Gail Omvedt Arundhati Roy’s prize-winning novel, The God of Small Things, focuses on the most socially explosive of all relationships in India, a love affair between a dalit man and a high-caste woman. It ends with the brutal murder of the man by the police, “history’s henchmen,” and the woman’s banishment — punishments for …
Muslim-Dalit Relations
Gail Omvedt Islam is a religion of egalitarianism and brotherhood. After the defeat of Buddhism, it maintained these values in India for centuries. Not only did those who became Muslims benefit by escaping from caste restrictions, but Muslim rule also provided a social and political context for the growth of Bhakti movements. Within these, to …
The Dravidian movement
Gail Omvedt “So many movements have failed. In Tamil Nadu there was a movement in the name of anti-Brahmanism under the leadership of Periyar. It attracted Dalits, but after 30 years of power, the Dalits understand that they are as badly-off – or worse-off – as they were under the Brahmans. Under Dravidian rule, …
22 Vows of Dr. Ambedkar
Dr.B.R.Ambedkar prescribed 22 vows to his followers during the historic religious conversion to Buddhism on 15 October 1956 at Deeksha Bhoomi, Nagpur in India. The conversion to Buddhism by 800,000 people was historic because it was the largest religious conversion, the world has ever witnessed. He prescribed these oaths so that there may be …
Dr. Ambedkar’s Dhamma – Revolution
Twists and turns of Indian history came to a significant pass when India achieved her freedom but her crowning glory came in the form of her constitution, a legal document which guaranteed equality before law, in spite of creed or caste or religion of a person. This was, in fact, a dream of Dr. Babasaheb …
Why Dr. Ambedkar renounced Hinduism?
Dr. Ramendra (First published in January 2001) Dr. Ambedkar’s role as a prominent constitution maker of India is quite well known. However, his views on religion, particularly his reasons for renouncing Hinduism, the religion of his birth, are not as widely known. Ambedkar who was born in an “untouchable” family carried on a relentless …
Dr. B. R. Ambedkar – His Relevance Today
Khushi Ram The attitude of the so-called followers of Dr. Ambedkar recalls the rebuke Christ administered to his followers: “You call me ‘Lord’ ‘Lord’ but never carryout what I say.” To have easy and cheap leadership they claim to be Ambedkarites but do not observe any item of the work-a-day philosophy of that great leader. …