Kallu Gandhi

In a moment of deep emotion for the upliftment of the untouchables, Gandhi Ji expresses his wish that in his next life, he should be born in a Bhangi (a Dalit) household. This story revolves around this thought and imagines his life in such a setting. His life begins in extreme poverty, helplessness, and misery. Being an untouchable, he and his family face numerous hardships. His father dies while cleaning a sewer. As a child, he is forced to work as a cleaner in other people's homes and even carry human excreta on his head. He is ridiculed by the locals and his classmates, which deeply affects his life. While trying to skin a dead cow, he and his companions are forced to flee to save their lives. His mother, seeking a better future for him, sends him to a relative in the city, where he gets admitted to a college. There, he meets a teacher who follows Ambedkar's ideology. The protagonist in the story is named Kallu. When Kallu returns to his village, he finds his mother being publicly humiliated and stripped naked on suspicion of theft. He tries to save her but is beaten up instead. This leads to an uprising, and the untouchables leave the village to protest at the collector's office. During this, Kallu experiences a transformation, embodying Gandhi Ji's spirit. His community believes he is possessed by a spirit, and they take him to a nearby settlement for an exorcism. Meanwhile, his teacher learns about this and arrives at the village. He tries to take Kallu with him, but due to disputes, he is unable to do so. Kallu returns to the protest at the collector's office, where the police brutally attack and disperse them. Due to his deteriorating mental state and his belief that he is Gandhi Ji, he is sent to a mental asylum. Rumors spread that Gandhi Ji has been reborn. A TV channel organizes a debate on "Gandhi Ji's Love for the Untouchables," featuring Master Ji, Kallu (Gandhi), and others. During the discussion, Master Ji is physically assaulted. The incident deeply affects Kallu, who then insists that he and his fellow Dalits should be allowed to enter a temple for worship. However, his companions talk about his purification first, which enrages him, and he declares that he will break the temple's discriminatory gates. As Kallu, his community, and others march toward the temple, they are attacked. Kallu sustains severe injuries and is admitted to a hospital, where he succumbs to his wounds. In the end, Master Ji expresses the helplessness and suffering of their community, marking the tragic conclusion of the story.