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One Hundred Poems of Chokha Mela (2015)
Curated, translated, annotated and introduced by Chandrakant Kaluram Mhatre
Selected translations from Dalit saint-poet Chokha Mela, attentive to poetic form and to the performative, devotional, and anti-caste force of these abhang.
Featured Poem
अधिकार माझा निवेदन पाई
Source Text
अधिकार माझा
निवेदन पाई ।
तुम्ही तो गोसावी
जाणतसा ॥१॥
अवघ्या वर्णामाजी
हीन केली जाती ।
विटाळ विटाळ म्हणती
क्षणोक्षणी ॥२॥
कोणीही अंगिकार
न करिती माझा ।
दूर हो जा
अवघे म्हणती ॥३॥
चोखा म्हणे मज
तुम्ही घ्या पदरी ।
तरीच मज हरि
सुख होय ॥४॥
●🙙🙛●
Target Text
Privileged I am
To supplicate at Your feet,
You the Almighty,
You know it well.
Among all castes,
Created mine the basest;
“Pollution, Pollution,”
Uttered each moment.
No one accepts me
In their company;
“Get lost from here,”
Says one and all.
Chokha says, O Lord,
Please accept me;
That alone can give
Joy to me.
●🙙🙛●
SELECTED PoemS
Related Performance: Sant Chokha Mela Arati
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