Johar Maibaap - Sant Chokhamela Marathi abhang

I am presenting an Abhang (Marathi devotional) from Marathi drama Sant Kanhopatra (1931). The abhang was written in 14th century by saint-poet Sant Chokhamela, a Mahar devotee of Vithoba.

The era was when the “Mahars” (an outcaste, based on the caste system) used to be forcibly kept outside city limits and only allowed to perform tasks deemed too lowly for uppercastes. The poet Chokhamela was a Dalit Mahar devotee of Vitthala living in Pandharpur, and they used to refer to their social superiors as “Johar”…

In this Abhang, Sant Chokhamela pays obeisance, in all humility, to Vitthala, (referring to him as his Johar parent) offering himself as a servant of his servants and pleads that he be given any left overs of food other bhaktas have consumed…
Forced to work as an indentured servant to build a wall, Chokhamela was buried under the rubble as the wall collapsed. Sant Namdev picked up his remains and buried him outside the Vitthala temple in Pandharpur where he used to worship. His tomb is in front of the Vitthala temple, Pandharpur, where it can be seen to this day.

What a ugly and moving tale of the caste system from those days…
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, leader of the ‘Dalits’, belonged to the same Mahar community as Chokhamela and was instrumental in architecting the Indian constitution.

Here is my humble attempt of this Natyageet Marathi abhang, to pay a tribute to Babasaheb Ambedkarji and the great saints who just wrote such meaningful eulogies in honor of Vitthala and other forms of the Lord, while losing their lives to the bane of the caste system.

Marathi Abhang based on Raag Bibhas (of Marwa Thaat) - also goes to some Bhairav, Todi (Lalit) as the song progresses..
Lyrics/Poetry: Sant Chokhamela
Play: Sant Kanhopatra (1931)
Originally sung by : Lalji Desai, also presented in concerts by artists like Pt. Kumar Gandharva

Cover by: swaravanshi
Based on versions by Classical vocalists: Manjusha Patil, Madhura Datar
Arrangement using iTablaPro (Set to Scale C, in Bhajani Theka): swaravanshi

Lyrics/Meaning:
——————-------
जोहार मायबाप जोहार |
Salutations to you,
my mother and father (Vitthala)
तुमच्या महाराचा मी महार ||१||
I am an untouchable Mahar to your Mahar
God, I am even inferior to the people inferior to you…
बहु भुकेला जाहलों |
God, I am extremely starved (for your love)
तुमच्या उष्ट्यासाठी आलों ||२||
I came hoping for your leftovers
(for the little mercy you will show me)

चोखा म्हणे आणिली पाटी|
उष्ट्यासाठी आणिली तुमच्या
Chokha mela says…
I brought with me a basket
for your discarded leftovers…

Johar Maibaap Johar - Sant Chokhamela Marathi Abhang by swaravanshi