Dalit Literature and Dalit Movement in India

Dalit Literature and Dalit Movement in India Sangeeta Kumari Ph.D Research Scholar University of Hyderabad, Department of History Abstract History testifies the presence of social division in every society, in terms of caste, class and gender. It characterized by discrimination, exploitation and subordination that raised peoples demand for liberty, equality and fraternity. This idea of liberty, equality and fraternity, that forced people to protest in the form of movements. The Dalit Movement also began as a protest movement in India. Dalits also called as Dasyu, Dasa, Atisudra, Panchama, Untoucable Outcasts, and Depressed Class. They face Socio-cultural exclusion, economic deprivation and political exploitation of many centuries in Indian society. Hence, they began to protest with the help of literatures and forming organization like the Dalit Panthers, which came to be recognized as the Dalit Movement. The main objective of the Dalit Movement was to establish a society in India based on social equality, liberty and fraternity. The constitutional identity, however, fails to capture the true picture. The real picture is something different which will be reflected in this paper, in the light of the four books including Debrahmanising History, Poisoned Bread, The Prisons We Broke and Dalit Visions. Keywords - Panthers, Dalit, Exploitation, Hegemony, Movement Introduction History testifies the presence of social division in Indian society, in terms of caste, class and gender. Cleavages have changed the entire social fabric of Indian society, such as the exploitation section of Dalits, Adivasis and Women; have been systematically pushed to the periphery by the traditional Brahmanical structure of oppression. Dalits are the people who are economically, socially, politically exploited from many centuries. Unable to live in the society of human beings, they have been living outside the village depending on lower level of occupation, and lived as untouchable .This exploitation is due to the discrimination followed by age old caste hierarchical tradition in the Hindu society. This hierarchy has been the cause for oppression of Dalits in each and every sphere of society. Joshi, Prakash Bal, “Dalit literature in India: Review Voice of Protest”, The Hindu, August 8 2019. It has subjected them to a life of poverty and humiliation. The Dalit, who have been exploited by the upper castes, lag outside the Varnasrama theory and were referred to as outcasts in India. India got independence, but the Dalits were not allowed to live a life with dignity and equality. Dalit movement is a struggle that tries to counter attack the socio cultural hegemony of the upper castes. It is a movement of the masses that craves for justice through the speeches, literary works, dramas, songs, cultural organizations. So it can be called as a movement which has been led by Dalits to seek equality with all other castes of the Hindu society. Joshi, Prakash Bal, “Dalit literature Reflects on Dalit”, The Hindu, March 19 2002. The main objective of the Dalit Movement was to establish a society in India based on social equality, liberty and fraternity. The constitutional identity, however, fails to capture the true picture. The real picture is something different which will be reflected in this paper, in the light of the four books including Debrahmanising History, Poisoned Bread, The Prisons We Broke and Dalit Visions. Significance of the Word Dalit The term ‘Dalit’ is a Marathi word literary meaning ‘ground’ or ‘broken to pieces’. It was first proposed by some Marathi-speaking literary writers in Maharashtra in 1960s in place of terms like ‘Harijan’ or Achchuta. Dalit Panthers started using it to assert their identity. Before the use of this term, Dr. Ambedkar himself had used alternative terms like ‘Depressed Classes’, ‘Exterior’ or ‘Excluded’ caste, ‘Bahishkrit’ to refer to the poor and downtrodden. Shah, Ghansyham, “Dalit Movement and Search for Identity”, Rawat Publication, Jaipur, 1995, p.34. The British administration tried to replace the term ‘untouchable’ first by “Depressed Classes” in 1919 and later by “Scheduled Castes” (SCs) in 1935. Gandhi, a passionate champion of removing untouchability, also appealed to caste Hindus to use the term ‘Harijan’ meaning man of god instead of ‘Antyaja’. Ibid, p. 66. Many SCs also begun to call themselves so hoping that the caste Hindus would change their behavior towards them. But Dr. Ambedkar and his followers did not find any difference whether they were called Achchuta or Harijan, as the new nomenclature did not change their status in the social order. In such a context, the alternative term Dalit became popular. Shah, Ghanshyam, “Anti Untouchability Movement”, Gujarat University Press, Ahemdabad, 1980, p.65. Dalit Movement: A Historical Critique The Dalits in India