GABAL

THE AUTHOR WHO IS NOW AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR IN THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SCIENCES IN NASHIK BELONGS TO THE NOMADIC JOSHI (ASTROLOGERS LOW IN THE CASTE HIERARCHY) TRIBE IN MAHARASHTRA. GABAL IS HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY WHICH COVERS HIS CHILDHOOD AND EARLY YOUTH. AS HIS FAMILY HAD NO PERMANENT RESIDENCE, DADASAHEB HARDLY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND SCHOOL, AND UNTIL THE AGE OF ALMOST SEVEN, HE TOOK TO THE FAMILY TRADITION OF BEGGING AND EARNING HIS LIVELIHOOD. AGAINST ALL ODDS SUCH AS ABJECT POVERTY, SUPERSTITION, DISCOURAGEMENT FROM THE ELDERS IN THE COMMUNITY, DADASAHEB CONTINUED HIS EDUCATION UNTIL GRADUATION. AFTER COMPLETING HIS HIGHER SECONDARY, HE SUPPORTED HIS EDUCATION INITIALLY BY DOING MENIAL JOBS AND LATER ACTING, AND BY SCHOLARSHIP. THE TITLE OPENS A WINDOW ON THE LIFE OF THE DOWNTRODDEN, AND PARTICULARLY THEIR DIALECT.