Conceived by Smita Rajmane and Somnath Waghmare, The Ambedkar Age Digital Bookmobile is archiving contemporary dalit Ambedkarite performances and songs of resistance from Maharashtra.
The project received the ‘Public Art Grant 2019’ from the Foundation for Indian Contemporary Art, New Delhi, and the archive will be accessible to the public through text, pamphlets, books, CD/DVDs and public installations among other mediums.
This week on Bol, we present, “Babanchya Ladkya Mulano”, a song from this archive, shared by Mahadev Vaman Sabane. He is an an agricultural labourer from Chorgav, Taluka Palam, District Parbhani, Maharashtra, and also performs songs from the Ambedkarite movement.
The song has been translated into English by Pranita Kulkarni.
With extreme hard work
the Constitution was shaped
Inequality was drowned in the sea of equality
Do not break these ties of love and brotherhood
Do not disobey Bhim…
