Hungry craters bleed magma
In the still air of night
Through despotism’s underbelly
Silently creeps up light
In my face
You see pity
Who are you without me
In time and it’s berevity
You need me to drag you through the future
In our shared past we both were hunter gatherer
One to hundred
We are a force
You and I are implements,
Life in its own course
Artwork – Jay Saghatia (1-3) and Sunil Abhiman Awachar (4-5)
Words – Tapas Kumar Roy
Dr. Sunil Abhiman Awachar is well known as a poet and painter, also an assistant professor with the Department of Marathi in the University of Mumbai. Meanwhile, he is a full-time activist in the Dalit human rights movement. He has published four anthologies of poetry, all in Marathi, that include Global Vartamanachya Kavita (2008), Mi Mahasattechya Darashi Katora Gheun Ubha Rahanaar Nahi, Bravo! Fox Minds of Capitalist and Poems of the Occupied Everything.
Jay Sagathia is a visual artist and graphic designer from Rajkot, Gujarat. Recently he completed his bachelor’s degree in fashion communication design from National Institute of Fashion Technology,Gandhinagar and now studying master’s in visual arts from Maharaja Sayajirao University ,Baroda.Jay uses traditional art, digital art and photography to convey the socio-political message.The themes of his artwork are mostly related to his own experience with the caste, Ambedkar as an ideology, the reality of the manual scavengers, plight of the labourers and also awareness about the dalit textile artisans of Gujarat. He has worked with Anti-caste ‘Whistleblower’ theatre group in creating logo,posters and bookcover designs.Currently he is working with Dr Suraj Yengde to create promotional materials for his work and online talks.