Interview with Muhammad Khan

(Q1) INTERVIEWER: Please tell us something about yourself.

(A1) MUHAMMAD KHAN: I live in the Daiganj section. I live in the Daiganj neighborhood.

(Q2) INTERVIEWER: How did it get the name "Daiganj?"

(A2) MUHAMMAD KHAN: Well, the old people can tell you that, can't they?

(Q3) INTERVIEWER: What kind of work do you do?

(A3) MUHAMMAD KHAN: Right, I sell fish and stuff. I buy them, I get them from tanks, reservoirs and nets, and I sell them-I cut them up and sell them.

(Q4) INTERVIEWER: What kind of fish can you get around here?

(A4) MUHAMMAD KHAN: Here there's Rehu, Nain, Tangar, Bhakur, Biket, Silvar, Komalkar-those are some of the fish around here.

(Q5) INTERVIEWER: Who eats fish around here?

(A6) MUHAMMAD KHAN: Most people like Rehu and Bhakur, nothing else.

(Q7) INTERVIEWER: Does everyone around here eat fish?

(A8) MUHAMMAD KHAN: Right, around here about 75% of people eat fish. Some people don't eat fish, but most do. But priests ( Brahmins ) don't eat fish.

(Q9) VOICE FROM THE CROWD: What don't priests eat?

(A9) MUHAMMAD KHAN: About 75% eat fish-all types of people, all castes. Just like eggs-a lot of people don't eat them and a lot of people do. And meat-a lot of people like it and a lot of people don't

(Q10) INTERVIEWER: Could you please tell us something about the village?

(A10) MUHAMMAD KHAN: It's a village from the age of kings-it's a historical place isn't it? As for the rest, well the old people can tell you. As far as it being a historical place, well there's Raja Vicitra , got it?, and there was his priest, Shastri Brahm , his teacher-after that there was a war, a battle. After that the fort of Shastri Brahm was ruined-meaning Humayu, wait-who was Humayu? No, not the Humayus. Oh the general of Bakhtiyar Khilji , what was his name? Nope, not him. Bakhtiyar Khilji, got it? It was an imperial place, the fort of Shastri Brahm was. It was the state of King Saliwahan, and because of Shastri Brahm this village became famous. This village is named Arampur- Shastri Brahm -people call him Shastri Brahm , and people come great distances and know him as Shastri Brahm. But the village itself is called Arampur.

(Q11) INTERVIEWER: We're making this recording so that American students can understand something about India . In your opinion, what should American students know about India ?

(A11) MUHAMMAD KHAN: Our country is fine-but it's a poor country isn't it? Our country is poor. You people eat fine food. What have we got? We get fish from holes and pits-it's a hilly area isn't it. We get them from streams and ponds-there are streams and rivers running over there. People catch the fish and sell them. This is how they make ends meet. Someone brings wood-wood that they've cut from the jungle to sell. This is how life goes on around here. Look at all the kids going around naked-the clothes don't fit them. There's a great deal of poverty here. In India , there's a lot of poverty.

(Q12) INTERVIEWER: So, what should be done about it?

(A12) MUHAMMAD KHAN: Go and tell America to build and open a factory here so that at the very least a million of us will be restored to health. We'll earn a living and be able to raise our children and give them nutritious food. We don't have jobs here. We're useless. We go to the jungle, get wood, sell it and feed our kids.

(Q14) INTERVIEWER: Who lives in this neighborhood.

(A14) MUHAMMAD KHAN: The Chaudhari clan lives in this neighborhood, doesn't it. The Rain clan, the Samani clan, the Chaurasiya clan and, let's see, who else-the Ansari clan, that's it. Oh, the Panwariya clan-the Panwariya clan, they're in the five homes over there. Those are the five to six clans in this neighborhood.