Narak Safai

How surprising it is that the very section of society that works to maintain cleanliness, make human settlements habitable, and keep them away from filth and disease, has been ostracized by society itself! There can be no greater irony than the fact that the most useful section of society has been labeled untouchable and made an object of hatred. This class has not only suffered the curse of untouchability but has also faced the atrocities of society at every step. Unfortunately, the evil practice of carrying human excreta on the head persists even today, despite efforts to free a large section of society from it since the days of independence. Gandhiji dreamed of Bhangi-Mukti during the freedom movement. Despite efforts at many levels, the plight of Bhangis has not improved. In Maharashtra, this practice is called hell-cleaning, in which generations of Bhangis have been engaged. Bhangis are no longer limited to a single religion. They include Sikhs, Hindus, and Muslims. They are the untouchables among the untouchables. Their plight is similar in almost every religion. The pain of hatred, contempt, and humiliation is their destiny. Who could possibly be interested in the lives of those who are untouchable, even among the untouchables? But the authors, Arun Thakur and Mohammad Khadas, have honestly presented a poignant study of the lives of those engaged in the work of cleaning hell. Narak Safai is an important documentary book based on the painstakingly collected evidence by Arun Thakur and Mohammad Khadas, activists of the Samata Andolan, under the able guidance of Dr. Y. D. Phadke, a senior intellectual and researcher from Maharashtra. Narak Safai is the first book in Hindi to examine the living conditions of the Bhangi in detail after independence.