It is the human labour, imagination, and enterprise that has given us all past human civilization. But normally those who involve themselves with physical labour are looked down upon with scorn and contempt. We would do well to remember the banal truth, 'behind every human achievement there is the invisible blood, sweat, and tears of hard work. (This Hindutva website being no exception!)
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Hindu History
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In a spirit of Atonement
This page has been created to atone for the sins of some of our ancestors (and even of some of our countrymen today) for practising caste discrimination against their fellow countrymen. In my eyes - this is no less than a crime against humanity. A crime committed by man against his fellow beings
My motivation is Jigyaasaa (Quest) and not Shradhaa (Faith). It is Jigyaasaa that has led me to writing the content of this page and of all other pages on varied subjects concerning Hindu History; and the result is there for all to see.
The Riddle of Hinduism
Hinduism and the social structure associated with Hindu society represent a combination of opposites.
While there is broad-minded philosophical tolerance for the various modes of worship in Hinduism, there is also hidebound social intolerance in the unjust castiest structure associated with Hindu society.
I as a rationalist find this to be an intellectually challenging situation.
While I accept and advocate the philosophical tolerance of Hinduism as a basis and blueprint for an ideal civilized society to exist all across the globe; I reject the caste system and casteist prejudices altogether.
Hindu society represents human society in its natural state
Pre-christian Greek Society or the ancient Egyptian society and many other ancient societies, where organised religion did not exist, also represented human society in its natural state. In a natural state, religion is not tampered with by one person who decides how his fellow humans should worship and imposes his monotheistic idea on the rest (as did Moses, Buddha, Zoroaster, Christ, Muhammad and many others).
All human society in its original state was broad-minded. But Hindu Society is the only major component of human society where such a natural state has continued uninterrupted from the undated hazy past up to the present. The broad-minded aspect of the natural untampered state of religion is typified in the Hindu approach based on Ekam Sat Viprah Bahuda Vadanti (Reality is one, different people call it differently) and Vasudaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one family).
As a rationalist, I only add one more thing to this freedom - the freedom not to believe in any deity or not to follow any mode of worship.
Freedom in the original and natural state of Human society also leads to an endless and ridiculous variety of things being worshipped. The gross fetishism that one sees in Hinduism of worshipping any stone, tree, river, mountain, animal, human, half-human and half animal is a result of this freedom. What I uphold is not the gross and senseless fetishism, but the freedom that incidentally also gives birth to the fetishism.
This freedom (as typified in Hinduism) is one cardinal principle for the future ideal human society - freedom to co-relate with the unknown the way every individual chooses to. The other principle being social equality - that incidentally is entirely alien to the de-humanizing casteist social structure associated with Hinduism.
I Reject Caste and Uphold Vasudaiva Kutumbakam
So what I uphold and advocate as a basis of human society is the freedom to co-relate with the unknown the way one wants to. This where I accept the Hindu viewpoint, not just for India, but for the entire planet.
But, at the same time, I completely reject the unjust castiest social structure associated with Hindu society. I am ready to physically fight against caste prejudice and casteist baises. Fight for temple entry, fight against untouchability, endogamy, and all other practices associated with the dehumanizing caste system associated with Hinduism.
The Caste system is not the Hindu religion
But the caste system is not the Hindu religion. It is a social structure which in its exploitative essence is no different from the social division between slaves and slave owners in ancient Greek and Roman society. There the whiplash of the slave owner preserved the division between slaves and slave owners. In the case of the caste system the social division was preserved by the integration of beliefs like karma, punar-janma and moksha into the caste system.
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The use of
pseudo-religious dogmas like Karma, punar-janma and moksha made caste a permanent psychological phenomenon.
The use of these pseudo-religious dogmas made caste a psychological phenomenon. This is why casteist feelings exist, even when the caste system as a system of production and distribution has ceased to exist.
The caste system does no longer exist as a division of occupational functions, except in the remote villages. What survives in the cities among even the educated are casteist feelings.
That are seen generally during match-making for marriages. This is a negative hangover from the past and the faster, Hindu society can get rid of this hangover of casteist feelings, the better.
Caste like slavery and serfdom was necessary in the past for human society to progress from tribal stage without occupational specialization to that of settled life with occupational specialization. The system had to be held together by some medium. In the case of slavery it was the Master's Whip; while in the case of caste it was the pseudo-religious psychology of karma, punarjanma and moksha.
According to the caste logic , you are a chamar because of your karma (deeds) in past life. So perform you karma (deeds/duty as per your caste) propely in this life so that you are born into a higher caste in your next life (punar-janma) and eventually after your atman (soul) goes through this cycle of rebirth, you will get moksha (freedom from the cycle of rebirth). So perform your caste duty without questioning why you are condemned to remain stuck fast to the vocation of the caste you are born into.
But today it is not essential to hold together a division of functions with either the whiplash or with pseudo-religious psychology. Today, educational qualifications dictate which profession a person can take up - Doctor, Lawyer, Software Programmer, etc. Hence educational qualifications hold the key to the occupational division of functions in today's society.
This is the central point why caste has lost its role as a division of functions and the pseudo-religious psychology based on karma, punar-janma and moksha has lost its relevance as the key to hold together the occupational division of the caste system.
Today it is not enough for a person to be the son of a Vaidya to become a Vaidya (Doctor) as he could in the past. Today he has to hold a Degree in Medicine!
Hence the continued existence today of this pseudo-religious psychology that held together the occupational functions yesterday, is scourge for society and has to be eradicated from the minds of people.
This is the case against casteism and casteist feelings. This being my understanding of the caste system associated with Hindu society, I reject caste and casteist feelings altogether.
