FINE SCHOLAR OF THE MONTH- Dr.Ramiah Avatthi

December, 2006
Scholar of the Month
One of the finest and most scholarly article about how the ancient lunatic hindu's came out with caste system is elegantly described in this article. This should be thouroughly read by all the Indians, humanitarians, humanists, human rights activists, those who seek the truth in the world about social and religious pathology must read. Most importantly, every single dalit, Dalits/Ambedkarites must have a copy of this article in their houses. I have read it, and probably read it few more times.
I have been hunting for a truthful manuscript of this quality and integirty to get the true creation of social pathology such as caste system, I must say I found it here, though I must still look for more reading materials, but this has everything to enlighten the ignorant Hindu's. Get a copy or download it to your computer and give it a couple of reading. Knowledge is Power for Dalits, Which our father Ambedkar advocated.

Quotes from Professor Ramaiah & Dr.Ambedkar
VEDAS, and all the scriptures emerged after vedas in one or the other way advocated the caste system. It is argued that MANU, the author of the Manusmriti, should not be held responsible for the creation of the caste system but should be held responsible for the preaching of the sanctity of the VARNA system, which is considered to be the parent of CASTE. In that sense, it is said, Manu can be charged with being the PROGENITOR OF THE CASTE SYSTEM (Ambedkar, 1987, vol 3:25).

DR.RAMAIAH'S profile
Dr. A. Ramaiah has been engaged in teaching and research in the fields of social work and social sciences since 1987. He has been a faculty at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai, India since 1991. Currently he is an Associate Professor at the Centre for Dalit and Tribal Studies, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, India. He obtained his Ph. D. in Sociology (1999) and M. Phil. in Population Studies (1987) from the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi. His Masters Degree (1984) was in Social Work (Loyola College, University of Madras), and the Bachelor Degree (1981) in Economics (the American College, Madurai University, India). He has been teaching subjects such as a) Management of non-profit organization, b) Development of the Marginalised sections, c) Diversity and Social Exclusion, d) Globalization and the Marginalised. His recently-completely research studies include i) The Impact of ILO’s PEBLISA Project on prevention and elimination bonded labour in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, ii) Factors responsible for high rate of acquittal in untouchability and atrocity cases: Experiences and responses from Southern Tamil Nadu, and c) Role of NGOs in establishing cordial relationship between the contesting caste groups in rural Tamil Nadu. He has contributed number of articles to reputed journals and books on issues pertaining to the marginalized communities. Ramaiah has widely traveled in Europe, and visited countries such as Zimbabwe, Beijing and Singapore articulating the issues pertaining to the one of the most exploited communities of India, the Dalits. ramaiah@tiss.edu

Interview with Professor Eleanor Zelliot, An American Scholar & a Dalit culture & Literature expert

1.Growing up as Untouchable in India

Intro by Prof Eleanor Zelliot

2.From Untouchable to Dalit
3.Experience of Hinuduism

Zelliot, Dr. Eleanor - Interview on Dalit Liberation, Hindutva Fascism and Cultural Revolution

By Yoginder Sikand

Dr. Eleanor Zelliot, a leading American Scholar, has done pioneering work through her studies of various aspects of the Dalit liberation movement, about which she speaks here to Yoginder Sikand.

Q: How did you develop an interest in the Dalit movement ?
A: I got interested in Ambedkar when I was reading widely about India when I was at the university, and found his name in most books which I referred to. I however, had no analyze to explain his rise. I have been supporting the African-American movement since I was 14, so the comparable Indian movement was a natural subject for me.
Q: You have written a great deal on Dalit Cultures. How would you define that term ?
A: Every act, including a poem, song, object or design that a person who defines himself or herself as a Dalit does or creates act of creation arising out of the fact of the consciousness of one’s being a Dalit is a part of Dalit Culture.
Q. Can non-Dalits play any role in developing Dalit Culture ?
A. A white man cannot write Black literature, though he can write wonderfully well about Black society.

John Griffin, a white American sociologist, painted himself black, lived in a black ghetto for two months, and then wrote a book which be claimed faithfully represented an insider’s view of Black society in America.

But the blacks asserted that despite this attempt at identifying with them, he was unable to fully capture the story of their plight.
The same is true for the Dalits in India. Non-Dalits cannot write Dalit literature, but they have a crucial role to play in facilitating its development. The social awakening brought about by non-Dalit reformers in Maharashtra such as Ranade, Agarkar and Bhandarkar did play a crucial role in the later rise of the Ambedkarite movement. A group of Maharashtrian non-Dalits were the first to publish radical literature written by Dalits. I therefore see the possibility of non-Dalits being facilitators to the Dalit movement but not its guides or preachers. Non-Dalits cannot direct the Dalit movement. When Gandhi announced that he was a “Harijan”, that ended forever the possibility of his leadership of the Dalits.

