Who are the millions of social and cultural outcasts in the world's biggest democracy? A look at the reality of Untouchables.
Having been to India on various occasions, I have been fascinated and often dismayed by the Hindu caste system. Discrimination based on caste membership is, since India's independency in 1947, illegal, yet caste based discrimination is alive and well, especially in rural areas. Going back 2,000 years and perhaps the oldest system of social hierarchy, India's caste system renders one in six Indians "impure". They are the Untouchables.
Untouchable Terminology
In 1950, the term Untouchable was eradicated under India's constitution, and Untouchables are now formally referred to as the Scheduled Castes. Gandhi referred to Untouchables as Harijan, which means "people of God". Politically active Untouchables feel that this term Harijan might evoke pity rather than respect, and prefer the term Dalits, which means, "oppressed".
The Basic Premise
The Hindu caste system follows one basic premise: All men are born unequally, a premise rooted in ancient and sacred Indian texts. According to these texts, four varna groups emerged from various parts of the body of a primordial being. Each group fulfills a function in society.
The four categories, or varnas that appeared from the primordial being are, in order of importance:
1) The Brahmins, who emerged from the mouth. They are priests and teachers, and look after the intellectual and spiritual needs of the community. They preside over knowledge and education.
2) The Kshatriyas, who came from the arms. Their responsibility is to rule and to protect members of the community.
3) The Vaishyas, who came from the thighs. They are merchants and traders and look after commerce and agriculture.
4) The Shudras, who came from the feet. Their task is to perform manual labour. They are peasants, labourers and artisans.
Each of us is born into one of these varnas and is supposed to stay with that caste until death. What a person in each of these varnas can and can't do, is prescribed in detail in the laws of Manu, written by Brahman priests at least 2,000 years ago. The laws of Manu are inscribed in Indian culture. Umashankar Tripathy, a Brahman priest, says, "Manu is engraved in every Hindu" (as cited by Tom O'Neill, 2003, p. 15)
Where are the Dalits in the Varna System?
Nowhere! Dalits fall into a fifth category outside the varna system. They are required to perform tasks that are considered so impure that they could not possible be included in the traditional varna system. In former times, elaborate rules were applied to avoid "cross-contamination." In northern India for example, Untouchables had to use drums to let others know of their arrival. Even their shadows were considered polluted. In the south, some Brahmins ordered Untouchables to keep at least 65 feet away from them. Today, Hinduism is the religion of 80% of India's population and its ancient system of social stratification still rules much of daily life.
Dalits Today
Today, there are between 160 and 200 million Untouchables who continue to be oppressed and discriminated against. Archbishop Desmond Tutu points out that many Untouchables leave their fingerprints on contracts, and with it, they impose a live of service to people from higher castes on themselves (as cited by Gopal Guru and Shiraz Sidhva). Many Untouchables live a life akin to that of a slave. And caste membership is a curse without escape. Sukhadeo Thorat, one of the few Untouchable scholars with a Ph.D in economics says, "You cannot hide your caste." Family name, village of origin, body language and especially occupation give away your caste. "You can try to disguise it, but there are so many ways to slip up", says Sukhadeo Thorat. "A Hindu will not feel confident developing a social relationship without knowing your background. Within a couple of months, your caste will be revealed" (as cited by Tom O'Neill, 2003, p. 13).
The Struggle of the Untouchables
Caste discrimination has allowed, and still does allow, upper castes to maintain their control over cultural, social, political and material capital. But some Dalits are starting to fight their status of social and cultural outcasts. Small but growing groups of activists are working for the liberation of Untouchables. The reaction of authorities to their activism is often unforgiving and police brutality against Untouchable activists is commonplace. Few days go by during which there is no violence against Untouchables. In fact, the number of reported cases of caste-based violence increased by 25 to 30% in states likes Bihar and Tamil Nadu (Tom O'Neill, 2003). This increase might be a reaction to the growing assertiveness of Untouchables.
In Closing
There are no easy solutions to the ongoing plight of India's Untouchables. The new rules and regulations are mostly theoretical constructs. In practice, India's millions of Untouchables are trapped on the very bottom of a system that functions by virtue of their shameless and relentless exploitation.
There are a few hopeful signs for the Untouchables. The number of grassroots activists, many of whom are women, is growing. Urbanization also offers hope for Untouchables. Even if it means living in the slums, caste boundaries fade in the chaos of Indian cities and offer a way out of the oppressing village prejudice that reduces an Untouchable to a subhuman. Nonetheless, these are very small steps. K. R. Narayana was the first Untouchable President of India from 1997-2002. On India's Republic Day in 2000, he quoted Ambedkar, India's true Untouchable hero who felt fought for the destruction of the caste system in order to liberate Untouchables. Narayana said that until Untouchability and discrimination against women were eliminated, "the edifice of our democracy would be like a palace built on a dung heap." (as cited by Tom O'Neil, 2003, p. 30.) Perhaps a democracy that allows one in six of its citizens to be condemned to a life of slavery is just that- a palace on a dung heap.
Nest week, we will explore India's Untouchable activism a little further.
References
Gopal Guru and Shiraz Sidhva (2001). India's Hidded Apartheid. In: UNESCO Courier, September 2001. Vailable online at: http://www.unesco.org/courier/2001_09/uk/doss22.htm
Untouchable? Transcript. Life. Avialable online at LifeOnline at:
http://www.tve.org/lifeonline/index.cfm?aid=1245 and http://www.tve.org/lifeonline/index.cfm?aid=1242
Tom O'Neil (2003). Untouchable. In: National Geographic, June 2003, pp. 2-31.
