Contemporary Voice of Dalit, Ahead of Print.
Into an Unborn Age: A Review of Shyamal Kumar Pramanik, The Untouchable & Other Poems. Trans. by Jaydeep Sarangi and Anurima Chanda. New Delhi: Authorspress, 2020, pp. 91, ₹295 (paperback). ISBN: 978-93-90155-96-5.
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Poverty of Social Construction and Landlessness: Dignity for Dalits in Eastern Uttar Pradesh
Contemporary Voice of Dalit, Ahead of Print.
Drawing from empirical research, the article highlights the landlessness of the Dalits in eastern Uttar Pradesh vis-à-vis the social construction of poverty and the question of identity based on caste. It analyses the nature and extent of inequality in the ownership of land (both agricultural and homestead) among different social groups and presents a comparative perspective of Dalits at the national, state and local levels. Further, on the basis of block and village level analysis, the article reveals the size of landholding patterns among different caste groups of eastern Uttar Pradesh. The article seeks an answer to the question as to why the Dalits do not have land and for what reasons. It is observed that land for them is not only a source of livelihood but also a question of dignity. The article advocates that minimum size of land will provide them safety, security and dignity.
Drawing from empirical research, the article highlights the landlessness of the Dalits in eastern Uttar Pradesh vis-à-vis the social construction of poverty and the question of identity based on caste. It analyses the nature and extent of inequality in the ownership of land (both agricultural and homestead) among different social groups and presents a comparative perspective of Dalits at the national, state and local levels. Further, on the basis of block and village level analysis, the article reveals the size of landholding patterns among different caste groups of eastern Uttar Pradesh. The article seeks an answer to the question as to why the Dalits do not have land and for what reasons. It is observed that land for them is not only a source of livelihood but also a question of dignity. The article advocates that minimum size of land will provide them safety, security and dignity.
Ambedkar’s Journey of Conversion to Buddhism
Contemporary Voice of Dalit, Ahead of Print.
The history of religious conversions has highlighted two aspects. One is the transformation in one’s spiritual and transcendental realm and the other is the social and the political domain that encompasses a sense of rejection of existing religious and philosophical world views as well as assertion of one’s political outlook. In this context, this article explores the contours of one of the most important political thinkers of modern India, that is, B. R. Ambedkar who embraced Buddhism after 40 years of his experiment with the Hindu religion. This article is divided into two parts; the first deals with Ambedkar’s engagement with Hinduism with a hope of reforming the same but having failed in his attempt for 20 years, he declared to leave the religion in 1936. The second part deals with Ambedkar’s both explicit and implicit deliberations for selecting the right noble faith, that is, Buddhism whose foundation was egalitarianism, based on equality and compassion. He used Deweyian experimentalism and Buddhist rationalism, to reject Hinduism and seek refuge in the reformed Buddhism, that is, Navayana Buddhism.
The history of religious conversions has highlighted two aspects. One is the transformation in one’s spiritual and transcendental realm and the other is the social and the political domain that encompasses a sense of rejection of existing religious and philosophical world views as well as assertion of one’s political outlook. In this context, this article explores the contours of one of the most important political thinkers of modern India, that is, B. R. Ambedkar who embraced Buddhism after 40 years of his experiment with the Hindu religion. This article is divided into two parts; the first deals with Ambedkar’s engagement with Hinduism with a hope of reforming the same but having failed in his attempt for 20 years, he declared to leave the religion in 1936. The second part deals with Ambedkar’s both explicit and implicit deliberations for selecting the right noble faith, that is, Buddhism whose foundation was egalitarianism, based on equality and compassion. He used Deweyian experimentalism and Buddhist rationalism, to reject Hinduism and seek refuge in the reformed Buddhism, that is, Navayana Buddhism.