CASTE-OBLITERATED? 'OR' OBLIVIATED?-A Dialectic of Dr.Ambedkar's 'Annihilation of Caste'-2
"Eat,O Companions!Drink and become drunk with expressions of endearment,"so on sings King Solomon,whose wisdom was said to have surpassed the wisdom of rest of the mankind. His father Psalmist David had also penned ineffable verses on the ecstasy imparted by a consolidated society. Well!Solomon is not our subject of discussion,nor is King David, but their imagery of an amiable society can intensify the viciousness of Caste based stratification. This image of people dwelling together in fraternity is never found among different Castes and sub castes which form Hinduism. Ambedkar says "anti-social spirit" is the hallmark of Caste System. This contemptible quiddity of Caste System worsens the already feeble relations the cold brothers share. This 'anti-social' character of Caste System is ubiquitous in Hinduism since there is no sect which is not liable to this rule. This isolation guards the interests of each group and thus erasing every scope of interaction among various social entities.
By upholding their own interests and separating themselves from other people,the compatriots are actually,carving their own nations which lack unity of mind,brotherly affection,tender compassion,fellow feeling and above all humanity. Thus in a race to defend and secure their own interests they forget to shield themselves from selfishness and greed. Eventually 'Brahmins' and 'Non-Brahmins' bring avenging swords upon one another. Ambedkar talks of a certain anomaly of Caste System which is not found in other warring factions elsewhere. At this point,he refers to the Wars of Roses. These series of cruel and violent wars were fought between the House of Lancaster and House of York for the English throne. Obviously,Every English man worth the name fought or atleast had a lenience to one of the two rival groups. But the English citizens of modern time never remember this grudge...no one takes pain to fan the flames of ancient rancour dating back to 1400s. But opening old wounds is a typical foible of Indians that they tend to water and nurture the antique grievances daily.
"The Present day Non-Brahmins cannot forgive the present day Brahmins for the insult their ancestors gave to Shivaji. The present day Kayasthas will not forgive the present day Brahmins for the infamy caste upon their forefathers by the forefathers of the latter." (Ambedkar 20)
Caste doesn't allow the upliftment of the autochthonus tribes in India instead cooks up a storm by pushing them to utter depravity. Yashica Dutt in her path-breaking work Coming Out As Dalit talked of Caste System at large and how the nimble-handed Britishers played second fiddle to the Caste leaders in relegating Dalits to their current disadvantaged status. She also talks of the neglect and humiliation a dalit had to go through. This undeserved "upper" position cherished by the 'upper' castes was supported by Britishers to secure their ill-gotten grains. Though they were not the ones who formulated Varna System they perpetrated it to keep the unified struggles against them at bay.
"While they(in their avatars as the East India Company and later as the Raj)might not have created the Caste System,they did formalize these established categories,even creating new ones,using what Sociologist G.Aloysius calls a 'Statistical sleight of hand.' They exploited it to ensure that Indians did not come together against them. They pushed the upper caste into the top of most power structures in the subcontinent. Aloysius calls them 'a particularly pragmatic type of imperialists...who were careful not to disturb the social order and this policy stood them well." (Dutt 30)
Dutt in her Prologue ,addressed the 'Double Life', led by most of the ambitious and intellectual Dalits. As a last resort to find their own legitimate space in this 'world of uppercasteness' Dalit bahujans concealed their actual Dalit Identity and passed as Upper Caste. They went on switching masks in accordance with the situation in which they are placed. In a verge to achieve an accomplished life and career in this biased society, they tried to paper over the cracks. The inexorable outcome of this 'passing as upper caste' is Identity Crisis! None enjoys masquerade,but Dalits are only handed Hobson's choice in this Solipsistic Hindu World. When their true identity is made known, their upper caste mentored peers who were squeezed into the Hindutva mould would despise them. As Ambedkar says some sects and tribes are termed as 'hereditary Criminals. ' These indigenous tribes are deemed as uncultured and unsociable. In Sanskrit,English and Dalits,S.Anand wrote that Dalits were barred from learning Sanskrit and the denial of this Dev Basha meant the denial of Culture,civilization,power,education and enlightenment. Since Sanskrit etymologically means Culture, all treatises of grammar,state craft,Mathematics,Performing arts and Rules of Society were rendered in it. The high spirited Christian Missionaries had come forward and molded the seemingly uncultivable sect by adopting and educating them. Love was their driving force...! Imagine how beautiful Hinduism would have been had the hindu reformers attempted this! But this very act of Love would ring the death knell of Caste System and its attributed sanctity. Dalits are never considered as humans,they are recognized by their works. Dr.Suraj Yengde in his book Caste Matters,talks of how humiliating it is to live in a Dalit Basti (Ambedkar Nagar,Jai Bhim Nagar etc)
"Alarm bells would ring immediately if someone learned that I came from one of these areas. All kinds of stereotypes and prejudices were hurled against me and others who belonged to this part of the marked town...These areas didnot fit into the modern definition of working class neighbourhood...All they had was enslavement without a guarantee of fair returns."(Yengde 12).
