(newspremi.com, Saturday, 20 June 2020)
Saturday, 21 December 2018, One Day Before Katha
Morari Bapu’s Ramkatha ‘Manas: Ganika’ to begin in Ayodhya today
Only a very courageous person can openly embrace people from every walk of life. For common people it is an impossible feat. In our day to day dealings with other people most of us have strong likes and dislikes, subconsciously guided by our prejudices and biases. People like you and me, go about life judging others constantly- this person is acceptable and that person is very unacceptable- based on our own place in the social structure. In such a world, polarised by social inequality, if a man gives more than just a lip service to the concept of equality and opens his arms wholeheartedly for all—irrespective of their social standing, then he is undoubtedly a true sant.
Pujya Morari Bapu is much more than just a kathakar or a Ramayan scholar. Through Ramkatha Bapu is sowing ideas that have a deep positive impact on our society. Bapu held ‘Manas: Kinnar,’ in Thane-Mumbai two years ago— a katha dedicated to the transvestites. Carrying the same message: inclusion of all, no segment of society should be left out or discriminated. During the nine days, Bapu bestowed pride and dignity to the kinnar folk by quoting chopaais from Tulsi Ramayan that reaffirmed their place in our society. Kinnar were seated as the guests of honour in the katha mandap itself. For the first time they were given a stage to communicate and convey their point of view of their lives to the multitude of katha listeners- both present there and watching on televisions around the world. He welcomed Kinnars to take part in the aarti of the Ramayan pothi and established them in the eyes of everyone as equals.
Something of a similar magnitude is about to begin in Ayodhya from today. ‘Manas: Ganika’ is the subject for Bapu’s Ramkatha here. This will be his 821st katha.
For past two years Bapu has publicly expressed his wish to have ‘Ganika’ as the central subject for the whole nine days of his Ramkatha. He has also quoted chopaais to show how Tulsi’s Ram Charit Manas in several places gracefully acknowledges and accepts ganika as a part of our society.
Bapu also points out that according to our age old ‘Shukan shastra’, encountering a ganika on your way somewhere is considered a very good omen, just like coming across a cow feeding her calf or passing a brahmin carrying pothis is a good omen.
Tears started rolling down his eyes while interacting with them
Bapu visited Mumbai for a day about ten days back . He wanted to see the red light areas of Mumbai in person. He took me along in his group of Ramkatha devotees. Our first stop was the complex of Congress House near Leamington Road. Prior to independence, this building was associated with the Congress party. For a completely different reason I am well acquainted with this area . Once upon a time, the highly reputed heritage gujarati organisation ‘Forbes Gujarati Sabha’ was situated in the same lane about two to three buildings ahead of Congress House (now it is shifted to a building at walking distance from Amitabh Bachchan’s ‘Prateeksha’ bungalow). So I have been a regular visitor to this locality- to read rare gujarati books at the Forbes Sabha.
There is no open flesh market in Congress House rooms. According to information, on paper they are listed as dance schools. The hundreds of tiny rooms here, decorated with gaudy velvet and satins upholstery and colourful lights are used by women to present dances on popular film songs. They claim they are only Tawaaifs, but the perpetual fear of police is very apparent in their conduct.
Here, Women ranging from the ones in their forties to girls just twelve years of age started coming one by one to see Bapu, touch his feet, and receive his ashirvaad. One by one he gave each one of them a ramnami, cash cover and his blessings. Soon tears started rolling down his eyes while interacting with them. His one hand clasped on my knee, as if in search of some solace. I touched his hand and felt the same pain course through me. Our only consolation was that Manas Ganika katha was going to bring the plight of these women out in the open, who are otherwise totally marginalised and forgotten by the society. This same society that makes use of them. As a gesture of respect Bapu had conveyed to them that he will have tea when he visits. The time for tea came close and one of them got up to prepare it. He told the lady: behen, I have vowed to eat and drink things made with Ganga jal only, but let me tell you that in my eyes the water from your home is no less sacred.
The water that moistened everyone’s eyes on hearing this from bapu was also equally sacred. After tea Bapu gave a thick cash cover to the lady of the house as prasad and took her leave. Her name was Rita. She stopped me on my way out unable to stop herself from sharing, in so many words, her feelings of incredulous wonder at meeting Morari Bapu in person.
Living conditions at Congress House are so poor they would tear your heart. Unlike the filmy scene, there are no glamorous kothas here with a beautiful Rekha singing Salaam-e-ishq meri jaan zarra kubul kar lo in all her exuberence and an Amitabh Bachchan stylishly adding iske aage ki abh dastaan mujhse sun with all his charm. These rooms are tiny, no bigger than ten by ten feet in size, and the dancers are worn out women and equally tired looking girls. The dance rooms have doors opening into their personal rooms, further connected to a common kitchen, which in turn is connected to other dance rooms. This maze of connected rooms comes in handy when they need to flee during a police raid. Photography is strictly prohibited to ensure that their identity remains unrecorded.
Bapu was to invite the ganikas to Ayodhya katha from a public platform here
From Congress House we go to the Cricket Club of India ground to register Bapu’s auspicious presence at a music concert happening there in memory of Annapurna Devi. After establishing his presence in the festivity and conveying his appreciation and blessings, Bapu makes it a point to personally go and meet all the legendary musicians in their respective green rooms— Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasiya, Ustaad Zakir Hussein and Pandit Birju Maharaj. Now we were off to the infamous ghettos of Kamathipura.
Kamathipura is Mumbai’s age old red light district. It must be the largest Red-light area of India. Ajmeri Gate to Lahori Gate area on Delhi’s G B Road would be much smaller in comparison. We were visiting Lane No.13 of Kamathipura. Local politicians and police are already present here to manage the crowds, stage, audio arrangements etc as Bapu was to invite the ganikas to Ayodhya katha from a public platform here. At Congress House, the same invitation was extended by Bapu to those who came to take his blessings in Rita’s room. Once again ramnami, saree etc were distributed by Bapu. Finally, cutting through heavy crowds present at Kamathipura, Bapu visited the house of a ganika, blessing it with padharamani of a sant, a rare and unexpected gift to them.
To dedicate Ram katha to the marginalised sects of our society, treat them as a central subject of Ram katha and take a step towards integrating them with majority is not a new thing for Bapu. I have written a brief history of such kathas under the heading ‘Upekshtito ane Bapu’ (Bapu and the discriminated) in a book named ‘Ahuti’. At the time of writing that article kinnar katha was latest. Bapu has already dedicated many kathas to the neglected, uncared, exploited groups of society including Devipujak, vicharati jatis, valmiki samaj, 18 varna etc . Today, a new name will be added to this list with ‘Manas: Ganika’. Being the first day of katha, it will commence in the evening between 3:30 to 6:30 pm today. For the remaining eight days katha will start at 9:30 am and finish at around lunchtime. Next to next sunday, 30th December 2018, will be the last day— viraam divas— of katha.
My bags are already packed for Ayodhya. Nights will be cold at 10°C making woollens and body warmers essential. Next I’ll join you from Ayodhya, bringing a live coverage of katha via ‘Mumbai Samachar’ right here in this daily column ‘Good Morning’. You will watch the katha telecast on ‘Ashta’ channel in advance of course, and you’ll revisit it from my perspective in next morning’s paper.
This katha will be remembered as a landmark event in contemporary history of our country. You and I are going to witness it firsthand. Let’s pray to almighty that everything goes smoothly ahead with no hindrances.
Jai Siya Ram.
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