India’s non-Vedic and materialistic line of thinking has been fundamentally egalitarian. Chandrika Prasad Jigyasu has termed it as the original socialism of India.[1] We find this concept of socialism in Raidas’ much-discussed verse, Begumpura Shahar (Begumpura City):
Begumpura sahar ko nau, dukhu-andohu nahi tihi thau.
Naa taswees khiraju na malu, khaufun khata na tarsu juwalu.
Ab mohi khoob batan geh pai, uhaan khairi sada mere bhai.
Kaimu-daimu sada patisaahi, dom na som ek so aahi.
Abadanu sada masehur, unha gani basehi mamur.
Tiu tiu sail karhijiu bhaive, mahram mahal na ko atkawai.
Keh ‘ravidas’ khalaas chmara, jo hum sahari su mitu hamara.[2]