The caste system is no different from the social division between slaves and slave owners in ancient Greek and Roman society
The caste system is no different from the social division between slaves and slave owners in ancient Greek and Roman society. There the whiplash of the slave owner preserved the division between slaves and slave owners. In the case of the caste system the social division was preserved by the integration of beliefs like karma, punar-janma and moksha into the caste system. (I know most readers will not agree with me here, but please read on).
Thus the caste system was, in fact, a peculiar form of social division. Today the caste system has almost totally disappeared as a division of functions. What survives are caste feelings and that too only in remote corners of India. But it is an issue that has to be addressed nevertheless.
Confusion of Pseudo-religious ideas with Universal Principles
People generally confuse beliefs like karma, punar-janma and moksha with universal principles like spirit of humanness that is enshrined in Hindu philosophy and which is the kernel of the Hindu outlook based on principles of Vasudaiva Kutumbakam (The World is One Family) and Ekam Sat Viprah Bahuda Vadanti (Reality is one, people - belonging to different religions - call it by many names). Names like Sri-Ram, Sri-Krishna, Christ, Jehovah, Allah or for that matter, as a rationalist like me would say, that part of reality which is beyond human knowledge today.
Many readers will not agree with my interpretation of the caste system and its connection with religion. All I can say here is that the caste system is not the Hindu religion. The principles like Vasudaiva Kutumbakam and Ekam Sat Viprah Bahuda Vadanti which are associated with the Hindu outlook are universal, but beliefs like karma, punar-janma and moksha are not universal.
Again as a rationalist I also reject worship of any sort as a Mithya (Illusion). But here I can grant my fellow citizens of the globe, the freedom to worship and not to worship. Religion and religious dogma have to be fought, but only at an intellectual plane.
As I am a rationalist and humanist, these values of rationalism (Ekam Sat Viprah Bahuda Vadanti) and humanism (Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam) are in my opinion the paramount essence (guna) of the Sanatana Parampara. And it is due to these values that the Sanatana Parampara is going to shape the destiny not only of Bharatvarsha but of all humankind. Very few Hindus understand this.
MOST HINDUS ARE PROUD OF HINDUISM BECAUSE THEY ARE BORN INTO A HINDU FAMILY. I BEG TO DISAGREE WITH THEM. MY PRIDE IN HINDUTVA IS ONLY BECAUSE OF THE GUNAS OF THE SANATANA PARAMPARA.
My interpretation of the caste system and of history in general is neither to vilify or glorify Hindu Sanskriti. Hindu Sanskriti is so upright that if one simply describes it without passion - the result will be its glorification. I have not glorified Hindu Sanskriti, I have merely described it as an objective student. The result is its glorification. And the reason for this glorification is not that the author wanted to glorify it, but that the Sanskriti is in effect glorious by its inherent qualities. Qualities which are absent in all the other major cultures like Judeo-Christian and Islamic.
My pages on Islam and Christianity are not a result of any hatred for those traditions. The history of those religions is that of hostility towards the rest. I have just stated this candidly, honestly and openly.
These pages are a result of the same dispassionate method of study as are the pages on Hindu History. If, as a result of this method of study, Hindu Sanskriti stands glorified and Islam and Christianity are showed in a poor light - the reason is in the inherent nature of Hindu Sanskriti and of Islam and Christianity and not in my bias - for I do not have any.
Herein lies the nature of my relationship with Hinduism (and its political and ideological corollary Hindutva) a relationship of selective acceptance and rejection based purely on merit.
Now let us turn to look at the life-story of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar or B.R. Ambedkar. This story is a living example of the de-human nature of the caste system.
Dr B. R. Ambedkar was born on 14th April 1891 in a Mahar (untouchable family),became a scholar and fighting leader of all Dalits.
Early Years
There is a village called Ambavade in the Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra. Bhimrao was the son of Ramji Sakpal of that village. He was the fourteenth child of his parents. Ramji followed the teachings of Saint Kabir. (Kabir taught that devotion to God, 'Bhakthi', alone is important.) Ramji did not believe in differences of caste, creed and religion. It was his belief that all who performed 'Hari Bhajan'(prayer) belonged to God. Ambedkar was born on 14th April 1891. His full name was Bhimrao Ambavadekar.
A story is narrated about Ambedkar's birth. Ramji Sakpal's uncle was a saint. Once he told Ramji, "You will have a son. He will become world famous," and blessed him. Bhimrao Ambavadekar was born after this. His mother died when he was just five years old. The Sting Of Untouchability
When he was still at school, he felt the sting of 'untouchability'. He could not sit with the other students of the class. He had to drink water only when others poured it for him; and even then he had to cover his mouth with one hand.
The boy could not understand why. These insults and the pain they gave him left a very deep impression on the young boy's mind. The boy felt 'untouchability' was a black mark on Hindu Dharma; he made up his mind to remove it.
Fighting was in his very blood. The Mahars had the soldier's blood in them. Father Sakpal too had served in the army.
Even from his boyhood Ambedkar had a mind of steel. Once it was raining very heavily. The boy Ambedkar said he would go to school. His friends said, "These are empty words, how can you go in this heavy rain?" In the downpour, the boy did go to school and that, too, without an umbrella!
Ambavadekar Becomes Ambedkar
When Bhimrao was a student at the High School, a Brahmin teacher admired Bhimrao's lively mind. His family name was Ambedkar. The teacher liked Bhimrao so much that he changed his name from Ambavadekar to Ambedkar.
