CASTE-OBLITERATED? 'OR' OBLIVIATED?-A Dialectic of Dr.Ambedkar's 'Annihilation of Caste'-3
Lord Krishna in the Sanathanadharma of Srimad Bhagavatgita gives us an insight into the genesis and purpose of Caste System. Sri Krishna unveils the fact that Chaturvarnya or the division based on Varna was created by him on the basis of an individual's Guna and Karma ,not on Jati. The four varnas are named-Brahmins,Kshatriyas,Vaishyas and Shudras. Albeit being the creator of this system,he admits that it is not in his power to nullify this stratification. A person's capability rather than his birth decides his position in the Varna Vyavastha.
चातुर्वर्ण्य मया सृष्टं गुणकर्मविभागशः ।
तस्य कर्तारमपि मां विद् ध्यकर्तारमव्ययम् ।।
Ambedkar deconstructs this term चातुर्वर्ण्य in the later part of his Annihilation of Caste. To contextualize the entire scenario,we have to step back in time to 1895-the year in which Arya Samaj was founded by Swami Dayananda Saraswathi. This sect of Hindu reformers whose basic tenets were built upon God,Nature and soul have revolutionized the entire Hinduism. Dayananda Saraswathi urged Hindus to go back to Vedas and cleanse the religion , of the blemish brought upon it by Idolatry ,oppression of women and genealogical Caste divisions. Arya Samajists also advocated 'Chaturvarnya' which is the division of society into four classes. They retained the antique nomenclature of Hindus as Brahmins,Kshatriyas,Vaishyas and Shudras. This retention of traditional oppressive anti-dalit appellation was critiqued by Ambedkar. He questioned the inevitability of labeling people in order to confer reverence upon them. How so ever we debate that Varna is based on essence and not on birth,certain terms uphold and imply definite notions which are indissoluble. Erasure of these notions from people's mind is arduous,if not impossible. Hence,till these terms exist in the political discourse,Indians perceive Chaturvarnya not as segregation based on worth but on birth. It sounds pretty like-Old wine in a new bottle! Doesn't it? Ambedkar enounces the remedy as well "If new notions are to be inculcated in the minds of people,it is necessary to give them new names." (Ambedkar 25)
Ambedkar finds out that the principles propagated by Caste System is at variance with those preached by the leaders of Chaturvarnya. Since Caste system is based on birth and Chaturvarnya on worth,the reformers should work towards the eradication of the former to put the latter to practice. But the question which perplexes the advocates of Chaturvarnya was the medium they would employ to segregate the Four thousand castes into Four classes. Ambedkar also challenged the practicality of sorting people into four definite classes. Thereupon he referred to Plato who classified people into three classes viz.Labourers,Warriors and Law-givers. Plato was censured on the grounds that he was oblivious of the unique abilities of each individual. He analysed people superficially and thrust them into respective classes. The 'protagonists of Chaturvarnya' are prone to the same reprobation. A further hurdle to Chaturvarnya is a threat of a transgressor. Varna Vyavastha can only flourish with a penal code which ensures the smooth functioning of this system. So "Chaturvarnya cannot subsist by its own inherent goodness. It must be enforced by law."(Ambedkar 26) Ambedkar elucidates this concept with the myth of Rama and Shambuka where he expounds that this Penal Code will and can only exist in accordance with Manusmriti. Ambedkar who always stood for women's empowerment brings them into picture here as well. He asserts that women can never fit into the Chaturvarnya system.
