[ZESTCaste] Wrath of Manu (OPinion)

Tue, 14 Feb 2006 08:57:58 -0800

http://www.dailypioneer.com/columnist1.asp?main_variable=Columnist&file_name=prasad%2Fprasad149.txt&writer=prasad
 
Wrath of Manu
By Chandrabhan Prasad

January 04/1928: The Times of India had reported the following incident:
In 15 villages of the Indore State, the Rajputs, Brahmins, and Patels had issued many social dictates including the followings, to Balais, an Untouchable sub-group;
* Balais must not wear gold-lace bordered pugrees (turbans),
* They must not wear dhotis with coloured or fancy borders,
* Balai women must not wear gold or silver ornaments; they must not wear fancy gowns or jackets. (Cited by Dr. Ambedkar in his groundbreaking book Annihilation of Caste).
February 04/2006: Hindi daily Dainik Bhaskar, reported the following incident:
Titled as Dalit Yuvak Ko Naye Boot, T Shirt, Va Jeans Pahanana Menhga Pada (A Dalit youth pays for sporting new Boots, jeans, and T-shirt), the news story says:
"A Dalit youth named Bhagram Meghwal of village Khanoda, Jodhpur district of Rajasthan was thrashed by one Dungur Singh Rajpurohit. Meghwal was sporting a newly bought jeans trouser, T Shirt and boots. Above all, he sported a sun glasses."
There are a plenty of non-Dalits in Delhi, who are disturbed over the very idea of Dalit Capitalism.
Many of them are upset over Dalits marching on Delhi in suit & boot.
This is indeed a hilarious situation. While we can relate the Indore incident of 1928 with the incident Jodhpur.
But, it is nightmarish to decode revulsions taking place amongst some non-Dalits in Delhi over suit & boot march.
As the debate goes on, the idea of Dalit Capitalism too is turning into a puzzle as this too is irritating sizeable sections of non-Dalits.
"The answer lies in history" - told a friend of mine yesterday evening. According to him, "Dr KP Singh's idea of Dalits marching in suit & boot solves that puzzle including incidents of Indore and Jodhpur."
Behind any idea, there would be certain compelling reasons. The idea of light is born out of the realism of darkness.
The idea of blanket is born out of the realism of winter. The idea of Camels is born out of the realism of desert.
What therefore, could be the realism behind the idea of Dalits in suit & boot? In one stroke, Dr KP Singh seems to have struck at history.
The history's longest fought war - between Dalits and non-Dalits, and settled in favour of the latter, is sought to be reopened, to resettle in favour of the former.
The realism behind the idea of suit & boot is born out of the realism of Indore and Jodhpur incidents. To non-Dalits, Dalits in suit & boot are a problem, and so is the idea of Dalit Capitalism.
The non-Dalits therefore, have no compelling reasons to coin such a slogan. The compelling to them however is, to get disturbed over ideas of Dalits in suit & boot, and Dalit Capitalism.
The question remains un-decoded is - who had told non-Dalits of Indore to impose a dress code on Dalits? And who had told Mr Purohit to hit a Dalit should one wear new attires?
If one Purohit has hit a Dalit, many more may have thought of doing so, but didn't for a variety of reason.
The question is, what inspires non-Dalits of Indore, Mr Purohit of Jodhpur, or many non-Dalits of Delhi? Here are the clues:
* Chandalas and Svapachas (lit. dog eaters) shall live at the out-skirts of villages, they shall use no utensils, dogs and asses being their only wealth (Code No. 51).
* They (Chandalas) shall wear the apparels of corpses, eat out of broken pots, wear ornaments of steel (iron), and live a nomadic life (Code No. 52) - "Manu Samhita", translated by Manmatha Nath Dutt, HC Das Elysium Press, Kolkata.
The "Manu Samhita" or "Laws of Manu" are nothing but laws of Hinduism. Manu backs his code by citing extensively from Vedas, Puranas, Mahabharata, and other Hindu scriptures.
The Hindu society conducts itself in conformity with the Laws of Manu. Take away laws of Manu from Hindu society, Hinduism would become unrecognisable.
If we agree upon the above formulation, then we must also agree that the ideas of Dalits in suit & boot and Dalit Capitalism confront the very core of Hinduism as Hinduism doesn't permit any dignity, any happiness to Dalits.
Baba Sahib Ambedkar had understood and practiced symbolism of suit and boot long ago. It however took fifty years for us to understand that symbolism-so destructive of Hinduism.

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