँटकर, कभी यूनानीओं से हारा, कभी शकों से। कभी हूणों से, कभी अफ़ग़ानों से, कभी मुगलों से, फ्रांसीसियों और अंग्रेज़ों से हारा, फिर भी अपनी वीरता और महानता के नाम पर कमजोर और असहायों को पीटते रहे। घर जलाते रहे। औरतों को अपमानित कर उनकी इज़्ज़त से खेलते रहे। आत्मश्लाघा में डूबकर सच्चाई से मुँह मोड़ लेना, इतिहास से सबक न लेना, आखिर किस राष्ट्र के निर्माण के कल्पना है?

वर्ण संस्था व ब्राह्मणवाद का कितना कठोर और कटु अभियोग है । अफ़सोस! हम भारत में इस उलझन, इस दुष्ट जाल, इस दलदल, इस जाति-पांति के चक्रव्यूह से कब बाहर निकलेंगे?

मात्र India का नाम भारत करने से कुछ मूल सामाजिक परिवर्तन नहीं आने वाला है। सम्भवतः सार्वभौमिक शिक्षा से ही इसका समाधान होने की सम्भावना है।

[Anushree Joshi · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is so much to quote, learn, and remember from this book - it can not and should not be limited to Instagram aesthetics.
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While reading Joothan, I felt quite a lot of things on varying degrees, but what I want to take away and keep in me is the sheer discomfort. This isn't a book to give you, me, or any other privileged Savarna feelings - lord knows we make everything about ourselves somehow. This is a book about caste, this is a book about shame, this is a book about Brahmanical atrocities and the shame India brings to itself, but most importantly, this is a book about identity. Who do you become and how do you become that when the world beats into your mind everything you are not allowed to be?
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I hold schools and colleges culpable for never integrating Dalit Literature into Indian literature as it should have been - as if this is not the history or reflection of India, it's the story screaming from the margins (which it isn't and needn't be). How Valmiki writes about Ambedkar is an integral reminder of what Ambedkar had said (especially in the light of Black Lives Matter) - in India, caste creates graded inequality, unlike racism. It's a watertight system and that is why the oppressed have never known what exists on the other side because this system makes sure they too oppress another community in the caste maze. This distance, this depravity of community, and in a way of self, is the loneliness of Valmiki.
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The writing is brilliant - it says the most pertinent of things in the quietest of ways, works its way into your psyche and you can never let go of some episodes. My most striking memory of the book is the marriage proposal that culminates when Valmiki discloses his caste to the girl and she refuses to believe that a man like him could ever be 'the other'. You can feel the anger, but you can also experience the unnerving resilience by the end.
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On police brutality, surnames, caste blindness, intellectual nepotism, corruption & education, Valmiki has a lot to tell you. In these times, we must shut up, sit down, and listen.

[Madhu Agrawal · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story gave me a new perspective of the life of a dalit in India. Being born in an upper caste, I never imagined this is what happens to the other half of our population. I always considered caste to be just a political agenda, a vote bank for politicians. Maybe the reason for my ignorance on this topic is due to the fact that I grew up in urban India where such practices are not too common. This is my observation and I could be wrong about it.

Inspite of the fact that the book gave me a good glance into the life of a dalit, the book was not well written. I got lost at several places in the book. There were too many characters to follow. The author mentioned every person he came across in his life which from a reader's point of view is exhausting. There are many plot points that started and then left and then mentioned again later. I was listening to the audiobook and I had to go back to the ebook several times to check if there is something wrong with the order in the audiobook because of inconsistency in the storyline.

[Manasa R · Rating 4 out of 5]

A remarkable autobiographical account of a Dalit's life. A seminal work in Dalit literature. This is one of the very first books I read to understand caste politics in India. I urge you all to read it.

[Parth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joothan: The Testimony of A Community.

Written by: Om Prakash Valmiki
Genre: Non-fiction, Autobiography.
Publishers: Radha-Krishna Paperbacks.
Language: Hindi.

“To those who say that these things do not happen here…I say that only those who have suffered this anguish know its sting" writes Om Prakash Valmiki in the preface of his much acclaimed biography Joothan.

Joothan, written by Dalit activist and writer, lacks the playful nostalgia and a bitter- sweet remembrance that is traditionally associated with autobiographies. On the contrary, Valmiki’s account of his life (even childhood) are far from hunky dory. Autobiography as a medium thus becomes in Valmiki’s hands a medium not to relive his memories, but to revisit trauma and overcome it. The title, which points towards the tradition wherein the leftovers or joothan of the upper-caste members of the society were consumed by the Dalit families, becomes a wider metaphor to encapsulate the leftover and outcaste status of the Dalit community under the savarna hegemony. Valmiki, thus, is not only chronicling his story, but of all those whose legs have been ensnared by the caste system.

