Birsa *

From Ulihatu's sand and dust
How you worked , You the beauty of this soil,
Working under scorching heat , a crop sharer,
Of that colonial Bihar,
A mere ryot ( raiyyat), grazing sheep in other hours,
A tuila in hand,
And wandered perhaps in the forest of Bohonda,
Had you been also struck
By the flowering forest in spring?
Had you played your tuila and flute too?
( as folklores around you sing)

Now after so many years, when
That colonial discriminatory rule
Is still found in our country ,
When still the tribals are thrown away
From a college or university,
When still a girl from a remote village,
Can't find a place in the admission register,
Because she is just an offspring
Of a santhal family , or a munda,

When Rohith Vemula and others

Had to face discrimination

Because they were termed ' non- bhakts',
How we are reminded, you had
To go through the same,

Had then, your revolt, all went in vain?

( * Note: today being the birthday of Birsa Munda, one of the pioneers of Santhal - munda movement)