My forthcoming book – Bootan Mandi: Nerve Centre of Dalit Chetna
– Ramesh Chander
(Samaj Weekly)- It is a sort of ‘curtain raiser’ for my forthcoming book – Bootan Mandi: RNerve Centre of Dalit Chetna. The book, in commemoration of the centenary year of Bootan Mandi, my native place, is likely to be launched in the second half of April, 2024 in Jalandhar. The Foreword of the book has been written by Dr. Gian Chand Kaul, an eminent academician and ardent community activists. It has been dedicated to the Fore-fathers of Bootan Mandi: “ Respectfully dedicated to the memory of BootanMandian front runners, Seth Kishan Dass, Seth Khushi Ram, Seth Munshi Ram, Swami Lalji Dass. Bibi Malavi among others who led the ‘Caravan’ and made Bootan Mandi the “Nerve Center of Dalit Consciousness” in Punjab and beyond. Naman to the fore-fathers of my Native Place – Bootan Mandi.”
The book has been divided into three parts – Part 1 contains articles/poems of some of my fellow BootanMandians like Paramjit Mahey, Harmesh Jassal, Mahesh Chander, Madan Bolina and Khuswinder Billa under the banner: From the Pens of the Sons of the Soil. Part 2 hosts the author’s 51 blogs written over the recent years on varied subjects and themes concerning Bootan Mandi and related events/matters under the heading; The Bits and pieces. Part 3 under the caption: Editor’s Pick consists of poems on Bootan Mandi like ‘Bootan Mandi the Ameer Itihas’ by Parshotam Saroya, poems od Pritam Ramdasspuri and Gurdas Ram Alam which they recited in October, 1951 on the visit of Babasaheb Ambedkar to Bootan Mandi and poems of Jai Ram Parwana, a native unsung talent. I was impressed by the poem of Charan Dass Nidhadak in my younger days and included it in the pick – Jhanda chuk bagabat da tun baghi hons das gya. It also carries an article by Dr. Sarvpriya on the poem of Gurdas Ram Alam ‘Acchoot Da Iilaz’ and also the speech of Babasaheb Ambedkar which he delivered at Bootan Mandi on October 27, 1951.
This curtain raiser for the formal launch of the Bootan Mandi: Nerve Centre of Dalit Chetna will not be complete if I don’t mention about the support of my friends and well support of – Prem Chumber of the Ambedkar Times and the Desh Doaba as media partners and my some of my fellow BootanMandians namely; Sheela Bhatia, Gurdial Mahey and Ram Murti who encouraged me to pursue my intellectual and community interests. I thank Baldev Bhardwaj of Ambedkar Bhawan Trust who helped in picking up the printer of the book’ Neha Computers and Printers who did a good job, I understand. As it is written in the Prologue of the book, “ The proof of pudding, it is said, lies in its eating. I hope my fellow BootanMandians would appreciate my humble contribution to the said centenary celebrations. As a student of contemporary history, I would love to listen from the readers of the book with a view to further educate myself.”
I leave it here for the readers to decide.
