There are many castes in Hindu society. Within it, there are countless divisions and distinctions. If you look at the structure of castes, you will see that each branch of this structure is occupied by a different caste. At the very bottom of all these branches, at the lowest rung, are the castes of the so-called untouchables—the Mahars and the Chambhars. Even today, caste discrimination is visible in society. Imagine how intense it must have been a hundred years ago! In every village, these untouchables had their own houses, but they were always on one side, set apart from the rest. Their settlement, called the Maharwada, was always separate. If anyone even touched them, it was considered a great sin.

One day, an old Mahar woman was returning from the fields, carrying a bundle of firewood. As she was passing by a house, the bundle slipped and fell at the doorstep. She sat down right there, exhausted. No one was willing to help her lift the bundle. She waited, hoping someone from the Maharwada would pass by and help her. All this happened before Shyam’s mother’s eyes. The old woman looked very frail. It was evening. Shyam had gone outside to play. When his mother saw this, she called him and told him to help the old woman by lifting the bundle and carrying it to her house. The firewood was heavy, but Shyam did as his mother said, and after helping her, he came back inside.

Let me tell you.

Before telling this, Shyam and I went among the old shepherds. Bhoro showed how to prepare the firewood for cooking. That Bhivan began to cook. “Don’t come here, you Brahmin folk. If anyone comes close, I’ll hit you,” she said.

Shyam, after returning home and bathing, told me this story. Bhoro, who was standing there, was told to go back to his house. He took her and went to Shyam.

This news reached Sridharbhat in the village. He was furious with Shyam. He took out all his anger about learning English. Hearing this, the people from the neighboring house and a lone woman came. She too began to scold Shyam. She let loose all her anger and expressed her rage.

Shyam calmly told them, “I had just gone home to bathe. After bathing, I became pure.”

The old man brought some firewood and gave it to Shyam. Mother took out some rice from the pot and gave it to him. When she realized that he was not well, she understood. Before inquiring about Shyam’s health, she learned that the old man had a fever. But he had to work because of hunger, she said. Mother asked Shyam about the cool fire from the morning. The old man agreed. She took it and gave it to the old man. He sat in the courtyard and ate it. Shyam poured water for him to drink. While eating, he made a small face and said to Mother, “In this world, the poor