Q. Do you, see the possibility of a radical liberation theology on Latin American lines emerging in Ambedkarite Buddhism today?
A. To a great extent, conversion to Buddhism has meant psychological liberation to many Dalits. The Dalits today appear to be moving towards a socially more engaged Buddhism, but not really in the direction of liberation theology. This is akin to the recent developments in Thai and Vietnamese Buddhism. The Dalits could learn a lot from the efforts of people like the Vietnamese scholar Thich Nat Than who teaches “Buddhism and Social Action” in France.
There are several training institutes for the Buddhist Sangha in Maharashtra, but 1 am not sure if the Sangha is really necessary. What is required are more lay teachers moving from one Viharaђ or Dalit settlement to the other.
There is also a pressing need to develop Buddhist cultural activities to transmit the message of social emancipation through dramas, folk songs etc. The cultural side of Buddhism bas been neglected by the Sangha. Buddhism appeals directly to the intellectual, but for the masses one requires more colour, more activity.
Q: But are these efforts radical enough or are they at best reformist?
A: I am not quite sure what the term “Revolution” really means today. Marxists in many countries, while not ignoring macro-level issues, are thinking in terms of local problems, grassroots level organizations and decentralized leadership. And as far as liberation theologyђ is concerned, I do not think it has as yet emerged in India and most certainly not in Hinduism. Instead, what has happened is that the secular Indian intelligentsia have left the field of religion completely to the conservatives and reactionaries. In such a situation, where is the possibility of liberation theology emerging ?
Q. Is it possible to creatively draw upon the epics, legends and collective memory of the Dalits and other oppressed groups to assist in their mobilization for social emancipation?
A. Such a venture would work wonders for arousing the awareness of the Dalits. Much work has to be done to collect the peoples own versions of history or oral history their stories and songs of defiance of caste oppression, etc. These can then be used by activists in the field in a creative way. For instance, the stories of Eklavya, Shambhukh and the ballads of the Dusadhs of Bihar that an associate of mine has collected, could be used as crucial images in the creation of a positive Dalit culture. Dalit culture and the Dalit movement cannot be built on the mere negative platform of anti-Brahminism. The infusing of Dalit culture with the images of the long-forgotten Dalit heroes and heroines would serve as a positive foundation of the Dalit cultural movement.
Q: Would the Ambedkarite Dalit cultural movement that you talk about be able to unite the various Dalit castes?
A: I feel that Ambedkarites ought to make efforts to link their movement to the local folk heroes and anti-caste charismatic leaders of the various Dalit castes so that its appeal could be much wider. I saw a good instance of this at the Ravidas Temple at Ramakrishnapuram in New Delhi recently. A picture of Ambedkar there is placed next to one of Ravidas and this is an effective means to link the Ravidasis to the Ambedkarite Movement. However, it is also a fact that the Bhakti and ב Untouchable Saints had a limited social programme, and the Dalit Cultural Movement needs to be aware of this. Preaching the equality of all people in the eyes of God is not the same as actually transforming society in the direction of social equality.
Q: Is it not the case that many Dalits today have almost turned Ambedkar into another divine prophet and thereby refuse to critically evaluate or re-interpret Ambedkarism?
A: It is true that many Dalit Buddhists are not going beyond Ambedkar. In the minds of these Dalits, Ambedkar was the one who gave them self-respect, and so they feel the same way about him as many Indians feel about their “Gurus”. As regards the need to creatively reinterpret Ambedkarism today, some Dalits do not seem to agree and they appear to be arguing that if Marxism was in existence for 150 years but Marx was not capable of being critically evaluated until only some years ago, a somewhat similar logic operates in their strict adherence to the views articulated by Ambedkar.
Q: Do you sense any danger to the Dalit Movement as the result of the growing threat of Brahminical Hindu chauvinism?
A: The RSS is trying to co-opt Ambedkar. They even go to the extent of claiming that Hedgewar, the founder of the RSS, and Ambedkar had similar aims! (laughs)...If the RSS are genuinely admirers of Ambedkar they ought to denounce caste and convert to Buddhism as Ambedkar did! It is simply impossible to go back to the Varna System as many Hindu revivalists argue. In today’s context only the Brahmin Varna has any meaning and sociological relevance. Even in the Varna system the Shudras are considered to be menials, so attempting to revive this system would not change their degraded status at all.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THESE GREATS!?

