Lokshahir Annabhau Sathe: A Hero of Dalit literary Movement

 

Annabhau Sathe was born on 1 august 1920 at Vategaon village of Sangli District in Maharashtra. Annabhau belongs to a Mang caste which is considered Dalit in Maharashtra. Dalits had to live outside the main settlement of village. Annabhau's house also located in that separate settlement known as Mangwada.

Annabhau's caste is belong to Shudras according to the fourfold division of society (Varnashramdharma). British had recorded some castes as a habitual offenders , Mang was among them. People of this caste were always on the eyes of police.

Annabhau's original name was Tukaram. Annbhau's childhood was went in poverty and struggle .His father had some land but due to infertility and drought they had very less produce which only sustains for only two months.

There are some confusion over Annabhau's education .Some says she studied up to second class and some says that he studied up to Vernacular (i.e. 7th standard ). As there are no any proofs to prove the education of Annabhau it is difficult to comment on it.

Annnabhau's own habits had shaped his ideology in his youth. He likes to wander in mountains, rivers, forests, riverbed . During 1932 to 1936 he added more habits to his list like reciting folk songs and ballads . He used to recite these songs and stories to his friends and other people of town.

In 1931 Annabhau and his family shifted to Mumbai and started living in a single room which was under the stairs of "Chandbibi chawl" . Annabhau started working as helper for cloth seller. Mumbai’s life in those was full of political drama, strikes of mill workers and various political developments were taking place. Annabhau likes to listen speech and discussion on various political and social issues.

It is said that a person's ideological development is depend upon his social, economic and family background. Same this happened with Annabhau. In his teenage he got attracted towards the communist ideology of Karl Marx. He became a staunch supporter of Karl Marx' communism.

Annabhau started  actively working for Communist parties in Mumbai. He used to do works like organizing meeting and conferences ,distributing pamphlets and posters, writing slogans on walls ,etc . Hence a young and talented Tukaram Sathe became popular among the communist youngsters of Mumbai.

Annabhau as a artist

During those days a local folk theatre called Tamasha was very famous among people. Annabhau also worked in those tamasha as it gave him a platform to show his artistic talents .It is said that Mang caste has a huge contribution to the tamasha culture of Maharashtra. Annabhau is one the the representative of this tamasha culture.

Annabhau made tamasha a platform of folk drama. He used this to make awareness about various issues specially the political developments which were going on in Maharashtra like Samyukta Maharashtra Movement, Belgon border disputes and Goa liberation movement.

Through "Lal Batva Kalapathak" Shahir Annabhau Sathe, Shahir Amar Shekh and Shahir D.N Gavhankar made awareness among people about social, political and economic issues.

During the time of freedom movement he had to leave his house as there was an arrest warrant on him. After that he got attracted towards communist ideology and he became a full time comrade of a communist party. While working with a communist party he got an idea of starting a drama team. With the help of Amar Sheik and Gavhankar he started "Lal Batwa Kalapathak" in 1944.Annabhau had started writing much before the formation of Kalapathak. He wrote various songs and ballads. His "Stalingradcha powada" was so popular among workers

 Shahir Anna bhau

Annabhau became famous among his communist circle as "shahir Anna bhau Sathe" due his writings.

During those times Marathi literature was dominant by upper caste urban living writers who used to portray the urban life style . Annabhau has written about 40 novels which can divided into four categories which are as follows:

1) Novels about bravery  

 2) Novels about women problems.

3) love stories

4) Novels depicting rural life

Fakira is Annabhau's most famous novel. It got an award of "Best Novel" in 1961 from Maharashtra Government. In this book Annabhau has portrayed a story of Mang caste which was a powerful and courageous. Fakira was a beautiful description of Dalit's courage ,their rebellious nature, dalit pride, and their ability to fight for their caste.

Fakira is actually an original story of Annabhau's maternal uncle Fakira Ranoji Mang.

"Master" is a novel about a rebellious teacher who was ready to sacrifice his life for freedom of the country. "Master" thinks that to get freedom from fascist we have to pick up weapons.

"Agnidivya" is a story about Shivaji Maharaj Military head Prataprao  Gujar and his bravery

Annabhau wrote various novels about women issues. "Chitra"(1951), "Vaijanta", "chandan", "Chikhlatil kamal", "fulpakharu", "Tila lawte me raktacha" and "Ratna" are his women related novels.

Annabhau also wrote some love stories. Some of them are "Alguj"(1962), "Ranganga", "Murti", "Mayura", "Gulam", "Aghat", "Rupa", "Aag", and "Ahankar".

"Makdichi maal" is one of the famous novels of Annabhau. It depicts the story Nomadic peoples, their life, struggle, their love stories and their traditions.

 Although Annabhau has experimented with so many types of literature but according to readers his best works were his short stories. He started writing stories in 1946 and continued to write till his death in 1969.

He wrote stories on various topics such as Social , political and Dalit stories, Biographical stories, Stories about crime in the society ,Love stories etc

Annabhau has also written about 15 plays. He had written folk plays, ballads for "Lal Batva" which was his art group. Towards the end of 1945 Annabhau had completed writing his first folk play "Aklechi Gosht". It came on to the stage in 1946.

To make people aware about Marxist ideology Annabhau tried to tell how this world has been created by the workers. How capitalists had made false claims about their contribution in making this world's economy.

In his carrier Annabhau had written only one travelogue "Maza Russiacha Pravas ". It is his Russia tour which was sponsored by "Indo-Russia Cultural Society".He travelled first from Mumbai to Delhi and from Delhi to Tashkent. He visited others cities and regions of Soviet Russia.

Annabhau has introduced to the world the life of Dalit families living in rural India, their struggle in fighting this oppressive society . He is an unsung Hero of Dalit literary world.

Annabhau Sathe took his last breath on 18 July 1969. We can say that Annabhau was Marxists- Ambedkarite, A shahir who aware people about social issues, a writer who exposes the true side of society.