<We Too Are Human Beings is an autobiographical short story by Bama, a famous Tamil Dalit writer. The story is taken from her autobiography Karukku. Through a real incident from her childhood, Bama exposes the evil practice of untouchability and caste discrimination. She also shows that education is the best way to fight injustice and earn dignity in society.
The story begins with Bama recalling her days as a third-standard student. Every afternoon, she walked home from school. The distance to her home was short and could be covered in about ten minutes. However, Bama loved watching everything happening on the streets, so she usually took more than half an hour to reach home.
The streets were always full of interesting sights. She enjoyed watching monkey shows, snake charmers, cyclists performing tricks, temple festivals, coffee stalls, sweet shops, political meetings, puppet shows, magic shows, fruit sellers and many other entertaining activities. Every new sight attracted her attention and delayed her journey home. She was a curious child who observed everything around her with great interest.
One day, while walking home, Bama reached a threshing floor where farmers were separating grain from the straw. The landlord was sitting comfortably on a raised platform, watching the workers. Bama stopped there for some time to enjoy the scene.
Soon, an elderly man from Bama's community came walking towards the landlord. He was carrying a small packet of vadais for the landlord. What surprised Bama was the unusual way in which the old man carried the packet. Instead of holding it in his hand, he held it carefully by its string, making sure that his hands did not touch the packet. When he reached the landlord, he bowed respectfully and handed over the packet in the same manner. Bama found this sight very funny and laughed loudly. She thought the old man was behaving strangely.
As soon as she reached home, Bama excitedly narrated the incident to her elder brother Annan. She expected him to laugh with her. But instead of laughing, Annan became serious. He explained the painful truth behind the incident.
Annan told Bama that the old man belonged to their Dalit community, while the landlord belonged to the upper caste. According to the cruel caste system, upper-caste people believed that they would become "polluted" if a Dalit touched their food or belongings. That was why the old man had to carry the packet only by its string without touching it. Even though the food had already been wrapped in a banana leaf and paper, the landlord still believed that the old man's touch would make it impure.
When Bama heard this explanation, she was deeply shocked. Her laughter disappeared immediately. She felt sad, angry and humiliated. She could not understand why innocent people were treated as inferior simply because of their birth. She wondered why the elderly man had to bow before someone who insulted him. She felt that such treatment was cruel and inhuman. She believed that all human beings deserve equal respect, irrespective of caste.
Annan then gave Bama valuable advice. He explained that society often denied honour, dignity and respect to people from oppressed communities. However, he said that the best way to overcome discrimination was through education. He encouraged Bama to study sincerely, gain knowledge and become successful. According to him, education could give people confidence, self-respect and a respected place in society.
Annan's words had a great impact on Bama. She decided to study with full determination. She worked hard in her studies and eventually stood first in her class. Her success changed the way people looked at her. Many people who had once ignored or looked down upon her began to appreciate and respect her. Through education, Bama gained confidence, recognition and dignity.
The story ends with a strong message against caste discrimination and untouchability. Bama reminds us that all people are equal and deserve the same rights, respect and opportunities. She also teaches that education is a powerful weapon that can help people fight social injustice, break barriers and build a better future.
The title We Too Are Human Beings is highly meaningful. It expresses the cry of every oppressed person for equality, justice, dignity and human rights. The story encourages readers to reject discrimination and treat every human being with love, respect and compassion.>