Second row, seen sitting second from left is Babaji Baloo
India's finest first great cricketer? a Dalit!!!.

BABAJI PALWANKAR BALOO (Born:March 1876, Died: July 4, 1955)

One of the greatest cricketers of India, played for Indian team for about 20 years as Slow left-arm orthodox, interestingly he was the very first cricketer for the Indian Hindu team started playing even before India was independent. According to this report, this great sports man was traveled to England at that time the British were staunchly enslaving the Indians and India by occupying India. At such a time of fear, filth, racism and casteism was ruling the roost, Baloo a chamar by birth and a dalit, shattered the England team in their own soil and it was carried out by a Dalit, he was one of the top knock out bowler and made several record breaks in Indian cricket histroy. Are there any one there with any knowledge of cricket at all to ascertain and honor such greats of great cricketer who is a dalit. Or is this is just the reason that the Indian communities and authorities burried the name, fame and power of Baloo.
Social leveler Until the 1880s:
As one must know for sure, it is not just politics, economy, education, land issues, employement or just name any issues, the castiesm will be rooted in to ruin progress, as was and is sports too. Not many would have ever imagined let alone read and understand the hitory of cricket that the first cricket hero was a dalit?. Nor will they develop insights to accept the real great humans like Baloo or all of them listed in this blog. Anyways, there are always good people who do not care much about one's color, caste or race or whatever. Cricket is full of filthy caste system ever since they played under the team "Hindu" and it is kept continuing just like the other issues of casteism that continues. Mostly, cricket is robbed by the upper caste elites, that too does not reach teh poor upper castes, nor does it reaches the poors in the rural areas of India. The so called upper castes intertwined the subjugation of the less fortunate poors, made sure that the upper castes almost owned everything from land to cricket as theirs, and then come out to the street to spit against reservation, as in fact they all reserved all the wealth and resources of India to their upper castes for centuries illegally, forcefully and by brutal means. Infact in 1880's it was parsi's who adopted cricket even before hindu's even learned about cricket?. It was an upper caste magalomanical owned territory was not permitted for others, during 1884 or so when the cricket game was getting more popularity and attraction, the sports spreaded all over India, during this time, many so called low caste people showed interest and shattered the cast barrier to enter into playing cricket, it was Baloo the hero of dalits who broke this caste pathology. Who later became the greatest cricketer of all and was recognized by every Indian whether or not upper or lower castes as a hero. Baloo was even inspired B R Ambedkar, the father of modern India and a great scholar. The link below provides evidence that Baloo contested elections in 1934 and 1937 in Bombay and celebrated Baloo as their hero irrespective of what caste they belonged?.
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/GC05Df04.html
& Baloo's Brother Palwankar Vithal, a great Dalit Batsman & Captain

During 1919 and 1923 these Dalit cricketers even attracted Gandhi to get involved in certain issues of caste discrimination. At that time, the mumbai quadrangular did not give the captainship to Baloo because he was a dalit, against which Gandhi fought to help Baloo brothers.

Later on, in 1923 that Vithal the younger brother of Baloo, after the caste struggle that was condemned by Gandhi and others that Vithal became captain of the Hindus. http://www.hinduonnet.com/2001/09/30/stories/0730028p.htm
This book "A Corner of Foreign Field" authored by Ramachandra Guha, Picador India, Rs. 495 is one of the few book about this great cricketer that must be worth having in our collections of books. He writes "C.K. Nayudu is toppled from his pedestal as India's first great cricketer as Guha pins the badge on the little-known Dalit cricketer Palwankar Baloo, who preceded him by many years. The left arm slow bowler, who played very successfully for the Hindus in the Quadrangular, learnt his cricket by occasionally bowling at the nets of a cricket club where he was paid to sweep and roll the pitch. When he played for his first team (the Poona Hindus), he was more than equal on the field but less than equal off it (being served his lunch on a separate table and his tea in disposable matkas)".

Also read this book on cricket, politics and our society: Twenty-Two Yards to Freedom: A Social History of Indian Cricket by Boria Majumdar. Penguin Books India, New Delhi, December 2004. ISBN: 067005794-0. Price: US$13.25; 483 pages.
Dr. Ambedkar was Inspired & Influenced by Baloo:
Dr.Bhimrao Ambedkar regarded Ballo as a Great Hero of dalits and a great of Hero of Indian cricket. Baloo should be respected and placed in the top of Indian cricket history. The greatest of scholars and humanitrains our father Bhimrao Ambedkar himself was absolutely inspired by the fine qualities and talents of Baloo.

