A Revelation of Life-Experiences in Dr. B.R. Ambedkar's Waiting for a Visa

Abstract

This article endeavours critically to analyse and evaluate the life experiences of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar in his autobiography, Waiting for a Visa. A literary autobiography is truly a full and actual portrayal of the truthful incidents, pains, pleasures, actions, achievements, successes and failures of a protagonist's life. It is genuinely a life story of a great person authored by himself or herself. Ambedkar's autobiography entitled Waiting for a Visa presents justifiably a true story of the experiences, observations, sufferings and struggles of the character hero’s life and gives authentically a deep insight into the inner-outer personality and public life of Ambedkar and his contemporaries. Apart from introducing a detailed description of his life the autobiographer, Ambedkar, reveals actually an abridged account of his life- experiences and observations that are much more significant and relevant to the modern world than merely introducing dates and events of his life. Ambedkar is popularly known as the father of Indian constitution and is immensely honored as one of the most intellectual personalities ever born in Indian society. This study evaluates objectively that Ambedkar's autobiography, Waiting for a Visa contains continuously historical, cultural and intellectual significance in the moral evolution of several communities of Indian life. It reveals dispassionately the literary relevance of the major issues that the autobiographer raised fearlessly through his bitters experiences of evil practice of untouchability in Indian national life. The narrated conflict in the autobiography is wholly a literary device that stands for a struggle between the two conflicting forces. One represents moral language, conduct and dignity while the other represents immoral language, conduct and evil practice of untouchability. The conflict plays a vital role of struggle that creates crucial hardships in this life story of Ambedkar and is used to move the autobiography forward. In Waiting for a Visa Ambedkar tirelessly struggles for his education, water, food, shelter and safety. It is exceptionally appreciable and inspirational. With the help of moral and humanitarian values like meekness, kindness, courage and patience Ambedkar endeavors powerfully to overcome the immoral thinking, attitude of the Hundus who were responsible for this injustice. He fought bravely against conservative tradition, custom, false belief, superstitions, social discrimination and immoral people who made Dalit people deprived of their basic and existential rights and due dignity on the ground of the hierarchical system in Indian national life. He uses technically the first person pronoun such as I, me, my, we, us, our.