Young Bhim was, very fond of books and never tired of them. And his father even borrowed money and satisfied the boy's thirst for books. At the High School
He joined the Elphinstone High School in Bombay. The family found a house in a locality where the poorest of the poor lived. There was just one room for the entire family. This was at once the kitchen, the bedroom and the study. There was not space enough even for two to sleep. Bhim would go to bed early. Near his head there was a grinding stone add at his feet a goat. The father would be awake till two in the night. He would then lie down. The boy would get up, light the kerosene lamp without a chimney and begin to study. In the high school he received a wound he could never forget in his life. It was Bhim's desire to learn Sanskrit. Other Hindus of the School could learn Sanskrit. But it was ordered that he should not learn Sanskrit because he belonged to the Mahar caste! People born in other countries, people not Hindus at all were allowed to read the Vedas. No one objected. This injustice made him all the more bitter. But Ambedkar did learn Sanskrit in later life.
The End Of One Stage
Ambedkar passed his Matriculation examination.. He was then seventeen years old. The same year his marriage with Ramabai was celebrated. Their marriage took place in a shed in Byculla Market. Ambedkar passed his Intermediate Examination from Elphinstone College. He obtained his B. A. degree in 1912. Ambedkar's father died in 1913. Ambedkar was then working under the Maharaja of Baroda. The first chapter of his life's struggle was over. The second chapter had begun.
Ambedkar In America
The Maharaja of Baroda sent Bhimrao Ambedkar to America. In America Ambedkar had experience of a new life. Although there was a colour bar and an informal apartheid in America, there was no 'untouchability'. In this atmosphere, he quoted in a letter he wrote to his friend a few lines from Shakespeare, a great dramatist; they mean, 'in the life of a man now and again there is a swelling wave; if a man uses this opportunity, it will carry him towards his fortune.' Ambedkar wrote very learned and theories obtained his M. A. and Ph. D. degrees.
He returned to India on the 21st of August 1917. There is one thing to note in the years of Ambedkar's education. He studied English and Persian languages in India. In America lie studied Political Science, Ethics, Anthropology, Social Science and Economics. In this way he studied many subjects. He obtained his doctorate.
Even at that time Ambedkar had a revolutionary mind. He had made an unshakable resolution to wipe out the injustice done to the people of the low castes; in this way he wanted to bring about a revolution in the Hindu Society. But - and this is important before becoming a revolutionary he increased his knowledge. Because of this his thoughts were not mere froth. They had a solid foundation of information. This enabled him to play a very effective part in framing the Constitution of India.
Injustice and Humiliation Again
Ambedkar was given a high post in Baroda. He -had a doctorate, he held a high office - but from the moment he set foot in India he felt the sting of 'untouchability'. No one came to welcome him, when he reached Baroda. Worse still, even the servants in the office would not hand over the files to him, they threw the files at him.
No one in the office would give him water to drink. He could not get a house to live in. Even though he complained to the Maharaja, it was useless. Even non-Hindus did not treat him properly.
The fire of wrath against the orthodox among the caste Hindus blazed in Ambedkar's mind. He returned to Bombay in a few days.
In 1920, Ambedkar left for London for, higher studies. The British Museum in London has a very good library. It used to open at eight in the morning, and every day Ambedkar would be thereby eight. He read till five o'clock. In London he came to know a student called Asnodkar. He belonged to a rich family. He was not interested in studies. Ambedkar said to him, "Your people may have made plenty of money. But think, you have been born a man, what are you going to achieve? The Goddess of Learning will not come to you whenever you want. We must get her blessings when she comes." In 1922 Ambedkar became a barrister and the next year he came back to India.
'Mook Nayak (The Leader of the Dumb)
To proclaim and to bring to light the humiliations suffered by the 'untouchables' and to fight for equal rights, a periodical called 'Mook Nayak' was started. Ambedkar gave his support to it. He wrote in the first issue of this paper, "The Hindu Society is like a tower of many stores. It has neither a ladder nor a door to go out.... A society which believes that God exists even in inanimate things, also says that people who are a part of that very society should not be touched !" By this time there were signs that the Hindu Society was beginning to understand that 'untouchability' is unjust.
Sahu Maharaj of Kolhapur made arrangements for the free education of the 'untouchables' and secured jobs for many of them. In 1924, Veer Savarkar, a great fighter for freedom, was released from the Andaman prison; he also began to fight against 'untouchability'.
Mahatma Gandhi also was taking practical steps to wipe out 'untouchability'.
Chowdar Tank
Ambedkar had personal experience of the humiliation and the injustice of 'untouchability'. He did not want the pity of others for the 'untouchables'. In his view, others could not uplift the 'untouchables'. Justice cannot be granted by others. Those who suffer because of injustice should themselves secure justice. Ambedkar felt that the 'untouchables' had lost their individuality for centuries; it was impossible to wake up such people through speeches and slogans. He decided to revolt against the blind beliefs of the Hindus. The Chowdar Tank Satyagraha was a result of this decision.
The Bombay Legislature had already passed a bill. According to this, the government had decided that all could use public tanks and wells. On the basis of this decision, the Mahad Municipality in Colaba district had resolved that the Chowdar Tank could be used even by the 'untouchables'. But they had not given effect to it.
Ambedkar resolved to raise the flag of equality by using the water of this tank. On the appointed day Ambedkar touched the water first. Then, many of his followers drank the water. Till then the 'untouchables' had not been allowed to go near the tank. Ambedkar proved that water belonged to all.
But after a couple of hours some one spread the rumour that Ambedkar's men would enter even the Veereshwara Temple. The other Hindus attacked Ambedkar and his men. In this clash, Ambedkar was injured.
Temple Entry
This incident opened a new chapter in the social life of India. Many sensible Hindus condemned these actions. They began to say that there is nothing wrong in the 'untouchables' taking water from wells and tanks. Should Not Hindus, Who Seek Justice, Give Justice? The 'untouchables' are Hindus. Therefore the doors of temples should be open to them.