Bhimrao Ambedkar -a Great Indian Scholar & Humanitarian

Bodhisatava Dr.Bhimrao Ambedkar
Dr.Bhimrao Ambedkar (1891-1956), spent several years in Columbia University in New York. Columbia is one of the Ivy league university known for top class education. Bhimrao studied under Professor Dr.John Dewey (1859-1952), one of the finest of American Scholar, teacher and mentor under whom Bhim carried out his doctoral thesis work.
John Dewey is a great humanitarian who advocated equality and social justice, it is here in Columbia Bhimrao learned lots about equal rights which shaped his ideas of inculcating the similar rights in India, especially to uplift the dalits. In addition to John Dewey, Bhimrao enjoyed the company of his wonderful colleagues in Columbia, who also shared his views on social equality.

Dr.Bhimrao's PhD Mentor & a friend
“The future of our civilization depends upon the widening spread and deepening hold of the scientific cast of mind.”

John Dewey (1859-1952),
Bhimrao's PhD supervisor and mentor, John Dewey is a philosopher, humanitarian and a master of practical approach, who also championed woman's causes and academic freedom for woman.

john dewey
Arguably the most influential thinker on education in the twentieth century, Dewey's contribution lies along several fronts. His attention to experience and reflection, democracy and community, and to environments for learning have been seminal.
http://www.infed.org/thinkers/et-dewey.htm

22 Vows of Dr.B.R.Ambedkar

Dr.Bheemarao Ambedkar is THE FATHER OF MODERN INDIA and a great Humanitarian of the top order the world has ever seen, especially the nation India would have ever produced, those who lack insight will not be able to grasp the power and brilliance of this intellectual. His teachings & dedication to improve the delipidated India can be felt like a work that is beyond a noble work, further step beyond nobility, if there is one work, it would be Dr.B.R.Ambedkar's work.

The Indian media, people and wested interests, time and again...time and again made every efforts possible to not to write or talk about Dr.B.R. Ambedkar, if they do, they were ridiculously narrow minded and callous in their attitudes.

However, this blog will be dedicated to bring out the outstanding work of BR every now and then to everyone who wants to get some insight about Dr.B.R.Ambedkar, this is also a blog to educate all the Ambedkarites all over the world and in India. And, most importantly to educate the future generation of Indians.

Here are the most important vows Dr.B.R.Ambedkar took to come out of century old social pathology devised by hindu's and anti-social Indians, he took this 22 vows while embracing and adopting Lord Buddha's teachings/Buddhism on October 14, 1956 in Dhiksha Bhoomi, Nagpur, India.
(please visit this URL http://www.upliftthem.blogspot.com, here you will find an articlehttp://www.upliftthem.blogspot.com/2006/11/real-event-drambedkars-covertion-to.html, a personal account & a first hand report of the conversion event by Dr.Jamanadass, an Ambekarite, physician who participated and lead a student team to work in this conversion, who also had a close encounter with Dr.Bbhimrao, this is a fabulous remembrance of the event by Dr.Jamandass, who currently lives in India).

1.I shall not consider Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh as God nor shall I worship them.

2.I shall not consider Ram and Krishna as God nor shall I worship them.

3.I shall not believe in Gouri-Ganesh and other Gods and goddesses of Hindu Religion nor shall I worship them.

4.I don’t have faith incarnation of God.

5.I believe that, Buddha is incarnation of Vishnu, is a false and malicious propaganda.

6.I shall not perform shraddha, nor shall I give pind-dan.

7.I shall not practice anything which is against and different from Buddha’s Dhamma.

8.I will not perform any rituals to be performed by Brahmins.

9.I believe that all human beings are equal.

10.I shall make efforts to establish equality.

11.I shall follow the Eightfold path as told by the Buddha.

12.I shall practice ten Paramitas as told by the Buddha.

13.I shall have compassion and living kindness for all living beings and protect them.

14.I shall not steal.

15.I shall not tell lies.

16.I shall not commit any sexual misconduct.

17.I shall not consume liquor/intoxicants.

18.I shall lead a life based on Buddhist Principle of wisdom, Precepts, and compassion.

19. I denounce Hindu religion which is Harmful for my development as a human being and which has treated human being unequal lowly and I accept Buddha’s Dhamma.

20.I am convinced that Buddha’s Dhamma is Saddhamma.

21.I believe that I am taking new birth.

22.I commit that henceforth I shall act as per Buddha’s principles and teachings.