वेटिंग फॉर अ व्हिझा

वेटिंग फॉर अ व्हिझा हे डॉ. बाबासाहेब आंबेडकरांनी इ.स. १९३५-३६ या कालावधी दरम्यान लिहिलेले २० पानी आत्मकथन आहे. यात डॉ. आंबेडकरांनी अस्पृश्यतेसंबंधी त्यांना आलेल्या अनुभवांच्या आठवणींचा समावेश केला आहे. कोलंबिया विद्यापीठात हे आत्मचरित्रपर पुस्तक ‘पाठ्यपुस्तक’ म्हणून वापरले जाते.

सामग्री

डॉ. बाबासाहेब आंबेडकरांनी आपल्या बालपणापासून सुरू होणारे हे अस्पृश्यतेबद्दलचे अनुभव ह्या पुस्तकात अतिशय संक्षिप्तपणे मांडलेले आहेत. विभाग १,२,३ आणि ४ मध्ये डॉ. आंबेडकरांच्या स्वतःच्या अनुभवांचा समावेश आहे, तर विभाग ५ आणि ६ मध्ये अस्पृश्यतेबाबत इतर लोकांच्या अनुभवांचा समावेश आहे.

Brief introduction

In a short one paragraph introduction, Ambedkar introduces the theme of his book, especially for the benefit of foreigners and those who may not be familiar with the concept of untouchability.

Section 1: A childhood journey to Koregaon becomes a nightmare

The first section describes a journey undertaken in 1901 by the ten-year-old Ambedkar and his siblings, from their residence in Satara to Koregaon, to meet their father, and the discriminatory behaviour they experience en route at Masur which makes their very journey appear impossible and dangerous.

Section 2: Back from the west, and unable to find lodging in Baroda

This sections describes the deep divides that existed in Baroda during that time, not just between castes, but also between religions. In 1918, upon returning to India (after 3 years in USA and a year in London), Ambedkar went to Baroda state to work as a probationer in the Accountant General's Office. However, upon arriving in Baroda, he realized that none of the Hindu hotels would allow his to stay due to his lower caste. He found a Parsi inn, but here, non-Parsis were not allowed to stay. He and the Parsi inn-keeper reached a compromise, where by Ambedkar gave his name as a Parsi, and was allowed to stay. However, this fraud (his words) was discovered by other Parsis, and on the eleventh day of his stay, a group of angry Parsi men, armed with sticks, arrived to remove him from the inn. He had to leave the inn that very day, and not having a place to stay, was forced to leave Baroda and return to Bombay to find work elsewhere.

Section 3: Pride, awkwardness and a dangerous accident in Chalisgaon

In this section, Ambedkar recounts an embarrassing accident that occurred to him in the village of Chalisgaon (Maharashtra) in 1929. He had been appointed as a member to a committee instituted by the Bombay government, to investigate allegations of oppression and grievances of untouchables. After carrying out investigations in the district of Khandesh, en route to Bombay, he disembarked at Chalisgaon to investigate a case of social boycott by Hindus against untouchables of that village. The untouchables of the village requested him to spend the night with them, but as the tonga walas considered it below their dignity to cart an untouchable (Ambedkar), the villagers had to hire a tonga (horse-driven carriage) and ride it on their own. They did so, however the untouchable riding the carriage was a novice, and had an accident as they were crossing the river on a culvert. Ambedkar was thrown off the carriage as a wheel got stuck between the stones of the culvert. This resulted in multiple injuries to Ambedkar and a fracture. The horse and carriage fell into the river.

Ambedkar feels that the pride and dignity of the village untouchables (they did not want their visitor to have to walk to the village) made them take undue risks with the safety of their visitor. He also realized that even lowly menial tongawalas felt that a highly educated barrister at law untouchable was below them.

प्रथम प्रकाशन आणि नंतरचे संस्करण

इ.स. १९९० साली पीपल्स एज्युकेशन सोसायटीने बाबासाहेबांचे हे लेखनकाम पुस्तिका म्हणून प्रकाशित केले. त्यानंतर इ.स. १९९३ मध्ये महाराष्ट्र सरकारच्या शैक्षणिक विभागाने यातील काही संग्रहांसह डॉ. बाबासाहेब आंबेडकर: लेखन आणि भाषणे, खंड १२, भाग १ मध्ये प्रकाशित केले.

हेही पहा

• डॉ. बाबासाहेब आंबेडकरांचे साहित्य