The youngest child of his family, Valmiki is encouraged by his father and brothers to receive an education. But his school experience proves to be a nightmare as he is mocked by his classmates for wearing ragged clothes and is castigated by his teachers if he attempts to look clean. Worse, his new casteist and sadistic principal, unable to bear the idea of a Dalit child studying, makes him clean the entire school- making it a demonic everyday ritual. But this is where Joothan differs from other Dalit texts, written by non-Dalit writers. Rather than making it a testimony of suffering, Valmiki makes it a testimony of protest. As he is cleaning the school one day, Valmiki, weeping and crying, is spotted by his father who lashes out at the principal for making his child work despite continual threats from the latter. Protest, a leitmotif of Dalit Literature, finds its first articulation here. Further, he narrates the account of his being put out from the chemistry laboratory everyday which led to his failure in the subject, bullying by upper-caste children, the rituals of his own community and the solid family solidarity in the unit. Valmiki also details his realization of the ‘Dalit consciousness’ on reading Ambedkar, a person he had never heard of before: “Reading these books had awakened my consciousness. These book had given voice to my muteness.”

As the narration proceeds and details Valmiki’s economic and educational advancement, the horrors of untouchability are replaced by the subtle ways in which casteism functions and perpetuates itself. A simple act of asking one’s surname in a colloquial conversation or keeping different cups of tea for people of different castes in one’s house- Joothan shows how prejudice and bigotry functions in a supposedly modern urban setup.

The narrative of Joothan is simple, lacking any flamboyance- the language is rooted in the anger and angst of trauma and features explicit profanity and grotesque descriptions, to which Valmiki himself draws attention to, comparing his literature to those of savarna writers. In a text as political as this, language, story and narration naturally take a backseat, where it is impossible to divorce the writer from his art.

But even a text as hard-hitting and incendiary as this leaves some gaps, especially in the treatment of its female characters. We aren’t given much information about Valmiki’s sister who never got to go to school, his sister-in-law who sacrificed her jewelry for his studies or his mother who wouldn’t let her son go and kill the pigs even if it fetches money necessary for survival. But, such gaps are natural in any text and can only be filled via a retelling, which is where feminist Dalit accounts come into play.

Joothan’s status as a seminal text in Hindi Dalit literature is not because it presents the sorry plight of people living in deplorable circumstances. It is because it collects all those voices and articulates them into a scream so that it becomes a weapon against the giant tentacles of caste, still lingering in Indian society.

***********************

[Vipan Bavoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finished the first part and on to reading the second. At the end of this book, Valmiki meditates on his surname - which he has kept despite repetitive protests by people from his own community/family as well as well-intentioned peers in writing. If you are anti-caste, you have to leave behind the markers of caste identity, some argue. This name has caused him to face discrimination (from UCs) and isolation (from his own community) multiple times. But for him, living with this name is the only way of living with dignity. To borrow from Yashica Dutt, this saves him from the atrocious process of coming out again and again. And, also allows him to live with an authenticity which evades many Dalit lives. For him, Omprakash means nothing without Valmiki & using it has the power to change what it means much like Bhimrao with Ambedkar now means only one thing (despite not being a caste marker name) & without Ambedkar, Bhimrao means nothing.

He leaves it on a hopeful note though when his friends' daughter says I will take this surname.

*Mandatory reading in Dalit Hindi literature*

P.S. His father came to know what surname his son uses much later in life & he is probably the only person who loved it.

[Neeraj Pandey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This books presented a reality to me that is cruel, heartbreaking and manufactured by the class system. The injustice based on the caste system has always existed but I have been privileged enough to not even imagine what it must be like being on the receiving end of things. I stopped at many incidents and couldn't go further because the events described in book is heart-wrenching and inhuman.

Highly recommended for everyone.

[Alex Marcus · Rating 5 out of 5]

India has been a country marked by discriminatory practices. Although this sounds cruel it is the harsh truth. This book is no different. Valmiki traces his life, his struggles and the casteism he repeatedly and vehemently faced since his birth to present before us the cruelty he and our other fellow brothers face due to a system which finds its roots in our religious books, a system so degraded that it does not for a second considers a substantial section of our population human. This book is an example in front of all those who say that caste has vanquished in independent India, for all those who say we no more need reservation! He calls the people who support the Varna order to live this life of 'untouchability' for a few days and then to call upon this system. Valmiki repeatedly asserts that this is a vicious circle and they never let you get out of this. They don't let you earn money, go to school or college, find a good job and live in a good neighbourhood. And if you anyhow struggle away till there, they would repeatedly try to make you fall back. They would try to show the place where you belong. Every page of this book stands high and strong, it represents a voice so sturdy, a truth so deep, a story so painful and yet it leaves you blank in the end. This is a truth of humanity, so much known yet discarded. A book written by a man who has gone through this and it is not his pain that speaks volumes but his strength and the strength of the millions he is representing. It is his rage and his voice that powers this book. It represents all those broken dreams-
"रेतीले ढूह की तरह सपनों के बिखर जाने की आवाज़ नहीं होती। भीतर तक हिला देने वाली सर्द लकीर खिंच जाती है जिस्म के आर-पार। "
And such are the struggles!

