'Water' Summary

Introduction

Challapalli Swaroopa Rani is a prominent Dalit writer. Her mature poetry focuses mainly on the issues of gender and caste. Her translated piece “Water” by Uma Bhrugubanda is a metaphor that shows the plight of the untouchables in our society. 

 Theme / Summary

The poem is a heart rending account of a Dalit voice. It is a graphic portrayal of humiliation and insult suffered by the downtrodden. The evil practices of the century-old caste system is the theme of this poem. The poet gives us a firsthand account of the agony and sorrow experienced by Dalits. Water is holy; it purges our sins according to our holy scriptures. It is our basic commodity. However, water becomes the symbol of revolt over equal rights. 

 Water through the eyes of the speaker becomes omniscient that knows the age-old conflict between the village and the Wada. According to the poet, water also knows very well that untouchability remains as long as discrimination prevails.

 The poet cites the instance of water being witness to the kind Samarian women of inferior race giving water to Jesus of superior race.  It also knows the difference between the sub castes of cobblers and weavers. Water knows that Panchamas who are ranked below the Shudras are considered untouchables and they are not allowed to draw water from the wells. A Panchama has to wait for a kind Shudra to arrive. It knows the humiliation of the Wada girl who suffers abuse from the one who pours water from a distance. 

 The writer gives us an instance wherein Suvaartha, a Dalit woman tries to protect a Dalit boy from two youths belonging to the dominant community. This leads to a severe attack on Dalits. So, the water has witnessed centuries of injustice.

 Swaroopa Rani further narrates her personal experience recollecting from her memory. She vividly remembers how her wada would thirst all day without water. For Dalits water is not just H2O. It's a mighty movement. Dr. Ambedkar led an uprising at Mahad over the rights to water at Chadar tank. They have fought many battles for water over several generations. 

 When the poet sees water, she is reminded of her hard times. They would get water just once in a week while the whole village had this privilege twice a day. She is reminded of her childhood when she walked miles to collect water from the canal and carried back heavy pots straining her neck. 

 The writer has seen the entire Malapalle village going in flames without enough water. So, she says that water can give and take lives. It can take the form of a tsunami and swallow village after village. The same water can turn villages into deserts. Water is the reason for the village and the wada and states for conflicts. 

 The concluding lines of the poem look at water in a new avatar. Water that knows all the discrimination and struggles through ages now sits innocently in a Bisleri water. The same water occupies the Pepsi man's bottle as mineral water. It is no mean water any longer but a commodity worth millions. So, water is omniscient and contains the world in it. 

 Conclusion

 Water presents a truly captivating story of social injustice done to the marginalized in the name of caste through centuries. The writer takes water as a means to express her frustration and disapproval over inhuman practices of casteism. Besides, she looks at water becoming the ground for global rifts on an economic front. Hence, water becomes the world in itself.

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