are at present categorized under the marginalized sections of the society. All these castes (Pariahs, Chamars, Mahars, Bhangis and so on) share a common condition of exploitation and oppression by the so called upper castes of the Indian society. If we trace back to the historical periods it will be found that the root cause is the formation of the Caste System which actually led to the oppression of the other categories of oppressed classes of India. It was with the Aryans who entered the country from Middle East and settled in the fertile land of the Ganges after a fight with the indigenous people of the civilization. The people, well versed in the techniques as shown in historical aspects, were defeated by the Aryans. The Minority Aryans defeated the majority Dalits by the use of their tactics of Divide and Rule, as assumed by Braj Ranjan Mani Mani, B. R. , “Debrahmanising History-Dominance and Resistance in Indian Society”, Manohar Publishers, New Delhi, 2005, p. 78. because without doing so they won‘t be able to defeat the majority. The Brahmins had retained this tactic even today. Later in the Vedic period, the formation of the Rig Veda laid the foundation of the oppression of the people in their own land, with the Purusha shukta in its tenth book. It was later in the 5th century that people of Shudra Varna were transformed to untouchable. And this led to beginning of the Brahmin domination accompanied by Dalit exploitation. A Brahman is a great God, whether he is learned or imbecile and the Brahmans should be respected in any way, even if they indulge in a crime. These are the religious texts of the Hindus, which strives for an unequal society, a society where a certain group of people are given the status of God, in total contrast with the other group who are considered even worse than animals. God who is considered as the almighty do not exist, but is considered as the supreme power. Is it that the Arya-Brahmins, devised the institution of Varna and thereby caste, in order that they consider themselves as the supreme. By putting themselves in the supreme position, they actually wanted to attain superior status, a life of dignity, and aspired to be obeyed by everyone in the Indian society. Caste, the creation of man and not God, is now rooted firmly in the Indian society, through the religion of majority Hinduism. Gail Omvedt Omvedt G., “Dalit Visions: The Anti-caste Movement and the Construction of an Indian Identity”, Orient Blackswan, New Delhi, 2006, p.122. in her book Dalit Visions, equated Hinduism with Brahmanism. Hinduism is constructed in order to hide the discriminatory laws of Brahmanism under a religion to be considered as the religion of the country and thereby obeyed without any question. The caste ideology is founded in the twin religious doctrines of Karma and Dharma. And that it was the basic duty of every individual to maintain Dharma which was to retain the social structure based on the Varnasrama theory. Not only Manu , Kautilya , another Brahmin , also emphasized on retaining the Caste structure as the basic structure of Indian society that cannot and should not be changed .The same was asserted by Gandhi, the Father of the Nation to change is to create disorder. This means that the Brahmins should stay at the top of the pyramid and the Dalits at the bottom. Even if the Dalits die under the situation they should not be uplifted. This is Brahmanism believer of inequality, the roots of which lie in the ancient Vedas. Formulated 3500 thousand years back, the Vedas are ruling Indian society even now, through its instrument Hinduism. It is controlling the minds of the people which made the minority groups the Brahmins to be the policy makers of the country. And in order to retain their position they have devised myths. For instance they devised the myth of Punarjanma which explains the phenomena of re-birth. It explains that the activities of our past janma, is responsible for our present status, and the activities of present will decide our life after re-bith . This myth has two essences- Firstly, the Dalits should accept the exploitation done against them as the result of their own deeds of past birth. They should consider that they committed some bad deeds due to which they are facing such kind of oppression. Secondly, even if they are exploited in this birth, they should not protest, which will provide them a good life in the next birth after re-birth. That is with the desire to get happiness in the next birth, they should cry. Because it is believed that, God will help them to come out of distress, and that the Brahmins being Gods are the only solution for their distress. If these texts are observed closely in socio historical perspective , the aim to write these texts become clear which is to establish and maintain Brahmanical hegemony , and exploit the Non-Brahmins basically the