[Sagar Chamoli · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐ — A Powerful and Eye-Opening Read



Joothan is the autobiography of Omprakash Valmiki, in which he narrates his life as someone born into an “untouchable” caste and the harsh realities he endured at the bottom of India’s social hierarchy.

The book is deeply moving and offers an honest, unfiltered look into the life of Dalits—how even the basic necessities that many take for granted are a constant struggle for them. Although the caste system is legally abolished, Valmiki’s experiences show how discrimination continues in subtle and overt ways, trapping communities in a cycle that is incredibly difficult to break.

What stands out most is Valmiki’s resilience. Despite persistent humiliation and repeated reminders of his social identity, he continued to rise, build his life, and assert his dignity. His story is both painful and inspiring.

Overall, this is a compelling and important read for anyone interested in understanding India’s social structure, caste realities, and the lived experiences of Dalits. A thought-provoking and impactful book.

[Saba Hussain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally, read Om Prakash Valmiki's autobiography "Joothan" the book focuses on the issue of Caste oppression. Reading Joothan was an emotional experience "Joothan"(Leftovers) lower caste\untouchables have been forced to accept and eat leftovers for centuries.
The autobiography is an insight into a "Dalit" life. It is a life of constant rejection, pain and suffering...
Shiraz Hassan translates the book from Hindi to Urdu.
Beautiful translation!
Thanks, Ajmal Kamal and Aaj

[Dushyant Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

The original image of society

The writer has given a very penetrating view of the Dalit Samaj, its pain, the identity crisis among the educated Dalits who do no want to reveal their identity.
It is not only among them, but we also want to project an identity which is not always true.

[Chandramani Piyush · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book will tell you life and experience of a Dalit in Indian society. From childhood to old he has painfully shared his story in this biography. If you want to know how a Dalit experience in Indian society must read the biography.

[Vinay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starting off the book is extremely painful. It shows you the real face of Indian society. The caste system is spread not only in illiterate Indian but also in informed and educated Indian. Will finish my second book now

[Keshav · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great start but falters in the middle, ending is great again. Highlights the social disabilities put on the writer due to his birth in so-called lower caste. Some of the instances just fill the heart with despair and anger. Would have given 4.5 stars if it has option for such.

[Pooja Dodiyar · Rating 5 out of 5]

कई लोग अपनी श्रेष्ठता बनाए रखने के लिए बराबरी के विचार को स्वीकार ही नहीं करना चाहते।
लेकिन
जो समाज की सच्चाई से भागने की बजाय उसे देखने का साहस रखते हैं।
जो सिर्फ "दलितों की समस्या" कहकर इसे नजरअंदाज नहीं करते, बल्कि इसे मानवता का सवाल मानते हैं। उन्हें यह किताब जरुर पढ़नी चाहिए!!

[Smruti Bodhi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting, enlightening, thought-provoking, intense, entertaining, realistic you name it. This book is a whole package on a life of an untouchable. Must read.

[Shashank Bharatiya]

सवर्ण समाज को आइना दिखाता हुवा एक जरुरी दस्तावेज

[Neha Sharma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Words fail to describe how I feel about this book. Extremely painful and insightful. I just wish he were alive.

[Vishal Shukla · Rating 5 out of 5]

सभी को पढ़ना चाहिए , सामाजिक बदलाव लाने के लिए।।।

बहुत अच्छी पुस्तक है।
सामाजिक समरसता बढ़ाने के लिए दूसरे के दर्द की समझना पड़ेगा। और ये पुस्तक उसी दर्द से परिचित कराती है।

[Satpal Yadav · Rating 5 out of 5]

बहुत ही उम्दा

दलित समाज के साथ जातिगत अन्याय को उजागर करती यह किताब । शायद पहली ऐसी किताब है जिसे मैंने एक ही बार मे खत्म कर दिया

[Kriti Tripathi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must read for Indians who are ignorant about the lived realities of the Dalit community.

[Kakoli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heart-wrenching autobiography of the author's life in the caste oppressive society of independent India.

[Amit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good

[Waqar Younus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional.

[Nightingale Pages · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joothan is an autobiography of a young dalit boy , who was regularly exploited and discriminated by the society since his childhood. It's very painful story. It depicted the conditions and life of Dalits and other untouchable people before pre independence.

[Akshima · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best piece of Dalit literature