Rashtar, Rashtarbad aur Ambedkarbad – a book by Dawarka Bharti

 

Rashtar, Rashtarbad aur Ambedkarbad – a book by Dawarka Bharti

Dawarka Bharti, who requires no introduction, is a renowned writer of poetry and prose on matters of interest and concern to the under-privileged segments of the society. He is a staunch Ambedkarite and a Buddhist to the core. I had reviewed his earlier book “Mochi” – a sahitiyak Atamkatha (a literary autobiography) in the columns of my blog which may be seen at the given link: https://diplomatictitbits.blogspot.com/2021/01/from-mochis-theeha-to-ignou-book-review.html

The book in hand – Rashtar, Rashtarbad aur Ambedkarbad written in Hindi is a compilation of 21 essays on interesting subjects pertaining

to some of the issues of current and contemporary interest and relevance. The book has been dedicated to the Dawarka ji’s father Bhagwan Dass Raju who himself was an Ambedkarite activist of his times. Dawarka Bharti acknowledges this fact with a sense of pride and gratitude that his pursuits to know and adopt Ambedkar Thoughts were initiated and instilled in him by his father.

The book was formally released on April 14, birth anniversary of Babasaheb Ambedkar at Sidharath Nagar Budh Vihar at Bootan Mandi in Jalandhar where I was invited to do the honours. It was a pleasure not only to pay my humble tribute Babasaheb but also stand with Dawarka Bharti at his moment of achievement, yet another feather in his literary hat. The title of the first essay in the book is the title of the book also. Publisher, Varinder Kumar of Navchetna Publications, has rightly said in his note, “

वैसे तो इस पुस्तक  में उठाए  गए विषय इतने गंभीर और महतबपूर्ण हैं की हर विषय पर  बिस्तार चर्चा होनी चाहिए”   The thought provoking essays are worth reading which have been written by the author with courage and conviction in these days of growing intolerance in the system and the society.  Bharti Sahib in his home-grown humbleness says at the outset, “मेरे लिखने से यां न लिखने से बहुत फर्क पड़ जायगा; ऐसा नहीं है; पर लगा शायद चुप रहना  सहमति न मान ली जाये मेरी ". It may be taken at its face value. Some of the essays have been devoted to various aspects of Ambedkar Thought. One of the headings rightly conveys the mind of the author - आंबेडकर एक आइकॉन ही नहीं; बैचारिक जवालामुखी भी है. Yet another aspect of Ambedkar Thought reflects in the essays on Buddhism and Buddhist philosophy and also on conversion, especially conversion from Hindu religion, to other faiths. The author’s take on Ayurveda and Yoga, medical and health systems of India, makes an interesting reading. Dawarka Bharti is very candid on some of the social ills of the society like big feasts on

death and ‘Antim Ardas’ events etc. Bharti is concerned and worried about the prevailing and emerging communal situation in the country and has touched the relevant aspect of the issue in a couple of essays in the book. It is said that the proof of the pudding lies in its eating. The book Rastar, Rashtarbad aur Ambedkarbad is worth reading.

While delivering my brief remarks on the launch of the book, I said that India was a land of multi-cultural and multi racial society and as such India that is Bharat was declared as Union of States in the constitution. The chief architect of the constitution Babasaheb Ambedkar said that India was never a nation. We are to make it a nation” Bharti Sahib has written about Ambedkarbad, while referring to the concept, I thought of raising a question which academics and historians would answer in due course and asked that what was Ambedkarbad? I don’t think that Ambedkar was interested in any “BAAD” but still I think, as a lay man, Ambedkar Thought, in concrete and crystallized form, stands for the betterment of the community, society and the humanity at large by way of harmonious social set-up, democratic polity, and equitable economic order, humanistic and compassionate spiritual endeavor which may be termed as Ambedkarbad.  As regards the ongoing unfortunate strife ridden atmosphere in the country as raised in some of the essays in the book, I said that we all should revisit and read Babasaheb’s speech of November 25, 1949 delivered in the Constituent Assembly before the constitution was finally passed and adopted. As a visionary leader he raised questions and answered himself which are as relevant today as it was in 1949.

I hope that the book will be received well. Dawarks Bharti is fighting fit to give us more at his age of past seventy. I wish him good health and prosperity in the years to come.