YOUR OLD MANTILLA

(Mahipal Bhuriya is one of the most prominent tribal poet of India writing since over thirty years on the tribals oppression, exploitation, poverty, development and breaches of their human rights. 'Your Mantilla' is one of his famous poem appeared in many journals and magazines of Hindi.)
The poem composed originally in Hindi, about Bhil situation, expresses boldly how the tribal girls are physically, morally and emtionally exploited by non tribals.

Your Old Mantilla

On your
Old mantilla are engraved
Sad stories of your past
That is why
Do not change
Do not lose never cry
And by mistake
Never give to any one

Becuase
This is the only
Sign of your innocence
In life
Even though by hunger and change
You may be destroyed
And from this simple life
You may also depart

By cold and heat
Rain and spring
Continue wearing it
Throughout your life
Bearing the inhuman treatment
You may be destroyed
But
In the dark nights
In the days of hunger and starvation
By living among culprits
Remain always
Innocent only
And let that be
Turned into rags
Even then with more honour
In this situation
Let it cover your
All the months of the year
Because
This is the proof
That
What this society
Has given you
And
In you
You have found
Deceit, exploitation, descrimination, injustice and
dishonour
And
You never got full daily wages
And
For your human rights protection
Who has fought with courage
And sacrificed his own life ?
And that is why
To tell the world these stories
Couragously
Continue wearing this
Day and night.

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