Academic Publication

Author Profile

Dr. Santosh Kumar Sonker, born in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh in 1983, is an Assistant Professor, Dept. of English and F.L., Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh. He has edited two books-Dalit Assertion and its Space in Literature and Situating Tribals of India: Culture, Language and Self and translated Lessons from Forest and Mountain, a collection of poems, from Hindi to English. As the Co-ordinator, Palash: Tribal Theatre, IGNTU, Amarkantak he has directed and staged several performances of plays at national levels. He is an academician, a critic, a writer, an actor, and a director. He has written five plays and various poems in Hindi. He has been awarded with “Shri Jailal Das Smriti Sahitya Sadhak Samman” in 2021. Motyarin is his second book of translation. Hailing from Gondia, Maharashtra, Ushakiran Atram is an Adivasi social activist, a poet, and a writer. She is the Co-ordinator of All India Adivasi Women Forum, New Delhi. She has published her writings in Gondi, Marathi and Hindi such as Motyrain (Collection of Poems in Gondi, Marathi and Hindi 1993), Aher (Collection of Stories in Marathi 1996), Mhoraki (Collection of Poems in Marathi 1998), Gondwana ki Veeranganae (2003), Lekhani Chya Talwaro (Collection of Poems in Marathi 2008), Ekjhoka Anandacha (Marathi Children Songs) etc. She has been bestowed with prestigious awards including Dr. Ambedkar Fellowship, New Delhi.

About The Book

Motyarin, a collection of 25 poems, presents a saga of unsaid experiences lived by Adivasi women in Indian society. Starting with a question of identity, it addresses various issues related to Adivasi women such as sexual abuse, hunger, and struggle for an equal and a dignified space in the society, and gender equality, etc. with the help of images drawn from Adivasi moorings and various creations of Nature. Realistic in nature and inspirational in tone, the poems engage themselves in catering a new consciousness against inhumane treatment of Adivasi women. The experiences unveiled through the poems shake living human hearts against the beastly approach of the main-stream society towards them. The poems like new born rising suns blow a conch of war against the empire ruled by the patriarchs of the civilized society to end darkness from the life of Adivasi women.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgement Foreword Poet's Note Translator's Note Introduction 1. Mother! Tell Me 2. Now, You don't have Time to Tie a Garland in the Lock 3. Motyarin 4. Away from the World 5. Be like a Red Ember of Bloomed Palash 6. Rani! Speak 7. Bird of the Forest! Now, Fly Higher 8. Artisans from the City of Sun 9. Love 10. Due to of Hunger 11. Screw Pine of the Forest! Now Be Wise 12. Expression of the Dumb Tortures 13. Adornment 14. Preparation 15. Be Ready! Eagles with Burnt Wings are coming 16. Bindi 17. We’ll be the Heirs of Sun 18. Illuminated Eyes 19. Advice 20. Third Eye 21. A Weapon of the Word 22. Crowd 23. He and Me 24. Wounds 25. Dream of a Chapatti