If the Hindus can touch the Christians and the Muslims, why should they not touch the people who are themselves Hindus and who worship the Hindu gods?
This was Ambedkar's argument. He gave a call that people who practise and support 'untouchability' should be punished. Some people argued that the 'untouchables' were not yet fit for equality. The Hindus say that they want independence and democracy. How can a people who have trampled upon all the liberties of a backward group aspire to democracy?
Ambedkar argued like this and thundered that these people had no right to speak of justice and democracy. In 1927 there was a big conference. It resolved that there should be no caste differences in the Hindu Dharma and that people of all castes should be allowed to work as priests in temples. The Chowdar Tank dispute went to the court. The court decided that tanks are public property.
Ambedkar In Action
The 'untouchables' who have been subjected to humiliation for hundreds of years should find justice. For this purpose Ambedkar indicated a few clear steps. No section of the Hindus should be kept out of temples. There should be more representatives of the 'untouchables' in the legislatures. These representatives should not be nominated by the government. They should be elected by the people. The government should employ the 'untouchables' in larger numbers in the army and the police department.
A Fearless, Firm Mind
Those who suffer in the Hindu Society should get justice. This was Ambedkar's rock-like decision. He was prepared to oppose anybody to reach his goal. The British Government invited several Indian leaders to discuss the problems of India. The conferences were held in London; they were called the 'Round Table Conferences'. Gandhiji also took part in them. At the Round Table Conferences Ambedkar spoke angrily against the government. He said that the backward sections did not enjoy equality with other sections, even under the British Government; the British had just followed the ways of the other Hindus.
This was a time when Gandhiji was very popular in India. Millions of people followed his foot-steps with devotion. Ambedkar openly opposed Gandhiji's views on how justice should be secured for the 'untouchables'. He supported the views which seemed right to him. Ambedkar secured for the Harijans (the 'untouchables') 'separate electorates' at the Second Round Table Conference in 1931.
As a result, the Harijans could elect their representatives separately. The Mahatma's Fast Gandhiji felt that separate electorates would only separate the Harijans from the Hindus. The very thought that the Hindus would be divided pained him much. He started a fast against separate electorates. He said he would fast unto death if necessary. There was anxiety in the country because of Gandhiji's fast. Many Congress leaders went to Ambedkar to save Gandhiji.
"Muslims, Christians and Sikhs have obtained the right of separate electorates. Gandhiji did not fast to oppose them. Why should Gandhiji fast to oppose Harijans getting separate electorates?" questioned Ambedkar. "If you are unwilling to give the 'untouchables' separate electorates, what other solution is there? It is essential to save Gandhiji. But just to save him I am not prepared to give up the interests of the backward classes," he declared. He said, "Reserve a larger number of seats for the 'untouchables' than the British have given; then I will give up the claim for separate electorates."
At last there was an agreement between the leaders who had gone for a compromise and Ambedkar. It was decided that ten per cent of the seats in the legislatures should be reserved for the Harijans. Ambedkar gave up the claim for separate electorates. Gandhiji ended his fast. This famous treaty is called the Poona Treaty was another important step in the struggle of the backward people.
We Need Dharma - But Casteism Should Go - Dr. Ambedkar
'Untouchability' is a branch of casteism; until casteism is wiped out 'untouchability' will not go - this was Ambedkar's firm belief. He argued that to wipe out casteism, political power was very necessary. He believed that Dharma was essential for men. But he revolted against those who, in the name of Dharma, treated some of their fellow men like animals. Many people criticised him.
Some newspapers also wrote against him. There were many occasions when his life was in danger. Also, Ambedkar knew from his own experience that even a bright man could not come up in life because of casteism. People give his caste importance and make him powerless. Ambedkar fought casteism. He was disgusted to find how diffi cult it was to secure justice and to find how many men were still narrow-minded. He even said that it would be better to give up the Hindu Dharma itself.
Muslim and Christian priests and missionaries learnt about this declaration; they tried very hard to attract Ambedkar. They met and assured him that the 'untouchables' who changed their religion would be given equal status in their society.
The Modern Buddha
Today Ambedkar's name is remembered in the history of India also because of the role he played in framing the Constitution of India. India became free from foreign rule on the 15th of August 1947.
Ambedkar became the first Minister for Law in independent India. With one voice all India welcomed his appointment. He took oath as a minister. The country, no doubt, got freedom. It was to be decided how a country with crores of people should be ruled. How should elections take place? What are the rights of the people? How are laws to be made? How should the government work? How should courts of law function? - such important matters had to be decided, and laws had to be made. The Constitution answers all such questions and lays down rules.
It was a very difficult task to prepare the Constitution. A study of the Constitutions of many countries, a deep knowledge of law, a knowledge of the history of India and of the Indian society, the patience and wisdom to weigh different opinions - all these were essential. On 29th August 1947, a committee was constituted to frame the Constitution of India. Ambedkar was chosen as its Chairman. Shri T. T. Krishnamachari, a member of the committee, himself has said: "Though a committee of seven members was formed, one of them resigned. Another was nominated in his place. Another member died. No one took his place. One of the members was very busy with government work. Owing to ill health two other members were far away from Delhi. As a result, Dr. Ambedkar alone had to carry the entire burden of preparing the draft of the Constitution. The work he has done is admirable."
