Dalit Music

Dalit shahirs of Maharashtra: Vilas Ghogare sang of Ambedkar with his iktara

Vilas Ghogare portrayed the dreadful life of the workers that he observed up close, since he was a worker himself in Mumbai. He also spoke of his life as a Dalit — a life that he had inherited.

Dalit shahirs of Maharashtra: Arjun Hari Bhalerao's perseverance amid adversity

Despite creating a body of influential work and being one of the Dalit shahirs who took Ambedkar and his ideas to some of the most marginalised people in villages, Arjun Hari Bhalerao's work is still not known to many today

Dalit shahirs of Maharashtra: B Kashinand's verses of optimism

Dalit shahir B Kashinand was optimistic, determined and a dreamer of the Prabuddha Bharath (Enlightened Bharath)

Dalit shahirs of Maharashtra: Anna Bhau Sathe's powerful songs

Anna Bhau Sathe voiced the pain of an entire generation of untouchable workers, who migrated from the villages to cities in search of a life of dignity

Dalit shahirs of Maharashtra: Wamandada Kardak's anti-caste metaphors

Wamandada Kardak's work as a Dalit shahir was a breakthrough in terms of defining ‘culture’ in a Hindu Brahminical society

Dalit shahirs of Maharashtra: The unsung genius of Uttam Mule

Though his songs were popular and even sung by established singers, Uttam Mule was never given due credit

Shantanu Kamble passes away: Remembering the power, influence of the Dalit shahir's rebellion

Shantanu Kamble, who was one of the founding members of the Kabir Kala Manch, died on 13 June