4/19/2018 Round Table India - Ambedkarite Movement in Kalahandi, Odisha: Some Reflections http://roundtableindia.co.in/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8637:ambedkarite-movement-in-kalahandi-odisha-some-reflections&catid=119:feature&It About Us Contact Us Newsletters Features Home News Features Perspective Rights The Shared Mirror History Media िहंदी Bansidhar Deep Recently in Kalahandi, Odisha, Ambedkar's 125th birth anniversary was celebrated on a big scale. This celebration was deliberated and pre-planned by the Ambedkarite groups at Kalahandi. Ironically, the right wing forces were also celebrating Ambedkar on their platforms for vote bank and other political purposes. Kalahandi is one of the backward districts in India and particularly in Odisha. This district consists of more than 2250 villages and 13 blocks. But the interesting point is that the 125th birth anniversary of Dr. B.R Ambedkar was celebrated in almost every village and block of the district by different groups. This event commenced on 1st April, 2016 from Ampani (village) where the "Buddharaja" temple is located and concluded on 14th April, 2016 at Bhawanipatna (district headquarters) near Rando Majhi chowk with great joy and hope. This procession is known as Ambedkar Jyoti (mashal) jatra, organized by Ambedkar Jayanti Palan Committee. Before starting this event, Ambedkarite groups conducted meetings in every panchayat and block to mobilize the people and make it successful. But simultaneously, other Ambedkarite forces were also celebrating Ambedkar in different places. There are two aspects of Ambedkarite movement. Firstly, emancipatory ideals urge Ambedkarites to fight against brahminical social order which is an unegalitarian (oppressive/casteist/misogynist) social order and transform it into an egalitarian social order. Secondly, Ambedkarism is for politics of social justice, dignity and self-respect. However, these two aspects are inseparable. Before beginning to write about Ambedkarite movement and politics in Kalahandi, let me discuss the background of Ambedkarite movement in general. Background of Ambedkarite Movement The historical fact is that Ambedkar was born in an untouchable community, "Mahar". His whole life was full of struggles. Since he was an untouchable, he had to face caste discrimination, untouchability, humiliation, and oppression from upper caste Hindus. Therefore, he had the experience of caste and untouchability. However, through different opportunities in his life, he achieved a status which no Indian could have achieved in that situation. He studied Indian society thoroughly and diagnosed the problem that is Brahmanism. Therefore, he appeals for annihilation of caste. He not only identified the problems, but also discovered the ways through which these problems could be overcome. So throughout his life he tried to find out various ways to annihilate caste system in India. For example, embracing Buddhism and leaving Hinduism, making a democratic constitution where caste/untouchability practices were declared illegal, burning of Manusmriti and so on. India is a country, where more than six thousand castes exist. And the society has been structured in such a way that lower caste people are looked as inferior by upper-castes and are being dominated in every field. This is seen in politics, education, law, religion, society and so on. Since all the castes are further divided into many castes or sub-castes which are sanctified by Hinduism, there is very little possibility to unite them. This is the reason lower castes are not being able to unite themselves to revolt against upper-castes in this country. Since Indian society is a caste-based society, it is unegalitarian and hierarchical. Hence, it is very difficult to ensure liberty, equality, fraternity and justice for all. Therefore, Ambedkar led his movement for justice, liberty, equality and fraternity both in social and political spheres. Ambedkar had attempted to unite all the untouchable castes in his movement. Since he had the experience of caste and untouchability during his life, he knew the intensity of caste discrimination, humiliation, exclusion and oppression in India. He says that in India all the lower castes receive the same discrimination from upper caste Hindus. However, as you go down the caste ladder, the caste discrimination is greater in degree and if you go upwards from the bottom, you will face less caste discrimination. In other words, the lower castes (shudra and ati-shudra in Phule's language) of this country face more caste discrimination than upper castes (baniya, bhumihar, thakur, rajput, kamma and reddy). Therefore, Ambedkar's theory on caste is an insightful analysis as it is structured on "ascending order of reverence and descending order of contempt". Of course, caste is not a simple gradation but graded inequality (Ambedkar: 2007: 14). Having discussed the background of Ambedkarite movement in brief, let me now discuss how Ambedkarism is growing in Kalahandi, Odisha. Emergence of Ambedkarism in Kalahandi Written by Bansidhar Deep Published on 13 June 2016 LOGIN FORM Remember Me Forgot your password? Forgot your username? LOG IN SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER Name E-mail location Subscribe WHO'S ONLINE We have 163 guests and no members online mbedkarite Movement in Kalahandi, Odisha: Some Reflections Tweet 276 Like Share User Name •••••••• Search...