Happy Birthday B.R. Ambedkar!

Monday was Ambedkars birthday and boy what a celebration was had. I was invited by my friend and activist Sherin who is working in Chennai for a women's support and post graduate studies financial support for college students. She told me it was an important day and that if I could manage I should attend the event she helped to organize to celebrate the ideas and life of Ambedkar on his birthday occasion. Since I had just returned to Chengelpattu the day before I was planning to spend a couple days catching up on reading and e-mailing so I figured it was a good idea to take the day and participate in supporting Ambedkar as he is a great role model for the Dalit makkal. I managed to meet Sherin after taking two buses and one auto rickshaw (mind you they were all in Tamil script) with the help of some nice local Tamilians. It seemed to me that this arrangement would be a small meeting of sorts and was just a good opportunity to interact and learn from the dalit network. The even was beyond anything I could have been prepared for. There were women cooking pongol with cow dung and clay pots, there was a stage with famous singers and politicians even one celebrity actor, there was an art display and an Ambedkar museum, there was an Ambedkar statue, book vendors, a ferris wheel and so many people. Police in khaki uniforms lined the street in clusters and pretended to look busy arranging the motorcycles that were parked on vacant lots. It was fantastic. Just arriving I encountered three or four people I knew and throughout the day there were so many of my friend comprised of fellow activists, leaders, teachers, priests and students. We watched traditional dancing, Sherin received an award, people made speeches, political figures danced on stage. We ate chicken biriyani wrapped in plastic then in newspaper in packets tied with white string. The grease and spices soaked through the plastic and paper and coated your palms and fingertips. Everyone sat in a circle and mushed chicken into rice and rice into egg to make sticky balls of food and pop them in their mouths. I met an Ambedkarist named Mr. Thousand Sunshine who is trying to teach me how child voting rights will end caste and establish equality. I challenged him on the spot of course and asked him if children should also be legally allowed to purchase and consume liquor. He said I was out of line and that didn't have any relevance to his idea. Unfortunately after the fashion design students from Dr. Arullappa school in Neerpayer and the politicians finished their impromptu dance presentation on stage I was asked to give a speech about. Surprise! You're on stage infornt of hundreds of people without any preparation and you have to speak to the people. I spoke some basic Tamil words which is always a crowd pleaser then told everyone to spread the word about Ambedkar and his influence in society. Teach the students, teach your friends, teach your grandparents. Then I tried my best at creating this total dalit network and said we have to work together to fight oppression and carry out the dream and goals that Ambedkar embarked on. Fortunately Sherin translated this for me and I was applauded and people came asking me to give my autograph, take photos with their children, wanted my phone number... you name it! Even one young man was dancing for me...okay, so that was most awkward even beyond the speech and autographs, but in general I have learned as a foreign person you have an obligation to the people and something seemingly strange and minuscule as signing an autograph can really make someone happy for the moment. It was a great celebration for the dalit people and for all people, regardless of caste and creed, to come together in the name of change and with the ideas of Ambedkar. I look forward to being part of the planning comittee for these events in the future. On April 18 I will spend some time with Sherin in Chennai working on how to get more college support for Lead Forward students and to become part of more programs and organizations working to eradicate caste and oppression.