Uma Chakraborty begins her book ‘Gendering Caste through a Feminist Lens’ by giving the readers a ‘understanding caste for dummies’-esque first chapter. Chakraborty talks about the deep entrenched systemic caste system that has prevailed in the country for centuries and the elucidates on the remnant effects of the same that are faced even today when the caste system is supposedly eased in its imposition on the Indian populace. She emphasizes on the view of the caste system as a system of consensual values as presented by Joan Mencher or Gerald Berreman, whereby both, the dominants and the dominated accept the set prescribed set of values, which is convenient to do for the ‘upper castes’ as it erases their own location in the hierarchical structure, thus cementing further the ideals of caste based seclusion. The author contrasts this view with that put forth by B.R. Ambedkar, which was also framed under the religio-cultural framework of ‘purity’ and ‘pollution’. She acknowledges the need to recognize the consequences of caste-based exploitation, which results in the continued restriction of access to material resources to those in the low rungs of the caste system, she points out an important aspect of the caste ideology whereby the Dalits are deprived of dignity and personhood, thereby denying them subjectivity. Chakraborty also puts special emphasis on the monopoly that the Brahmanas held over knowledge, and the subsequent ‘banning’ of Dalits, and even women, from acquiring any kind of ‘sacred’ knowledge.
No comments:
Post a Comment