Ambedkar amusingly talks of the ostensible Chaturvarnya Theory which illustrates "the shudra as the ward and the three (higher) varnas as his guardians"(Ambedkar 27). By doing this the Traivarnikas are actually ' magnanimously' patronizing the Shudra by sparing him of the pain to bear armaments, labour to gain wealth and mental strain to acquire education. The three Varnas are always at the shudra's service to help and assist him in the aforementioned pain-staking 'drudgery'. Since every rule has its own exception,let's think of the otherwise. What would happen if any of these altruistic upper caste brethren fail to do his duty towards the underprivileged shudra? What if they wean him away from the breath of life? The shudra would be disadvantaged. He is incapacitated and denied the right to be self-sufficient,he ought to get the guidance of the Traivarnikas. Ambedkar states that the dependence of one class over the other is ineludible nevertheless he opposes this dependence on the life forces-Education,defense mechanism,inter alia.There are greater possibilities of the 'ward' being exploited by the 'guardian'. When this gnosis is put to praxis,the guardian-ward relation transforms itself into a master-servant relationship. The saddest and the most inhuman part is that the depressed classes are deprived of every agency with which they can fight back. They were tamed to internalize the passive status in which they are placed. Caste System ,according to Ambedkar "is the system which deadens,paralyses and cripples the people (keeping them) from helpful activity (Ambedkar 28)
Dalits have internalized their passive status... Does this phenomenon of 'internalizing' have any theoretical backing? In Outline of a Theory of Practice , Bourdieu talks of Habitus. In plain English,Habitus is the habits or aspects of societal life which influence the way we behave or conceive of the world. The way we conduct ourselves is conditioned by certain factors such as our culture,education and also historical background. These objective prospects which is termed as 'field' influence our subjective expectations and aspirations. We are well aware of the rules and regulations of the society that makes us conscious of our place in it and act accordingly. Habitus can also influence our responses to certain stimuli , our emotional sensitiveness and also the way we position ourselves in the world. According to Bourdieu,when History is codified into practice Habitus is resulted. Thus the inferior position is ingrained in Dalits owing to centuries long indoctrination and oppression. Eventually,this inferiority becomes subliminal and requires no reminder!
Ambedkar declares that Chaturvarnya or the rivalry between the castes have dated back to the Vedic times. Ambedkar also writes about certain Hindus who justify Caste System under the misapprehension that every other religion follows Caste Hierarchy. Thereupon Ambedkar raised a series of thought-provoking questions which would irrevocably prove that Caste among the hindus is completely different from that among the Non-Hindus. "Are the forces that separate groups and classes more numerous than the forces that unite them? " The prime difference lies in what Carlyle calls "Organic Filaments". Among Christians and Muslims the binding force or organic filaments are more than the factors that detach them. But Hindus are seldom huddled together by any of these filaments. Though caste is conspicuous in other religions ,it is not of supreme importance in their day to day lives. At the end of the day they are fine being called Muslims or Christians. But the case is different with Hindus,Caste is what dictates the life of a Hindu and he feels incomplete without this designation.
"Among the Non-Hindus,caste is only a practice,not a sacred institution. They did not originate it,with them it is only a survival. They do not regard caste as a religious dogma."(Ambedkar 29)
Ambedkar posits that abolition of sub-castes and bringing about inter-dining can do no good in destroying the oppressive caste system. He views inter-caste marriages as the sole strategy to subvert and thwart this social order. But the question is why are many sects reluctant to inter -dine and inter-marry? The answer is plain enough-The principles put forward by their sacred sastras bar them from commingling with other castes,ergo, the unique solution to abolish caste system is to renounce the sastras and Vedas.
"Make every man and woman free from the thraldom of sastras,cleanse their minds of the pernicious notions founded on the sastras,and he or she will inter-dine and inter-marry,without you telling him or her to do so."(Ambedkar 31)
Ambedkar opines that Hindu religion was established on the "sacredness of caste" and the transmogrification should happen from the foundation itself. According to Babasaheb,the incontrovertible power of the Shastras and Vedas should be effaced. Ambedkar says that even the most progressive among the Brahmins would not take the lead to destroy caste system since it deprives them of their authority. Hence,in as much as they advocate political and economic upliftment ,they turn away from social reform. According to Ambedkar, only an intellectual class with good ends(since intellectuals can turn out to be mean as well!),is eligible to be the harbinger of progress in a society. Unfortunately,In India,Intellectual class has become synonymous with Brahmins. Aniket Jaaware calls education- a 'brahminical activity.'(Jaaware 102). So the expectation that this class would bring a social change is out of question.