As the Minister for Law, Dr. Ambedkar placed the draft Constitution before the Constituent Assembly on 4th .November 1948. He gave satisfactory answers to many questions about the Constitution. The part of the Constitution wiping out 'untouchability' was approved on 29th November 1948. Ambedkar's struggle bore fruit in his own life time. A new chapter began in social life. We should remember the words of Ambedkar in answer to the debate on the Indian Constitution :
"India has lost her freedom only owing to treason of her own people. Raja Dahir of Sindh was defeated by Mohammad Bin Khasim. The only reason for this defeat was that the generals of the Sindh army took bribes from Khasim's men and did not fight for the King. It was Raja Jaichand of India who invited Mohammad Ghori to fight against Prithviraj. When Shivaji was fighting for the freedom of the Hindus, other Maratha leaders and Rajputs were fighting for the Mughals. When the Sikhs were fighting against the British, their leader did nothing..... Such things should not happen again; therefore, everyone must resolve to fight to the last drop of his blood, to defend the freedom of India."- Dr. Ambedkar
The Constituent Assembly accepted the draft Indian Constitution on 26th November 1949. Dr. Ambedkar was born in the Mahar caste; he was pushed away as an 'untouchable';his very touch was supposed to make the water unclean; by his genius, by his learning and by his unbending will, he rose high and shaped the Constitution of India, and came to be called the Modern Buddha. (Buddha tried to abolish caste distinctions in ancient India.)
Ambedkar's first wife, Ramabai, had died. He married a girl who belonged to Saraswatha Brahmin - Dr. Sharada Kabir; she was working in the nursing home where he was treated for sometime. In 1951, Dr. Ambedkar resigned his office as minister.
After Resignation as a Minister
In 1952, he was defeated by a Congress candidate in the election for the Lok Sabha. The entire country was shocked by his defeat. A few days later he was elected to the Rajya Sabha. Whenever he felt that the government had not done justice to the Harijans he criticised it sharply. In 1953 the government brought a bill before the Parliament. According to this bill those who practised 'untouchability' would be punished; imprisonment, imposition of fines, dismissal from employment and withdrawal of licence to follow a profession - these were the forms of punishment.
To the Path of the Buddha
Soon after the framing of the Constitution, Ambedkar's mind turned towards Buddha. His mind was thirsting for peace and justice. He attended the Buddhist Conference in Ceylon (Sree Lanka) in 1950. The bitterness of his mind was ever on the increase. In spite of it, he was not willing to embrace the Christian or the Muslim faith.
Finally, Ambedkar decided to become a Buddhist. This was a great decision in his life, a decision taken after deep thought.
Why did he choose Buddhism?
Ambedkar told a friend: "I am in the evening of my life. There is an onslaught of ideas on our people from different countries from the four corners of the world. In this flood our people may be confused. There are strong attempts to separate the people struggling hard, from the main life-stream of this country and to attract them towards other countries. This tendency is fast growing. Even some of my colleagues who are disgusted with 'untouchability', poverty and inequality are ready to be washed away by this flood. What about the others?
They should not move away from the main stream of the nation's life; and I must show them the way.
At the same time, we have to make some changes in the economic and political life. That is why I have decided to follow Buddhism." There is a way of life which has come down as a steady stream in India for thousands of years. Buddhism is not opposed to it. The backward people must rebel against the injustice done to them; they must wipe it out. But 'untouchability' is a problem of the Hindu Society. To solve this, a path which does not harm the culture and the history of Bharat must be followed. This is the basis of his resolution.
He did not believe in the theory that Aryans came from a different land and that they defeated the 'Dasyus' (the Dravidians) of this country. There is no foundation for this in the Vedas. The word 'Arya' appears some 33 or 34 times in the Vedas. The word has been used as an adjec tive meaning 'the noble' or 'the elder'. It is said in the Mahabharata that 'Dasyus' can be found in all 'varnas' (castes) and 'ashramas' (stages of life). In this way Ambedkar used to support his view. On 14th October 1956 at a big function in Nagpur, Ambedkar, with his wife, embraced Buddhism.
A Life of Fulfilment
Ambedkar's entire life was dedicated to one purpose securing justice and equality to those people who are called 'untouchables'. He had said many times, "God will spare me till I complete my work for the 'untouchables'." He lived to see 'untouchability' declared a crime. The 'untouchables' had secured political equality. They should enjoy social equality also - this feeling was beginning to grow in the country. As early as in 1951, Ambedkar's health had begun to fail. Yet he continued to work saying that he would not succumb to ill health when there was work to be done. On 6th December 1956 he breathed his last. Thousands and thousands of people 'watched the funeral procession and expressed their sorrow and admiration. Five hundred thousand people witnessed the last rites.
Ambedkar was very fond of books. He had set apart a part of his house 'Rajagriha' for them. When he suffered from an eye trouble, he was particularly unhappy that he could not read. Whenever he went abroad, he used to buy books. Once he bought more than two thousand books i n New York. 'Untouchables', 'Buddha and His Gospel', 'Revolution and Counter - Revolution in India', 'Buddha and Karl Marx' and 'The Riddle of Hinduism'- these are some of the books he wrote. His books show how widely he had read, how he had gathered information, and how he could think for himself.
Anger, Perseverance, Constructive Work and Kindness
It appears that anger and perseverance are the two most important qualities that stand out in Ambedkar's life. This is true from one point of view. The Hindus had called some people 'untouchables' and treated them very unjustly. This went on for hundreds of years. Ambedkar struggled hard to strengthen his people; he knew that those who are weak are bound to suffer.
Once he said, "Goats are sacrificed, not lions." He attacked like lightening those who practised injustice. He swore that he would set right injustice. He opposed the British, he opposed the Hindus that were victims of the past, he opposed even Gandhiji, he opposed the Government of free India; he brought justice to the 'untouchables'. At times his own life was in danger; but he gave no thought to it.
It is important to notice another aspect of his Himalayan personality.He was very learned. At school he was not allowed to study Sanskrit, but later in life he did learn Sanskrit.