Dalits. Deprivation of resources at every sphere of social, economic and political lives, led to a state of immense oppression and degradation. The basic reasons for this degraded status of the Dalits is caste system leading to untouchability, monopoly of resources and monopoly of knowledge. Not only are Dalits extremely poor, rather half of the Dalit populations are living below the poverty line as compared to less than one-third of the rest of the population. Shah, G., “Social Movement in India: A Review of Literature”, Sage Publication, New Delhi, 1990, p.79. Today, they are almost totally dependent upon the dominant castes for their livelihoods as agricultural or urban labour. During the Buddha period, the Aryans tried to monopolize resources. For economic control and social status they monopolized resources. Universally, control over land as a resource for production and certain other resources were regarded as making for high status. Thus began the real exploitation. With their control over land, the Dalits lost their livelihood and began to be degenerated to the status of animals. The practice of untouchability and the lack of knowledge made them to believe all those superstitious and unreasonable myths formed by the cunning Brahmins. They were deprived of the three basic needs of society food, shelter and clothes. Deprived of food, they filled their stomach with stale pieces of food and dead animals as if they were not humans. Sharma, S. K., “Social Movement and Social Change”, B. R. Publishing Corporation, Delhi, 1985, p. 122 In the story Cull in Dangle‘s Poisoned Bread Dangle A., “Poisoned Bread”, Orient Blackswan, New Delhi, 2009. , written by Amitabh, it was explained how the Dalits struggled even to have pieces of bone of a dead beaf. Words will be less to explain the situation of the Dalits in that particular story. They covered their body with pieces of rags stitched together. So called high castes the Brahmins gave food to the beasts but not to the Dalits. The Brahmins got polluted if the shadow of the Dalits fall on them but their food do not get polluted when cooked by the firewood brought by the Dalit women, in which many a times the blood of their cut fingers get stacked. This is an indication of the fact that the rules made against the Dalits are basically for their own benefits. The Dalits were believed to be unclean and therefore must not touch anybody belonging to one of the three main castes. If they do or even if their shadow falls on an upper caste member the person is deemed to have been polluted and must perform a series of cleansing rituals in order to rid their body of this pollution. It is as if a Dalit has an actual disease such as untouchable such was the discrimination against them. And it is to fulfill the stomach; they had to do the dirty works, as no work was left for them in society. Even knowledge was monopolized by the Brahmins. Shudras are not entitled to education, to a mass wealth, or bear arms. A Brahman can take away any possession from a Shudra since nothing at all can belong to him as his own. The Aryans who themselves came to the sub-continent from Middle-East pushed the inhabitants of the land to jungles, depriving them of their own land and resources. It is thus the Vedas, which are considered as the sole source of knowledge, were kept away from the touch of the Dalits this again has three essences- Firstly, this would deprive the Dalits from knowledge and education, by which they could keep the Dalits in the animal status only. They will not know the meaning of equality and dignity. Secondly, the Brahmins were scared that if the Vedas were read by the oppressed sections, the real picture of Brahmanism will come in front of them, as because this will lead them to lose their status. The Dalits being educated will judge the Vedas based on reason. Thirdly, this will make them not to claim their right as education can help them to raise economic status. If Dalits become literate, they can move beyond unskilled labour, earn more money and gain greater respect. The other is making life-style changes which get rid of those practices considered especially low or polluting and substituting those of the higher castes instead. Lack of food, shelter, and clothes made them to lead a miserable life. A life, entangled by unreasonable superstitious beliefs on one side, and lack of education on the other by economic and social exploitation generated their life into that of animals just like the beasts, the Dalits were made to beg for food to eat, good clothes to wear and land in the open sky to live. The Dalits were forced to work as manual works like scavenging or as bonded labour their own land, or they would not be given food. In return of their labour of whole day some crumbs stale bread was thrown to them. Dalit Movement The Dalits began their movement in India with their basic demand for