"God has a large family, and in his family the bad brothers fight with their meek relations, the wicked hate their kith and kin........ Hatered is the root of all evil, all misery" This is what believed, and like all men who pay a price for their belief, I too paid a big price.
Untouchablity, a curse in India, unfortunately is a problem of the entire world. Linching is possible in America, and a Jew is sub-human in the eyes of all Hitlers. My story began and ended with my Crusade against "Man's hatred for Man.
"Born in a high caste Brahmin family, the son of a temple priest (mahant) I was the only son of my widowed mother. My mother a simple, religious lady was orthodox in her views and she thought. that as she had brought me up under her strict principles, I would grow up to be a saint, or a saintly religious leader one day. More than a saint, I desired to be a man. The idea that children have their own head and heart was a shocking truth for my mother.
Reluctantly my mother sent me to Bombay for higher education. My simplicity, my looks, my beard, my rigid moral code, provoked laughter and my fellow students made perpetual fun of me. I wondered why?. Big cities have more men with small hearts, may be in every thing here space is the problem. They rediculed me and I kept silent, though inside I felt always hurt. Soon I noticed that among my class mates, there was one student who was sympathetic. She was Manju, a quiet young girl who remained aloof, may be she was not as rich as others, but she certainly had a richer mind. She had that Warmth & Understanding, the most essential qualities of a woman.
Manju had a secret, which she never wanted to disclose to any one. She was a Harijan, an untouchable. An orphan, who lost her parents in childhood, she was being looked after by an elderly Christian, who treated her like his daughter. Manju's uncle Peter worked in a press and Manju lived with him in the suburbs, far away from the city. My fondness for Manju grew in to a stog love, which I tried to keep hidden from her and from the world. Manju too loved me and she also never revealed her emotions. She thought that I being the son of a Mahant and belonging to a rich and high caste hindu family could never dare to accept the love and devotion of a poor Harijan girl. She avoided my attention, but from a distance adored me. Mr. Jolly another rich student who was a known-play boy, became my rival. He was fascinated, by Manju's physical charm, so he wanted to hire her, buy her and have her at any cost. He was waiting for his chance.
Suddenly Manju's uncle Peter died one night, when the College stage play was going on. Manju had to rush to her place in Jolly's car; in the way Jolly tried his tricks, but Manju was too pure to be tempted. That night Jolly knew her secret of being a Harijan that night Jolly pledged to take revenge someday.
A helpless girl in the cruel wide world, Manju did not know what to do and where to go. She stopped coming to the College. She tried to work with her neighbours, the kind fisher women who were her friends.
I could not live without Manju, so hunted her out. I held her hand and pledged sincerely.... I made a solemn promise of marriage. When a man like me makes a promise, he keeps it. So with the help of two good friends, who planned a nice plot, I managed to hood-wink my orthodox mother, I lied for love and succeeded in bringing Manju in our family as a bride. I was gay and happy, but fear always lurked in Manju's mind. She had the woman's instinct, and her fears came out true.
Jolly the villain, arrived out village, Jolly the bad man dramatised the situation. In the presence of a big congregation in the temple, he exposed me He proved me a cheat and a liar, who did not spare his own mother. My mother was furious, and the Crowd violent, Manju was thrown out of the house, and I was victim of a head injury. When I lay senseless in the hospital, Manju in the train was being followed by Jolly and his friend. Poor Manju, helpless and destitute did not know what to do. She was desperate and jumped from the running train, but God was there to save her and bring her to the same hospital where I lay in the midst of storms we reunited.
The True Love Triumphed.
[from the official press booklet]