As the President of the People's Education Society he opened a number of schools and colleges; as a result people of backward classes could get education. He spent some days in Aurangabad. He saw that there were no plants or trees in the big compound of the college. He said that any one who wanted to meet him should plant a sapling; otherwise he (Ambedkar) would not see him. In a few days more than a hundred saplings appeared inside the compound. Once in front of a hostel he saw shrubs. He himself began to clean the ground with a pick-axe and shovel.
The root of his anger was kindness. It is no wonder that at the end he turned to Buddha, 'the ocean of compassion'. His heart melted in pity when he saw those who, born as men, lived worse than animals, without the respect and the justice every man should receive. That is why he opposed 'untouchability'. He felt that men need Dharma.
"Food alone is not enough. Man has a mind, which also requires food.
Dharma gives man hope and makes him active," he said. There was an old man among his followers. Once he went to Ambedkar. He said he had made a vow to God and he begged for Ambedkar's permission to carry out the vow. Ambedkar said with a smile, "Who told you that I have no faith in God? Go, do as you wish."
Once an old lady knocked at his door at ' early in the morning. Weeping, she said, "My husband is very sick. I tried for 12 hours to admit him to the hospital. They said that there was no room in the hospital." Ambedkar himself went with her and admitted her husband to the hospital.
Once, when Dr. Ambedkar resigned as Principal, a boy came to him crying. He was a Brahmin boy. He was very poor. He had a scholarship for two years. He was doubtful whether he would get it during the last year of his stay. Ambedkar was grieved at his sad story. He comforted him. He made him sit with him for food. Then he gave him fifty rupees. He patted him on his back and said, "if you are in trouble again, come and tell me."
When Ambedkar himself was in poor health, he heard that his gardener was not well. He took another man with him and, using a stick for support, went to see the gardener. "Who will look after my wife, if I should die?" - this thought troubled the gardener. Ambedkar comforted him. He said, "Do not cry, everyone has to die one day or the other. I too have to die one day. Be brave. I will send you medicine. You will be all right." He sent the medicine.
The very next day Ambedkar died in his sleep.
A Lion Among Men
Ambedkar was born in a caste which was considered as the lowest of the low. People said that it was a sin if they offered him water to drink, and that if he sat in a cart it would become unclean. But this very man framed the Constitution for the country. His entire life was one of struggles. And his personal life was too miserable; he had lost his first wife and sons. But even though he did not lost his direness. It is no wonder that everyone called him 'Babasaheb', out of love and admiration. Bhimrao Ambedkar was the lion-hearted man who fought for equality, justice and humanity.
Swatantryaveer Savarkar's fight against Casteism
Not many of us know about the struggle which Swatantryaveer Savarkar waged against casteism. While he was staying at Ratnagiri, Swatantryaveer Savarkar built the first temple that had its doors open to all castes in the pre-independence period. This temple was known as the Patit Pavan Temple. Swatantryaveer Savarkar also arranged inter-caste dinners and inter-caste marriages. Swatantryaveer Savarkar had also invited Dr. Ambedkar to these inter-caste dinners. Savarkar clearly decried the caste discrimination. For this he was criticized by the retrograde orthodoxy and was even shown black flags by some of them at his public meetings.
Now let us turn to see what Hindu scriptures have to say about outdated caste system.
What Some Hindu Scriptures say
The system of Varnashrama dharma is upheld by popular Hindu scriptures like Ramayana, Mahabharata and Bhagvat-Gita. In Ramayana, for example, Ram kills Shambuka simply because he was performing tapasya (ascetic exercises) which he was not supposed to do as he was a Shudra by birth.
Similarly, in Mahabharata, Dronacharya refuses to teach archery to Eklavya, because he was not a Kshatriya by birth. When Eklavya, treating Drona as his notional guru, learns archery on his own, Drona makes him cut his right thumb as gurudakshina (gift for the teacher) so that he may not become a better archer than his favorite Kshatriya student Arjuna!
The Bhagvat-Geeta, too, favors Varna-vyavastha. In fact, Krishna goes to the extent of claiming that the four varnas were created by him only. He says "Chatur-Varnam Maya Shrustam, Guna Karma Vibhagasha" This statement seems to indicate that guna (merit) and Karma (Actions) did play a role at some time to determine to which caste a person can belong. However, the condemning of all his decendants to be in that same caste forever, was the reprehensible aspect of the caste system
Dissenting Voices that Opposed the Caste System in Ancient India
But not that all the Hindu Dharma-shastra texts support the Varna-vyavasta. There are notable dissentions. The Lokayata school of Philosophers like Charavaka, never supported Chatur-varna. Neither did the reformists like Buddha and Mahavira. The medical practioners like Sushuruta, Jeevaka and Charaka also decried caste discriminations. There are slokas like Brahmanopi kriyahinaha, Shudraata Pratyavaro Bhaveta; Shudropi Shila-sampanno Gunavana Brahmano Bhaveta. ("A Brahmin who does not have character, becomes a Shudra; and a Shudra who acquires character, becomes a Brahmin"). However, this remained the trend of dissent, while an overwhelming majority of the legal literature supported the caste system in varying degrees.
The celebrated Hindu theologian Adi Sankara, too, initially was a supporter of varna-vyavastha. According to him, Shudras are not entitled to philosophical knowledge. Although on one occasion, he is said to have asked a shudra ascetic who stood in his way to move out of his way by saying "Apa Sara, Apa Sara" (move away, move away). On hearing this, the Shudra ascetic is said to have asked Adi Shankara; "Kim Apa Sara?" In Sanskrit this entire dialogue is as follows: "Who shall move away and from what? If according to the monism of advaita, everything in this universe is 'one', then what is the reason for discriminating against me and asking me to move away?" On hearing this, Adi Sankara, is said to have accepted the superiority of humanism over the dehumanizing casteist approach. In recognition of this qualitative superiority, Adi Sankara is said to have touched the feet of the Shudra ascetic.