equality because they struggle to inequality in society as having firm belief in the ideal of equality. The barbaric practices bound against the Dalits, led them to protest against the caste based hierarchical system of India, that has divided Indian society on the basis of caste, class and gender. The Dalit movement that gained strength in the Post-Independence period has its roots from in the Vedic period. It was to the Shramanic-Brahmanic confrontation and then to the Mukti Movement (term given to Bhakti Movement by G. Alosius). The Mukti movement was led by very poor Dalits who fought against the saint - poets of the time. Sharma, S. K. (edited), “Struggles for Status”, B.R.Publishing Corporation, New Delhi,1985, p.125. With the introduction of western language, and with the influence of the Christian missionaries, the Dalits began to come across the ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity and thus began the Dalit Movement in modern times. The frustrated Dalit minds when mixed with reason began confrontation against the atrocities of Brahmanism. Educated Dalit, gradually begin to talk about the problems of poor and about exploitation and humiliations from the upper castes without any hesitation educated Dalits tried to explain to the other illiterate brothers about the required change in the society. Dalit Movement gave rise to the birth of many writers and journalists. A new group of thinkers emerged among Dalit community. Many writers through their writing made the people to be aware of exploitation carried on them by the elite section of the society. Omvedt, G., “Dalits and the Democratic Revolution: Dr. Ambedkar and the Dalit Movement in Colonial India”, Sage Publications, New Delhi, p.129. In the 1970’s, the Dalit Panther Movement began in Maharashtra. The most fundamental factor responsible for the rise of Dalit Panther was the inhibition and intimidation under which the oppressed Dalits continued to live in the rural area. Inspired by the Black Movement, the Dalit Panthers was formed by a group of educated Mahars in order to lead the movement. Jogdand, P.G., “Dalit Movement in Maharashtr”, KanakPublications, New Delhi, 1990, p.71. The Dalit movement cannot be understood without the Dalit Literary Movement. Dalit Literary Movement At a time, when there was no means of communication to support the Dalits, pen was the only solution. The media, newspapers were all under the control of the powerful class the Brahmins. Given that the Brahmins would never allow the Dalits voice to be expressed as it would be a threat for their own survival the Dalits began their own magazine and began to express their own experiences. Their pen wrote not with ink, but with blood, of their own cuts, the cuts being basically mental, as well as physical in them. Due to the Dalit literature it produced the consciousness, emerged initially during the Mukti movement. Bhoite, U. and A. Bhoite, “Dalit Sahitya Movement in Maharashtra: A Sociological Study”, Sociological Bulletin, 1997,p. 60. Later with the formation of the Dalit Panthers, there began to flourish a series of Dalit poetry and stories depicting the miseries of the Dalits the roots of which lies in the rules and laws of Vedas and Smritis. All these literature argued that Dalit Movement fights not only against the Brahmins but all those people whoever practices exploitation, and those can be the Brahmins or even the Dalits themselves. New revolutionary songs, poems, stories, autobiographies were written by Dalit writers. All their feelings were flash out in the form of writings. Writing is not simply writing it is an act that reflects ones continuous fight against evil. It seemed to break out their silence of thousand years. Such effective were the writings that each of its word had the capability to draw blood. The songs were sung in every village, poem and other writings were read by the entire community. Educated Dalit and intellectuals begin to talk about the problems of poor and about exploitation and humiliations from the upper castes without any hesitation. Educated Dalits tried to explain to the other illiterate brothers about the required change in the society. Dalit literature, try to compare the past situation of Dalits to the present and future generation not to create hatred, but to make them aware of their pitiable condition. It is not caste literature but is associated with Dalit movement to bring about socio-economic change, through a democratic social movement. Ibid, p.75. Education as a weapon to attain dignity Due to the lack of knowledge, the situation of the Dalits has miserable it was responsible for the declination of the Dalits. To end the state of exploitation, and live a life of dignity, the only thing required was power. Power on other side can be cut by only power. Hence, to attain power, the first thing required is knowledge. It was