GULAMGIRI: PHULE

Jotirao Phule was a great anti-caste crusader. He dedicated this book GULAMGIRI to the American movement to free slaves. He saw many similarities between the conditions of the black slaves in America and lower castes in India. His hope was that one day, the caste slavery in India would also be abolished as it was in America.

Click HERE for the Preface to the book. The entire book is available HERE

ANNIHILATION OF CASTE: AMBEDKAR

Annihilation of Caste is an undelivered speech written in 1936 by B R AMBEDKAR. The speech was prepared as the presidential address for the annual conference of a Hindu reformist group Jat-Pat Todak Mandal, on the ill effects of caste in Hindu society. However, the Jat-Pat-Todak Mandal people found the content too radical and too critical of Hinduism. They asked Ambedkar to edit out some of the direct references to Hinduism and t0 its scriptures. Ambedkar refused and turned down the invitation to speak. Instead, Ambedkar self-published 1,500 copies of the speech in May 1936 and distributed it among the people. Today this text is considered a kind of manifesto of both anti-caste and Dalit politics. 

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE SPEECH WITH AMBEDKAR'S EXPLANATION OF HOW IT WENT UNDELIVERED AND GANDHI'S RESPONSE TO AMBEDKAR'S ARGUMENTS

CASTES IN INDIA: AMBEDKAR

CASTES IN INDIA:
Their Mechanism, Genesis and Development
by B. R. Ambedkar
Paper presented at an Anthropology Seminar
taught by Dr. A. A. Goldenweizer
Columbia University
9th May 1916
Text first printed in: Indian Antiquary Vol. XLI (May 1917)
CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL PAPER

WAITING FOR A VISA : AMBEDKAR

It seems from internal evidence that this piece was written about eighteen years after Dr. Ambedkar's return from America and Europe, which would put it in 1935 or 1936. Click HERE to read the full piece 

INDIA UNTOUCHED

This film is perhaps the most comprehensive look at UNTOUCHABILITY ever undertaken on film

WHY SEGREGATED HOUSING IS THRIVING IN INDIA

In a deeply divided and hierarchical society like India, segregated living - and housing - has existed for centuries. Click HERE to read more

CASTE ON YOUR PLATE

are our cuisines still dominated by deplorable caste practices? What role does caste play in the way we celebrate culinary delights? Click HERE to read article. 

WHY WE NEED RESERVATIONS?

Excluding the affluent (or the so called “creamy layer”) from representation of socially disadvantaged races and castes in education and employment, or saying that only the poor can represent socially disadvantaged races and castes, is as ridiculous as saying Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, Spike Lee, Barack Obama or for that matter artists and leaders who advocated the rights of those oppressed by the caste system such as Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, “Rettai malai” Srinivasan, M.C.Rajah, Ayothithasar, Thanthai Periyar, etc., cannot be leaders or representatives of their peoples because they had attained relative affluence!! So if one applies the “creamy layer” (affluence) concept in enabling representation of castes and races by restricting representation in government, jobs and education only to the poor amongst socially disadvantaged races and castes, there will be no one to lead or represent those socially disadvantaged castes and races in education, employment and governance.

Click HERE  to read full Article