The Caste System is only one form of social division of human functions in society
It is pertinent to note here that the Caste System is only one form of social division of human functions in society. The unjust social structure of the caste system sought to be justified and legitimized by the Manusmriti is not peculiar to ancient India, a similar structure existed in ancient Egypt, ancient Greece and ancient Rome too. But what makes the Manusmriti exclusive is that is seeks to give divine sanction to a man-made social institution of chaturvarnya and moralizes everyone to unquestioningly accept what it recommends. While many Hindus, rightly underline the feature of Hinduism of being the most tolerant and liberal religion of the world, they also are carried away by this to justify the caste system as being a part of Hinduism. In fact the inequities of the caste system and the universal outlook of Hinduism are diametrically opposed to each other.
Here we should also remember that the social division of society is not peculiar to India or to the social structure associated with Hindu society, but carrying it to the extremes of untouchability, unapproachability, endogamy, and granting it divine and religious sanction is peculiar to the social structure associated with Hindu society. And the earlier Hindu society rids itself of the scourge of casteist feelings - the better it would be for the future.
It also needs to be noted that references to caste-based discrimination is relatively recent in Hindu Dharma Shastra. Because neither the Rig Veda (the first, oldest and the most important of the Vedas) nor the Upanishads, justify caste division in any way. It is only the later Dharma-Shastra literature that codifies caste and discrimination based on caste membership. Many of us lose sight of this fact. The support for caste discrimination in Hindu society is relatively recent i.e. around 1500 years old in a civilization that dates back to 5000 years. So caste has not always been a part of Hindu civilization. Caste is a relatively recent phenomenon in Hindu Civilization, and it is high time for Caste and Casteist feelings to now become extinct.
 | At the Vishwa Hindu Sammelan at Udupi in 1969, where various sampradayas in the Hindu fold - the
Shaiva, Veerashaiva, Madhwa, Vaishnava, Jaina, Buddha,
Sikh were represented, a resolution calling upon the Hindu world to banish
"untouchability" in all their religious and social
affairs was passed unanimously. This directive of the
dharmagurus and acharyas reads as follows: "In pursuance of the objective that the entire Hindu society should be consolidated with the spirit of indivisible oneness and that there should be no disintegration in it because of tendencies and sentiments like 'touchability' and 'untouchability'. The Hindus all over the world should maintain the spirit of unity and equality in their mutual intercourse." The passing of the resolution can indeed be called a step of revolutionary significance in the history of Hindu society. It was a moment of victory of the true spirit of Dharma over a garbled custom of the caste system and casteist feelings. |
The RSS and Casteism
In this context, I should point out that most of us are not aware of the viewpoint of the Hindu organisations especially the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) towards caste. I am reproducing here, an extract from the website of the RSS for ready reference.
I have myself never been to an RSS Shakha and have had my basic political beliefs as a Social Democrat of the Janata Party days of 1977 (when I was a school boy). Hence the writings of Guruji Golwalkar on Caste and Untouchability in his "Bunch of Thoughts" came as a refreshing breath of fresh air to me. Here is what he says on this topic:
"At the root of the malady of "untouchability" lies the belief among the common mass of people that it is part of dharma, and transgressing it would be a grave sin. This religious perversion is the chief reason why this pernicious practice has continued to stick to the popular mind till now in spite of dedicated efforts put in by a host of religious stalwarts and social reformers over centuries. Guru Nanak, Acharya Ramanuja, Basaveshwara, Shankar Dev, Swami Dayananda, Narayana Guru, Gandhiji and Veer Savarkar, to name only a few, have striven their utmost to eradicate this standing blot on Hindu society.
But the blot remained. Even now the so-called higher castes refuse to treat the so-called untouchables as their equals. Papers have reported that in a village in Rajasthan a Harijan youth was beaten to death because he grew moustaches, which was supposed to be the prerogative of only the Kshatriya! Not did our dharmagurus condemn such practices because even they mistook the custom for Dharma.
That this social evil draws its sustenance from a religious misconception suggests that the traditional mathadhipatis, who are looked upon by the people at large as the authentic spokesmen of Dharma, should come forward to set right this anti-religious practice. A right beginning was made, in this direction, at the Vishwa Hindu Sammelan at Udupi in 1969.
All the various sampradayas in the Hindu fold - the Shaiva, Veerashaiva, Madhwa, Vaishnava, Jaina, Buddha, Sikh - were represented in the conference. A resolution calling upon the Hindu world to banish "untouchability" in all their religious and social affairs in accordance with the directive of the revered dharmagurus and acharyas, was passed unanimously.
The Command of Jagadgurus
The historic directive reads as follows:
"In pursuance of the objective that the entire Hindu society should be consolidated with the spirit of indivisible oneness and that there should be no disintegration in it because of tendencies and sentiments like 'touchability' and 'untouchability'. The Hindus all over the world should maintain the spirit of unity and equality in their mutual intercourse."
The passing of the resolution can indeed be called a step of revolutionary significance in the history of Hindu society. It was a moment of victory of the true spirit of Dharma over a garbled custom."
This ends the long quote from Guruji's writings.
The writings of Guruji Golwalkar on the subject of The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Casteism can be accessed from the website of the RSS at http://www.rss.org
Shri Balasaheb Deoras, the third chief of RSS says on this topic: "If untouchability is not wrong, then nothing is wrong"
This should settle the misconception in the minds of many people that the RSS supports Casteism. I cannot deny that there may be a sneaking feeling of caste superiority in the minds of some individual members of any organisation that rejects casteism, but then we have to fight this feeling in the interests of wiping our the scourge of casteism from society.
