ABSTRACT
In narrating how a Brahman quarry owner became the sponsor of a Bauri musical drama troupe, Muli introduces us to the complex relationships of high-caste persons and untouchables. A high-caste patron finances a drama troupe in order to be able to maintain his secret affair with a young Bauri woman; a high-caste teacher helps the Bauris to buy musical instruments but cheats them. While focusing on drama troupe activities, both untouchables and high-caste persons usually act politely toward each other, masking their real feelings. When provoked, however, the high-caste teacher’s veneer of civility disintegrates as he insults his Bauri employers, revealing his resentful anger at being the employee of untouchables, and at owing them money which he never intends to repay. The Bauris, resentful that high-caste persons cheat, exploit, and insult them, allow themselves to be pushed only so far; then they retaliate with explosions of angry insults. Gone forever is the myth that untouchables are content with their place in society and with the treatment they receive from other castes.
Muli also mentions a longstanding factional dispute between two groups of families in his ward. Such disputes are found throughout India and often become an accepted part of village life. Although Muli says little about the details of the dispute, it profoundly affected the social life of his ward for many years, leading to the creation of two competing drama troupes, their refusal to cooperate with rival families when they performed rituals, and consequently the alteration of rituals, as well as a change in the persons who performed them.
Muli also informs us about leadership roles in his community. In addition to hereditary leaders, who have hereditary functions at ceremonies such as marriages and funerals, nonhereditary leaders may emerge on the basis of their abilities to speak well and settle disputes. Dharma, Muli’s paternal grandfather, is a nonhereditary leader, and we see him in this chapter as a spokesman-leader during the dispute between the Bauris and their Brahman drama teacher.
Finally, Muli refers in passing to a custom called “selling the daughter for marriage.” Poor families of all castes, unable to give dowries and find suitable young 73husbands, marry their daughters to older men who, because of their age, have a hard time finding wives. This custom highlights the flexibility of Hindu marriage patterns and of the Hindu social system generally. Contrary to many stereotyped notions, Indian village life reveals great flexibility. Muli provides examples, not only regarding marriage practices, but also in leadership and ritual behavior as well.
