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{{for|the later sacrifice of another woman at Panhala fort|Gangubai Teli}}
'''Gangu Teli''' {{cn|date=February 2019}} is an apocryphal figure from the era of the [[Parmara dynasty]] of central India, a commoner belonging to the ''[[Teli]]'' (oil-presser) caste. He is recalled in Hindi, Urdu and other Indian vernacular saying ''Kahaan Raja Bhoj, kahan Gangu Teli'' ("where is King Bhoj, where is Gangu the oil-presser"), an [[aphorism]] which contrasts something very important with something very inconsequential or pretentious.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ag5lAAAAMAAJ&q=gangu+teli |title=A Comparative Study of Culture in Telugu, Punjabi & Hindi Proverbs - T. Susheela - Google Books |isbn=9788173804168 |accessdate=2014-02-20|last1=Susheela |first1=T. |year=2001 }}</ref>

==Story==
The story of Gangu teli is traditionally positioned to have occurred during the reigns of either Emperor [[Bhoja]] of [[Dhar]], King of [[Malwa]] in [[Central India]], belonging to the [[Paramara]] dynasty '''or''' Emperor [[Bhoja II (Shilahara dynasty)|Bhoja II]] of the [[Shilahara]] dynasty.{{cn|date=February 2019}}

According to legend about the Shilahara king, Bhoja was building the fort of [[Panhala]] (Pranalaka) near [[Kolhapur]] in South Maharashtra, but the walls kept collapsing during construction.{{when|date=August 2013}} The king's astrologer recommended the sacrifice a woman and her newborn to appease the gods of the mountain. Gangu Teli was the only person nearby whose wife had just delivered, so Gangu, puffed up with self-importance, offered his wife Jakkubai and his newborn child as a sacrifice. A tomb exists inside the Panhala Fort for Jakkubai and her child.<ref name="openthemagazine1">{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.openthemagazine.com/article/nation/the-ballad-of-gangu-teli |title=The Ballad of Gangu Teli |publisher=OPEN Magazine |date= |accessdate=2014-02-20}}</ref>

As Gangu Teli became prideful as he realised that only he could come to the aid of a king, this tale brought about the aphorism ''Kahaan Raja Bhoj, kahan Gangu Teli'', dismissing him as being inconsequential compared to the rajah.{{cn|date=February 2019}}

==Modern allusions==

[[Narendra Modi]], [[Prime Minister of India]], and a member of the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]], belongs to the Teli caste; a remark by [[Indian National Congress|Congress Party]]'s [[Ghulam Nabi Azad]], rephrasing Modi's Prime Ministerial ambitions in the light of the ancient quip ''"Kahan Raja Bhoj, kahan Gangu Teli''' has drawn denunciations of [[casteism]] by the BJP.<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-08-17/india/41420391_1_casteist-remarks-narendra-modi-ghulam-nabi-azad |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130821202506/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-08-17/india/41420391_1_casteist-remarks-narendra-modi-ghulam-nabi-azad |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-08-21 |title=Azad made casteist remarks against Modi: BJP |date=2013-08-17 |work=[[The Times of India]]|accessdate=2014-02-20}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Ghulam-Nabi-Azads-jibe-at-Modi-casteist-BJP/articleshow/21888935.cms |title=Ghulam Nabi Azad's jibe at Modi casteist: BJP - The Times of India |publisher=Timesofindia.indiatimes.com |date=2013-08-18 |accessdate=2014-02-20}}</ref>

The 1974 Hindi film ''[[Sagina (film)|Sagina]]'', features a song "Sala Main To Saab Ban Gaya", which has a line on Gangu Teli that goes "kaisa Raja Bhoj bana hain mera Gangu Teli" or "look at how my Gangu Teli is acting like Raja Bhoj." The ancient [[Quip (wit)|quip]] gained new currency when it was incorporated into a popular song in the [[Govinda (actor)|Govinda]] starred 1998 Hindi Bollywood movie, ''[[Dulhe Raja]]''.

In modern times, the Punjabi Maoist (or [[Naxalite]]) revolutionary Dalit poet [[Sant Ram Udasi]], and now his daughter, have challenged the accepted Raja Bhoj - Gangu Teli discourse, portray Gangu Teli as an unwilling victim, coerced and brutalized, and portraying Raja Bhoj as a monster, e.g. the [[Ballad of Gangu Teli]].<ref name="openthemagazine1"/>

==See also==
*[[Panhala|Panhala Fort]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:History of Maharashtra]]
[[Category:Indian folklore]]

Gangu Teli - Revision history

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