Yengde fails not to record the sorry state of certain youngsters who were impelled to take up criminal activities for survival. To ensure their superiority,Brahmins deliberately laid a check on the efforts of Dalits to ascend the social ladder. Uma Chakravarthi,in her Conceptualising Brahminical Patriarchy in Early India, offers us an insight into the Hindu Power Structures.
"A fundamental principle of Hindu social organization is to construct a closed structure to preserve land,women and ritual quality within...In the theoretical explanations for the proliferation of caste the most polluting and low castes are attributed to miscegeny.i.e, the mixing of castes(Varnasamkara). (Chakravarthi 579).
Brahminical Caste Hierarchy takes the form of a Pyramid where the ascent is hailed with reverence and the descent is hurled at with reproach. Since,Dalits form the base of the pyramid the entire structure thrives on their oppression. Uma Chakaravarti claims that Brahmins are anxious of their ritual order getting corrupted. Yes!Absolutely!Any stir from the side of Dalits to scale the pyramid incarnates itself as a potent force to subvert and pollute this sacred order. Hence,the Four "upper" structures struggle incessantly to oppress and contain Dalits.
Ambedkar posits that Hinduism was a missionary religion and was brought to India and preached there since it was not indigenous. Gradually Hinduism started losing the epithets which are usually associated with missionary religions and eventually ended up becoming a conservative religion..!
"Hindu religion ceased to be a missionary religion when the caste system grew up among the Hindus. Caste is inconsistent with Conversion. Inculcation of beliefs and dogmas is not the only problem that is involved in Conversion. To find a place for the convert in the social life of the community is another,and a much more important,problem..."(Ambedkar 22) Though the converts might manage to imbibe the values and ethos of Brahmanism,the trouble of placing them in this water-tight hierarchy system would continue to perplex the intellectual Caste leaders. The best remedy for an insurmountable problem is to avoid attempting it! Well,Is it?Perhaps it is...Atleast that is what we infer from this example. Since Caste System is a closed structure converts can never enter this rigidly composed building. Thus Hinduism can no longer be deemed as a Missionary Religion.In short,Conversions never suit a Hindu's holier-than-thou attitude.
Ambedkar goes on to talk of courage and strength which is derived from solidarity and fellow feeling. Hindus can never cherish this brotherhood since 'Caste system deprives Hindus of mutual help,trust and fellow feeling. Subsequently,at the time of crisis Hindus would resort to treacherous means. As opposed to Hindus,Sikhs and Muslims stand united and witness the fall of their enemies. Having none to rescue,a Casteist Hindu lives in perpetual daunt and cowardice of encountering a trouble but a Sikh or Muhammedan bravely encounters the problem as his brethren would back him at the time of combat.
Ambedkar offers an analysis of the bigotry of the Hindus...He calls them the most intolerant people and if they are found tolerant that's because they have no choice of being otherwise. Ambedkar also says that Caste has 'killed' Public Spirit. Hindus constitute a homogenous Public Realm where the society is only between the members of the same caste. The virtues,morals,merits and even the values of a Hindu are coloured and governed by his Caste. Ambedkar also opines that a Hindu will only accept a leader from his own caste. Hindus also prioritize their caste over their nation. Then comes the Sixty-four-thousand-dollar question..."Have not Hindus committed treason against their country in the interests of their caste?"(Ambedkar 23)
At this point Ambedkar begins to deliberate on the possible reconstruction of Hindu Society. He talks of an ideal society which is based on the ideals of French Revolution viz..Liberty,Equality and Fraternity. Ambedkar incorporated those governing principles into the Indian Constitution as well. These ideals will only get materialized in a democratic nation wherein the countrymen share,care and respect one another. In such a country,every citizen is granted rights and to crown it all he is allowed the liberty to choose his life and lifestyle. Annihilation of Caste is seldom a declamatory rant against the Caste System in lieu it's a discursive logical argument on rethinking the Hindu Deontology. This text is indubitably a slap on the wrist of the Casteists to mend their ways. Let him off the hook-Ambedkar did not intend to slam the entire Hinduism,Since one bad apple spoils the whole barrel,the wrong doings of a few casteists corrupted the entire religion! Love is the very essence of existence...Love your brethren...Love your nation...Love every entity around you...eventually you will find your emotional integrity well composed! I do not intend to prolong my talk ad infinitum,therefore I cease here!Hasta la Vista,Friend!
(To be Continued...)
REFERENCES:
Ambedkar,B.R.Annihilation of Caste.Navayana,2014
Anand,S."S.Anand :Annihilation of Caste-A Path towards Enlightened Society."Youtube,Uploaded by PLPDG,2 May.2014.youtu.be/yOZz6ijIZAg
Anand,S."Sanskrit,English and Dalits."Economic And Political Weekly,24 Jul.1999,web.
Chakravarthi,Uma."Conceptualizing Brahminical Patriarchy in Early India:Gender,Caste,Class and State."Economic and Political Weekly,1993.
Dutt,Yashica.Coming Out as a Dalit.Aleph Book Company,2019.
Yengde,Suraj.Caste Matters.Penguin Books,2019.
-Santhwana Thomas
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