Drum as his pillow, under the peepal tree, sleeps that Kaliyo dholi; In a democracy the rulers are elected, by this Kaliyo dholi! While the maidens are dressed in finery, in tatters is that Kaliyo dholi; When the richly dressed maidens dance, the drums are played by Kaliyo dholi. (Translated lines from Shankar Painter’s (1946- 2020) Kaliyo Dholi Poem)
The song is about the life of a Dalit man and is written by the poet Shanker Painter. He has described the life and work of Kaliyo Dholi (a drummer named Kaliyo). Traditionally in Saurashtra, Dalits have been excellent musicians/ drummers and even singers. Donning several responsibilities in a village, the Dalit man -invariably an excellent drummer, his work, life and condition are expressed intensely in this song. Dalit struggles and the questions of folk culture has been portrayed through literature in innovative ways. In Gujarati literature, the Dalit scholarly pattern began in 1975 a
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