Meet Bundelkhand’s unusual activist who sings not for entertainment but to propagate the cause of development and justice. Bharat Dogra sketches the picture of a landless Dalit Mata Dayal, who overcame poverty and illiteracy to pitchfork himself into a social movement that seeks to help the underprivileged class.
Mata Dayal is a popular singer in Bundelkhand region. Over the years, he has written and composed nearly 50 songs on development and justice and preserved them for posterity in his diary. He also sings folk-songs/songs written by others, as long as these have some message of justice, environment protection and creating a better world. “While writing new songs, I keep in mind some folk tunes being hummed for long, and this is one reason why these songs find a ready response among villagers here”, he told this writer at one of the village gatherings.
Dayal`s achievement is remarkable given the fact that he was illiterate till the age of 30. He was born in a landless Dalit family of Bundelkhand and his family had moved from Pindaran village in Baberu area to Harijanpur village in Manikpur block when he was young. But the relocation was like going from one life of relentless poverty to another. His family had a land ‘patta’ here but could not cultivate most of it. The yield too was not substantial.
It was in Harijanpur that he came in contact with a leading social activist of the area named Gopal Ji, who was director of ABSSS, a voluntary organisation known for its award-winning water conservation work in the area. Gopal ji was working on a water conservation project in Harijanpur and ABSSS was also working for landless farmers having land ‘pattas’ to enable them to cultivate their land. Many families including Dayal’s benefited from this social campaign.
Recognising the hidden potential in Mata Dayal and his wife Ramkali (also illiterate), Gopal encouraged them to participate in social and cultural programmes and also to learn to read and write.
Both made best of the opportunities provided to them. In due course, Ramkali became a social activist with the well-known social programme for empowerment of women called ‘Mahila Samakhya’. Mata Dayal gained popularity with his songs on social justice for the poor and underprivileged.
Dayal subsequently worked with several voluntary organisations of the region including the ABSSS, the Vigyan Shiksha Kendra and the Vidyadham Samiti. He also got involved with a small but national-level organisation of forest workers called Akhil Bhartiya Van Jan Shramjivi Union and is now its Vice-President.
During a recent chance encounter, he introduced me proudly to his grand-daughter who had just completed her B.Sc. and was planning to study further. His grandson too was receiving higher education. Dayal also told me about his continuing work in Manikpur in trying to mobilise the poorest so that they can cultivate their land ‘pattas’. His work has enabled several families to obtain food security. Clearly, Mata Dayal has not forgotten his roots, the poverty and struggle during his childhood, and is now doing whatever he can to help the underprivileged families. At the same time, he continues to compose and sing songs that push the cause of justice.