A Recap on Dr. Ambedkar
Babasaheb or Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar was a Beacon that lit up a dark night, a Lotus that bloomed in swampy waters. He came from a socially tyrannized and economically weaker section of Hindu society; but rose to be the architect of India's Constitution.
He was born into a Mahar family (a Shudra subset in Maharashtra) and despite an extremely painful and hard life he rose to acquire the rare honour of being a tripos at Cambridge. He was no ordinary mortal. Any other lesser being would have wilted under the heat of humiliation which Dr. Babasehab had to undergo due to the accident of having been born as a Mahar. He was made to sit away from the upper caste (Savarna) students, to keep those 'noble born' away from his defiling touch. He had to drink water poured into his mouth from above, lest the "defiling" touch of his lips "pollute" the vessel of its upper caste owner!
Dr. Ambedkar was the first to struggle for the right of temple entry for the Dalits. The rights to draw water from the village well (Ek Gao Ek Panotha), he was the first who read the Manusmriti before he declared it unacceptable and a token of his rejection, he publicly consigned the text to flames.
The Manusmriti represents the zenith (or rather the nadir) of fanaticism based on caste. It enjoins that the right to scriptural learning is the monopoly of the Brahmins and even the accidental hearing of the vedic chants by a Shudra is punishable by pouring molten led into the Shudra's ears. Although it will be said that the Manusmriti is not a religious text and no religious text has the kind of binding on all Hindus as the Bible has on Christians and the Qu'ran on the Muslims. But the fact is that the Manusmriti details the jurisprudence for a Hindu society; and the utterly unjust ideas of this text are still held in high esteem by the retrograde among the Hindus. Dr. Ambedkar will be remembered far after the dehumanizing ideas of the Manusmriti are consigned to the ugly littler of a shameful past.
Dr. Ambedkar took off from where Shahu Maharaj of Kolhapur and Mahatma Jyotiba Phule left off their work of uplift of the downtrodden. Although born as Savarnas, these two personalities set by personal example the aim of wiping off the artificial inequities perpetuated by the dehumanizing Caste System and the pseudo-religious practices of untouchability and endogamy.
But Dr. Ambedkar had a sensitive enough mind to sift the chaff from the grain. He took all that was best, universal and eternal in Indian culture. He could easily have embraced Islam or Christianity. Whose missionaries were more than ready to gobble more followers into themselves. But Babasaheb chose the hoary tradition of the Great Master - Gautama Buddha, another of India's greatest son from ancient times.
Let us today re-dedicate ourselves to the complete eradication from our minds of the defunct caste system and dehumanizing caste prejudices. Issues which have been declared illegal by the law of our land but which continue to sneakingly exist in the minds of the orthodox amongst us who live in the shameful aspect of the past.
So rather than only being a result of the past, let us try to take whatever is noble from the past in order to be a cause of the future.
 | More than 2,500 years back, Gautama Buddha propounded an outlook that was both humanitarian and rationalist. Buddhism did not advocate invocation of any God. The original Buddhism had neither God nor Devil. The emphasis was not on prayer but on controlling one's mind. In this sense Buddhism was
more a worldly philosophy rather than a religion. It was later on that it became a religion complete with rituals, icons, holy men and dogmas. However, in its original principles, it came closest to Rational-Humanism. Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar found this attitude appealing and, therefore, he decided to embrace Buddhism. |
Steps to Abolish Caste from our temperament
Here are some random thoughts to rid Hindu society of Caste and Casteist feelings
- Make education for all the scheduled castes compulsory and free till graduation for the next 50 (Fifty) years. Post graduation and further professional education should be optional but free for the scheduled castes. But reservation in the field of employment should be abolished immediately. (We have had reservation in employment for about 50 years now and this has led to complacency in the minds of the members of the Scheduled Castes, it has compromised merit and most importantly it has not lead to increase in educational levels and rise in competency and capability among the Scheduled castes. Rise in education and competency will really undo the injustice of the past 20 centuries when the Shudras were denied the rights of acquiring education.)
- Post-graduate and professionally qualified Members of the Scheduled castes should be given preference to be enrolled as officers into the army and Police for the next 50 (Fifty) years
- For the next 50 (Fifty) years, members of the Scheduled castes should be given special facilities like free lodging and boarding to study Sanskrit and the shastras. And those members of the Scheduled castes, who become well versed in the Shastras, should be given preference to become temple priests. This vocation should be made open to all members of Hindu society. (Although as a rationalist, it personally does not make a difference to me as to who presides over the temples, as I go there only to fulfil family obligations and for appreciating the sculptures where temples like Khajuraho, Konark, Kanchipuram or Madurai are concerned).
- The Jagadgurus have already rejected untouchability but they should also reject the caste system itself and also condemn the Manusmriti. They should declare that this utterly unjust and outdated text is rejected totally and forever by Hindus. The law of the land has already declared caste and untouchability to be illegal. But this is not enough to rid our minds of casteism, hence a declaration by the Jagadgurus rejecting chatur-varna is extremely essential.
Further for the next 50 (Fifty) years at least two of the four Jadagurus should be from the scheduled castes who are well versed in the shastras.
Finally, after a period of the next 50 (Fifty) years (by which time the above prescriptions would have taken effect) we should remove all references that ask for the caste of a person from all forms, at Passport offices, Census Data, Marriage Bureaus, Employment Exchanges, etc. Only then can after a few decades we can have a society free of the scourge of casteism.
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