The “Untouchable” Fabric
Tall coconut trees,
Swerving in monsoon sky
Calm Travancore noon
From the pond behind
Drank a parched black raven
Like her infant child
As she fed her young,
Stormed in the king’s official
Thus the wail began
For she covered them,
Taxed for such simple acts,
Were ‘low born’ women
Shriek did she at once,
Holding onto a fabric
Shielding her bosom
Fight did she that man,
Who sought to measure her breasts,
Fear turning to rage
Watching in silence
The sickle could not escape
The horror to follow
In a swift sharp blow,
She chose to sacrifice,
The child couldn’t feed on one
On a leaf she served,
The terrified wretched man,
What he sought to size
As blood and milk flowed,
Her mortal life ended but,
Her protest never died
This was based on the Breast Tax levied on women of certain castes for publicly covering their breasts. The legend of Nangeli and her act of protest was a strong inspiration behind this post. Though such disgusting practices have been abolished today, casteism still thrives as a visible and hidden evil.
