Who were the Shudras? Written by B R Ambedkar

Who were the Shudras? by B.R. Ambedkar
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Dr.BhimRao Ambedkar, born in a Dalit family, considered as the architect of Indian Constitution, an eminent jurist and well known politician has made his mark in the multi cultural country like India with his very high intellectual insights into many social problems of the country much before anyone else could foresee. He fought for the rights of the socially backward classes (dalits) and received Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award from Indian Government in 1990. Unfortunately he succumbed to diabetes in 1956 at Delhi at the age of 75.

This book, one among the many, written by Dr.B.R.Ambedkar, is one of his most criticized books by the highest of the Indian Chaturvanya or the four classed society, the Brahmins. Throughout the book, the author lashes out at the Brahminical theory of origin, of this unreasonable caste system that according to him has been forced upon Indian society by the so-called learned and the pure blood. Various examples have been cited wherein he proves the fact that this system was not existent at the time of Vedas but only later incorporated into them, in order for the Brahmins to protect their identity and supremacy in the society. It was through this ideology that the author brought in, the some of the fundamental rights like Right to Education, Right to Freedom, Right to Property etc, jotted down in the most elaborate written Constitution of the World’s largest democracy. The author has gone to the extent of studying Vedas, Puranas, and Shastras of ancient Indian history in order to dig the origin and application of the Chaturvanya sytem, wherein Shudras or the Untouchables were placed in the lowest category of this unscrupulous caste system and denied all basic rights when compared to the other three castes - the Brahmins, the Kshatriyas and the Vysyas. He goes to the extent of even studying and comparing the same kind of system existing in the Roman (Caput and Existimatio) and Greek ancient cultures but with a complete different motive and results. He also proves how the different manuscripts of Hindu religion differ about the same Chaturvanya, none considering Shudras as an inferior caste compared to the other three. The author opposes the Brahminical tyranny in denying the rights of a Shudra even to utter Vedas, enter temples, perform Pujas, own property or even to marry an upper caste man/woman. Finally, the author goes on to highlight the assumption that the Shudras were actually Kshatriyas (rulers or kings) but only later divided into two and pushed to the fourth class, because of the oppressions and indignities subjected by Shudra kings on Brahmins. The author finally infers the vengeance of Brahmins against Shudras, right from the age old rivalry between the Vasishta (Brahmin sage)and Vishwamitra (Shudra sage)during the Vedic ages. Accordingly, the Brahmins successfully pushed Shudras to the Untouchable or inferior position by imposing the denial of Right to Upanayana (study Vedas) on the latter, with which the Right to Education and the Right to Own Property automatically stands cancelled. Thus, making the Shudras the least powerful and at the mercy of the other three upper castes.

Pros : This book must be read by every Indian in order to know how the social fabric of this country has evolved over a period of time. It is an honest attempt of the author to bring to light the hard facts of favouritism brought by some on their likes and tyranny brought about on the others based on colour of the skin, physical appearance, nature of work they do for their living etc. The reader would appreciate the efforts of the author in comparing the different contexts of various ancient Hindu manuscripts to prove that the so called Shudras or Untouchables of the country were actually once the Rulers of the country. A must read book by every history, politics, sociology and anthropology students.

Cons: The author sometimes seemed to be totally biased while writing this book, maybe due to his personal experiences during his childhood and professional life. His hatred towards Brahmins flows like lava out of an active volcano when it comes to his views on suppression of his birth class but ignores the good effects that the same caste system has, in binding this multi cultural country, into a single harmonious social fabric over millennia. If the author was right about the Brahmins, I still doubt how Lord Krishna, a Shudra by birth, became one of the most revered Gods of Hindu religion.

My rating is 4.25 out of 5


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