thus, Jotiba Phule and Dr. Ambedkar gave the main emphasis on the education of the Dalits, which will not only bestow them with reason and judgement capacity, but also political power, and thereby socio-economic status and a life of dignity. They knew that the political strategy of gaining power is either an end in itself. In other words, if the Dalits have power, then they do not have to go begging to the upper castes. Also they will get greater economic and educational opportunities. The upper castes enjoy social power, regardless of their individual circumstances with respect to their control over material resources, through their linkages with the other caste fellows in the political system in the bureaucracy, judiciary and legislature Thus; they understand the importance of education, essential requirement to regain their status in Indian society. Jotiba Phule added that Without knowledge , intellect was lost ; Without intellect , morality was lost ;Without morality, dynamism was lost ;Without dynamism ,money was lost ;Without money Shudras were degraded (demoralized) , all this misery and disaster were due to the lack of knowledge! Keer, Dhananjay and Maishe, S.G (eds), Shetkaryacha Asud, Samagra Vangmay, Mumbai, 1969, p.189. However, it was Jotiba Phule, who for the first time recognized the immense importance of education. Inspired by Thomas Paine’s The rights of Man , Phule sought the way of education which can only unite the Dalits in their struggle for equality. The movement was carried forward by Ambedkar who contested with Gandhi to give the Dalits, their right to equality. Gandhi’s politics was unambiguously centering on the defence of caste with the preservation of social order in Brahmanical pattern. Gandhi, highly influenced by Brahmanical rules, had established himself as the supreme leader of Hindu society and therefore he could not accept the fact that Ambedkar, a mere Dalit should rule the social scenario. He was fighting for the rights of Dalits. Gandhi who described himself as an untouchable by choice did nothing but played the game of power politics. The classic example is the Hunger Strike unto death to protest the reservation of Dalits to choose their own leaders, leading to the signing of the Poona Pact. May be, he was scared that Dr. Ambedkar will win and that the Dalits will be uplifted. He could neither change the attitude of caste Hindus nor satisfy the untouchables as the practice of untouchability and discrimination continued to operate against the Dalits. To the untouchables Hinduism based on the Vedas, Smritis, Shastras were responsible for the system of caste the nature of which is exploitative and oppressive. Inequality in Hindu society stunts the progress of individuals and in consequence stunts society. The same inequality prevents society from bringing into use powers stored in individuals. In both ways, this inequality is weakening Hindu society, which is in disarray because of the four caste system. This inequality should be replaced by equality and thus, Dr. Ambedkar asserted that the Dalits need to be educated, and unite to crush the Brahmanical power and lead the movement. In the words of Ambedkar “Educate, Organize and Agitate”. Education, the major source of reason, inflicts human mind with extensive knowledge of the world, whereby, they can know the truth of a phenomena that is reality. It therefore, would help to know the truth of Brahmanism in Indian society, and will make them to agitate against caste based inhuman practices. Only when agitation begin, in the real sense, can the Dalit be able to attain power and win the movement against exploitation, and then only can the Dalits live a life of equal status and dignity. Bhattacharya, S. (eds), Education and the Disprivileged: 19th and 20th Century India, New Delhi, 2002, p.22. Conclusion Dalit Movement has based on the democratic ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity, has begun much earlier. Uma Chakraborty pointed out that the writer are not paying much attention on the books of Dalit Movement. These books are written in the point of view of Brahmin elite these books do not reflect the actual things which has happened in the society. As Baby Kamble Kamle, B., “The Prisons We Broke”, Orient Blackswan, New Delhi, 2009. pointed out that the Mangs and Chamars had their traditional duties, whereby, they could somehow manage their food .But the Mahars did not have any traditional duty which made them to protest. Dalit Movement is against Brahmanism and not Brahmins. This mental state of Brahminism not only exists in Brahmins but also in Shudras, who simply shape the ideas of Brahmanical practices. India got independence but the Dalits are humiliated even now. Education is the only wepon for such discrimination. Thus the Movement will succeed only when all the Dalits unite together to fight for equality.