Is Dalit Intelligentsia a myth? By consensus Dalits are termed incompetent since they utilize the provision of Reservation-A 'sordid boon'. This 'consensus' is germane to what Pierre Bourdeiu calls Doxa. Doxa is an Ancient Greek term which denotes a common or popular belief. It is argued that Orthodoxy is derived from Doxa. Within our frame of reference,doxa suggests the supposed inability of Dalits to compete with their Brahminical counterparts. In our contemporary society(Indian),marks and scores measure a person's merit. Subsequently,the panel of intellectuals conclude that Dalits do not deserve higher posts for they score less than their privileged peers. Mind you,Doxa can be false if the opinion is based on abstract or uncertain assumptions , as we see in our current context. The theory has it that- Since Dalits were perpetually denied education,their mental constitution became insensitive and numb to higher merit. But conversely,we find instances where a Dalit is seen more competent or ingenious than his brahmin counterpart.
We can hardly ever ask a casteist Hindu to abandon caste on grounds that it is irrational. Since he has sacrificed his free will at the sacred altar of Vedas and Sastras, he is bound to follow the Veda,Smriti and Sadachar.Questioning the authenticity of any of these is Sin! (Can we say Blasphemy?) Ambedkar says that he does not intend to destroy 'the true principles of religion.' He only wishes to modify a religion where there are no rooms for universal principles and which is nothing more than a set of coded rules which are never subject to amendation. These restrictive rules deprive its followers of freedom and Happiness. Ambedkar also voices the need for a 'Religion of Principles.' He puts forth certain qualities of such a religion and the most prominent of those is the necessity of one standard sacred book for a single religion. He further suggests a handful of rules for the priesthood to accomplish their ministry triumphantly. It includes the selection of priests based on excellence and not on inheritance. Like any other profession,it is supposed to follow all fundamental rules and regulations and also subject to all codes of conduct levied by the State. Ambedkar visioned an ideal religion based on the ideals of French Revolution.-"You must give a new doctrinal basis to your religion-a basis that will be in consonance with Liberty,Equality and Fraternity,in short,with Democracy." (Ambedkar 38) At this point Ambedkar proclaims his resolve to renounce Hinduism. "But this would probably be my last address to a Hindu audience,on a subject vitally concerning the Hindus."(Ambedkar 38)
"The struggle is yours; I have now decided to leave the Hindu fold." (Ambedkar 40). Ambedkar exhorts the Hindus to change and modify 'their' religion since he was about to renounce the Faith. But he also offers them his support and assistance at the time of crisis. Ambedkar ends his speech by wishing the audience luck and by saying that annihilation of caste is the only way to liberation and the only Key towards actual Swaraj! Annihilation of Caste is indubitably a gem of a classic which uncloaks the nemesis of Hinduism in all its starkness. Ambedkar never swam with the tide,he was a rare bird ! There was a blaze at the tip of his pen which would entice every Tom Dick and Harry to be his admirer. Though much ink was spilt upon this text,you can record your accolades if you find him worthy. What if you find him preposterous? The stage is open for you as well... You get my drift? VINDICATE YOURSELF !!!
FINIS
REFERENCES:
Ambedkar,B.R.Annihilation of Caste.Navayana,2014
"Bhagavad Gita-The Caste System."Glimpses of Divinity,Eagle Space,www.eaglespace.com/spirit/gita_castesystem.php
"Bourdieu and Habitus."Powercube,www.powercube.net/other-forms-of-power/bourdieu-and-habitus/
"Doxa".Cambridge University Press,Feb.2013,www.cambridge.org/core/services/authors
Jaaware,Aniket.Practicing Caste:On Touching and Not Touching.Fordham University Press,2019.
Skuthrope,et al.,"Introduction to Bourdieu:Habitus."Youtube,Uploaded by-Then and Now,2 Apr.2019,youtu.be/WvzahvBpd_A
-Santhwana Thomas
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