India’s most fearless and radical political leader, India’s most revered political figure, caste, race, Indian independence movement, and everything in between.
This sums up what this book is all about and opens up doors to so many questions, which the author, the brilliant Arundhati Roy answers with utmost fearlessness and as truthfully as possible.
Roy writes, “Ambedkar is being assimilated— as Gandhi’s junior partner in their joint fight against untouchability.” If you are just another young Indian who has their complete knowledge of history from NCERTs, you would believe that arguably, there was nobody who contributed more to the fight against the caste system than Gandhi and despite a few disagreements, both the doctor and the saint worked together to achieve a caste free society.
Roy really puts things into perspective by establishing the flaws in Gandhi’s beliefs and actions and how Ambedkar’s protest against him in his almost divine status was a deed that deserved more space in our history books and more importantly, in people’s popular belief and faith at the time.
“He(Gandhi) is the Saint of the Status Quo. The trouble is that Gandhi actually said everything and its opposite. To cherry pickers, he offers such a bewildering variety of cherries that you have to wonder if there was something the matter with the tree.” writes Roy
She introduces us bewildered readers to Gandhi’s contradictory views over his lifetime, beginning from his pro-British and extremely racist tones during his time in South Africa (“Kaffirs as a rule are uncivilised—the convicts even more so. They are troublesome, very dirty and live almost like animals”- Gandhi).
Although, the book is more than just decoding Gandhi. The book is centred on the various debates between Ambedkar and Gandhi and presents the ideologies of both these men and portrays how these debates have shaped India as it is today. The book beautifully portrays how Ambedkar’s faith has lived through the test of time and still holds true today.
The author doesn’t play around with words, she is quick to get to the point, also bringing out the shortfalls in Ambedkar’s thoughts specifically regarding Adivasi rights. Ambedkar’s brilliance, his unwavering belief in his faith and the strength with which he fought for his brothers and sisters in a manner so inclusive was truly remarkable and revolutionary, way ahead of his time.
All in all, the book gives a straight, appalling and insightful perspective on caste, its far reaching roots and influences, its impact in the history and in our making today.
So, if you are somebody who is trying to learn about caste, its implications, its history and about the two great men, this should be a fascinating read for you!
Happy Reading 🙂
Image provided by author.