Literature and Liberation: The Dalit Movement - I

 Literature and Liberation: The Dalit Movement 

Part I - pp. 98 - 105 - Cross-currents - Sem. 4 BA English Complementary Course

For a YouTube lecture on this topic, click here.

‘Dalit’

The Dalits are members of various people groups in India who are considered outcasts of Brahminical Hinduism.

The Dalit Movement

The Dalit Movement implies a confrontation with the existing tyrannical social order which refused to acknowledge their basic humanity, a way of affirming their self worth, a campaign for essential amenities needed for them to come out of the swamp of wretchedness. It represents their aggressive efforts for resurrection, a demand for reform, and their recourse to writing as a means of self assertion.

The term “Dalit”

Debjani Ganguly, in the work “Caste and Dalit Worlds”, explain the term thus: This is derived from the Marathi language. It connotes the state of being “ground down” or “depressed”. Since the 1970s, this has been used generically in India to represent the constituency of peasants, workers, women, tribals and ex-untouchable castes who together are seen to challenge the upper class, North Indian, Hindu Brahminic hegemony in the national political scene in post-independence India.

(Please refer the text for the full quote.)

Dalit Writing:

There was a time when dalit voice meant their hollering to let the higher castes know their presence so that they could move away to avoid getting polluted. Now, Dalit writing provides a wholly different function to this voice: it has become a conscious articulation of a bold and confident presence and proclaims a militant advance to the centre from the sidetracks.

Pioneers of Dalit Liberation

Jyothiba Bhule (Phule/ Phooley)

Bhule was born in 1827, in a Mali caste family in Pune. (The Mali people are traditionally gardeners, vegetable vendors, and florists. They are considered to be of the Shudra order in the varna system.) He was fortunate to have an education, though it was interrupted at one stage.

Educationist: He was committed to provide education to the lower castes. His school for girls of the untouchable communities could not get teachers, and he encouraged his wife Savitribai Phule to take up the role. Success of this school encouraged him to start more schools.


Reformist: Efforts include campaign for the remarriage of widows, the founding of a Home for the prevention of infanticide. Established the organisation of the lower castes: “Sathya Shodhak Samaj” for the confrontation with the Hindu social order based on varna and caste hierarchy.

Newspaper: “Din Bandhu” brought out by the Samaj in 1877.

People’s Representative: Bhule became a member of the Pune Municipality in 1876, and used the opportunity for the upliftment of the Shudras and Adi-Shudras (Untouchables).

“First People” Theory: The first people or early inhabitants theory of Jyothiba Bhule considers the Dalits to be the early inhabitants of the land. The current oppressors – the upper caste men – are an invading race. The varna concept and the myth of the birth of castes were invented to subdue the natives.

Dr B R Ambedkar



Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (14 April 1891 – 6 December 1956), also known as Babasaheb Ambedkar was an Indian jurist, economist, politician and social reformer, who inspired the Dalit Buddhist movement and campaigned against social discrimination towards the untouchables (Dalits). He was British India's Minister of Labour in Viceroy's Executive Council, Chairman of the Constituent Drafting committee, independent India's first Minister of Law and Justice, and considered the chief architect of the Constitution of India.

Ambedkar was born in the town of Mhow (now in Madhya Pradesh). His family was of Marathi background from Maharashtra. Ambedkar was born into a Mahar (dalit) caste, who were treated as untouchables and subjected to socio-economic discrimination.

(Courtesy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B._R._Ambedkar)

Ambedkar emerged as a leader and spokesman for the Dalits, through his public addresses and the periodical “Janata”.

Opposing Bhule: Ambedkar did not subscribe to the race theory of Bhule.

Concerns on Land: In “States and Minorities”, a draft of sections of the Constitution, Ambedkar urges the nationalisation of land while at the same time suggesting separate settlements for Dalits. He did not see anything wrong in this juxtaposition.

Two-fold Objective: The two enemies the Dalits had to combat were Brahminism and Capitalism.

Ambedkar was influenced by Marxism, and accepted the view of the dialectical interplay of classes. He organised movements of workers and peasants against capitalists and landlords. He recognized the importance of bringing up a peasant-proletariat-lower caste front to oppose the dominant Hindu Brahminical forces.

The Buddhist Wave: Ambedkar was not happy about the alliance of caste and class; a dichotomy existed between the two, which he was unable to overcome. Towards the close of his career, he led a mass conversion of his community to Buddhism.

Buddhist principles such as the rejection of God, soul, ritualism and casteism appealed to him, as a faith capable of creating a new identity for the Dalits. It also fitted into the Dalit’s secular and political aspirations.

Critique of Indian History: Ambedkar points to three stages in the evolution of ancient Indian history: I. the Vedic Age, which represents a barbaric phase; II. Age of Buddhism, spanning the Mauryan and Magdha empires; III. Hindu counter revolution, associated with Manu, who legitimized the caste system. According to Ambedkar, the middle phase had a high level of perfection. The ascendancy of Buddhism marks a rupture with the tradition of Hinduism. The embrace of Buddhism by the Dalits is a symbolic re-enactment of the historical break, which gives them a historical and religious legitimacy for the encounter with Brahminism. This also elevates them to a lofty level of culture.

Ambedkar statue (seated next to statue of the Buddha) at temple in Umarkhed, Maharashtra.

Deification of Ambedkar: The conversion experience triggered a spring of literature, many of which presented Ambedkar as a deity, and equated with Buddha. This was reflected in the works of established writers, and also folk songs. Contrary to Buddhist practices, there were rituals relating to the changed modes of worship; temples came up with images of the Buddha and Ambedkar. Many devotional songs were written, where Ambedkar is worshipped as the Supreme. His struggle for liberation of the poor folks has given him divinity. He is an incarnation for the redemption of the oppressed. 

“Bhima Everywhere” is an example of a folk song in praise of Ambedkar. Indira Y Junghare who has made a collection of such songs, identifies this as belonging to the ‘lokajit’ genre, which are pure folk songs as different from the ‘ovi’ (songs accompanying work) or ‘palna’ (lullabies) genre. This song presents Ambedkar as an omnipotent, omnipresent deity. The comparison with Rama is ironical.

(Please refer the text for a detailed analysis of the poem, and also for an idea on another poem, in the ‘ovi’ genre.)

Political Platform: Ambedkar realised the need of a political platform for the self assertion of the Dalits. Thus was formed the Republican Party of India. However this did not achieve the desired results, owing to the domination of specific ‘jathis’ among Dalits. The party built up a substantial  base in Uttar Pradesh. Under the leadership of Dadasaheb Daikwad, it led great movements aiming at gaining access of forestlands and common lands for cultivation by Dalits. Decline set in because of the instability of the alliances with other parties.

(Refer text for points related to Gail Omvedt, an American-born Indian scholar, sociologist and human rights activist whose works carry references to Ambedkar.)

Prepared by
Jacob Eapen Kunnath


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