Analytical review of the book, "Varna System and Class Struggle in Nepal" written by Aahuti
INFORMATION ABOUT THE BOOK
Book title: Varna System and Class Stuuggle in Nepal
Genre: Anthology
(The book has in total 277 pages which consists editorial statement, writer’s short note abot the publication, meaningful expressions about the book by Chaitanya Mishra, 2 overwhelmingly impressive poems, 11 research-based scholar essays and works citation).
Writer: Aahuti (Bishwo Bhakta Dulal)
Published in: 2014
Publisher: Samata Foundation, Pulchowk, Lalitpur, Nepal
ISBN: 978-9937-8372-0-0
In this book of Aahuti, the writer attempts to deal with Varna system and class struggle in Nepal through numerous articles presented in this book. Through this book, the writer manifests the history and origin of Varna system, how dalit has come into existence and the class struggle of dalit in Nepal. He includes dalit liberation movement in Nepal and the political action in response throughout the movement. This book provides a source to students, politicians, Maithili and Hindi speaker as well as to all the people who are living in the current globe.
Excluding two poems entitled brown Africa, the great story of a lowly life and the introduction part by Chaitanya Mishra, this book is divided into ten chapters. Beginning with myth and reality about the term dalit, the book advances through question of dalit liberation in Hindu society; Hindu feudalism, state restructuring, and dalit; constituent assembly and dalit initiative; reservation rights for dalit; federal system and dalit community; politics of dalit women; making of new constitution and responsibility of dalit movement; the question of liberation of Madhesi dalit and the future of dalit movement. Throughout the book, the writer shows the poorest and most oppressive conditions of dalit in Nepal. How they are being harassed, assaulted, discriminated and unconcerned socially, politically and culturally. The writer firmly asserts that the liberation of dalit is almost impossible until the Hindu feudal society with caste system and untouchability gets dismantled.
Each chapter emphasizing Dalit deals with different topics. The first and second chapters dig the historical evidences of construction of dalit and the establishment of Varna system in South Asia. It is to be believed that Varna system was founded in the Indian subcontinent about 3500 years ago. During the reign of King Manu, Varna system with untouchability was legalized. In this process, with the expansion of Hindu religious rule, the Varna system with untouchability also spread. Aryans are considered to be the first rulers who introduced the Varna system on the basis of color. Aryans entered India and began to intervene in socio-political lives of Dravidians and Australoid. In the process of division of labor, Aryans divided people into four Varnas. People who functioned as priests are categorized as Brahman, people who functioned as either administrators or military are categorized as Kshatriyas, people who functioned as either a trader or agricultural are categorized as Vaisyas and people who worked in skilled or non-skilled occupation as Shudras. In this way, after the establishment of Varna system, for about next thousand years, untouchability was not imposed. Lichhavis were the first rulers who introduced Varna system with untouchability during the second century in Nepal. Similarly, after them Mallas were those rulers who expanded their mission and spread this system more strictly. Later, monarchs too constructed their feudal state based on Varna system with untouchability.
The writer, Aahuti, is also an active politician. He has led and participated various dalit movements and this book is also one of the movements for dalit liberation. He states that Nepal dalit liberation movement started in the year 1946 almost at the same time the democratic movement against the feudal Rana regime started. He has expressed his grievances against the political parties in this book. The political changes of 1950 and 1990 have already ended yet there have not been any fundamental changes in the situations of dalit. The success of people’s movement in 1990 has provided freedom, sense of liberty and autonomy yet dalit hasn’t obtained full human rights and freedom to express their plights and feelings. The constitution of 1991 considers untouchability as a punishable offence however it never comes into practice. In fact, until today no political party in Nepal has declared the practice of untouchability within the party as a punishable offence. Untouchability is still predominant within political parties. The writer further objects that political parties have never taken dalit issues as their own issues. He argues that compared to other parties, communists party has put an effort to work with dalit yet they have failed to give required attention to the question of dalit community.
Similarly, the writer also encompasses the social and cultural evidences in showing how dalits have been excluded and despised by culture and social. As mentioned in this book, dalit women are still being gang raped, houses of dalits are still being burned and inter-caste couples are being murdered. There is no such punishable charge for so-called high castes for committing such crimes or sins. In fact, there is a strict punishment for those dalits who happen to enter the temples or touch the public wells. Poor dalits are obliged to dispose dead animals of high castes, cut the umbilical cord of newborn children, cut nails of high castes and receive dead person’s clothes. Dalits are still not free to choose their occupation. Agriculture, technology, music and entertainment, security cleaning, service and various skilled works are the traditional occupation of dalits. They have obligations to carry dolis of high castes, need to walk down if they encounter high caste people and they are obliged to mourn when a villager Brahman dies. So-called high caste people consider their rights to despise and assault dalits.
The writer also explicates the weaknesses of dalit liberation movement. It is unfortunate that there are thousands of landless dalits, poor tenants and dalit peasants yet the movement has failed to raise questions with regards to economic equality. Dalits can never receive liberation unless and until they have ownerships of land. It is yet another unfortunate that no dalit leader who is clean, honest and qualified has taken the leadership position. Thirdly, there is a heterogeneity in dalit and at the same time there is a disunity between Aryan Khas dalit, Madhesi and Newar dalit. There is no such program or any kind of agenda of unity and integration among Aryan Khas Dalit, Newar Dalit and Madhesi Dalit. Aryan has Dalits consider themselves to be superior among three categories whereas Madhesi Dalits are the most oppressed group.
Similarly, it is also the failure not to realize the various forms of oppressions of dalit women. The writer argues that women have been oppressed and exploited in terms of both class and gender. There have been social movements on women’s liberation and gender equality for ages. Many women’s lives have changed in empowerment although these movements are ongoing phenomena. However, in a regard to women’s issue people are limited or confined only to class and gender oppression. Many a time, people tend either to disregard or forget about other severe oppressions that the dalit women in particular have been challenged for ages. The issues of dalit women’s liberation should be understood not only from the perspective of class and gender oppression in fact from the perspective of politics too. Dalit women are the most degraded groups in Nepal who have been severely oppressed by the multiple dominant power structures such as patriarchy, caste and gender hierarchies, and in terms of social, political and economic power. Madhesi dalit women are even more oppressed. The modern dalit movement of 1946 fails to raise the issue of dalit women. One of the major factors of the failure of dalit women movement is that the dalit movement itself is patriarchal and it is highly guided by the dominant ideology of patriarchy. It is so unfortunate that the dalit movement itself is so unconcerned to the issue of dalit women.
According to Aahuti the writer, there are certain things to be changed or eradicated in order to enhance the lives of dalit. Confining within untouchability and discrimination will not lead to the roots of dalit problem. Identifying the position of dalit in terms of means of production and choice of occupation is very crucial. Dalits are oppressed in Jajamani system. In addition, even in urban areas dalits are still seen in the cleaning profession either in municipalities or public toilets. They have no choice of occupation rather forced to follow the same tradition of occupation. So, until dalits have their ownerships in land and have alternative occupation, it is for sure that the fundamental changes in the lives of dalit will not take place. There should also be representatives of dalit in the law-making parliament. Government should provide free public education with scholarship up to the higher education. And the primary thing is Nepal is a Hindu country and it is based on Hindu feudalism. And Hindu feudalism is strongly based on Varna system with untouchability. So, until and unless Hindu feudalism gets dismantled, no liberation will be obtained by any dalit.
The writer’s writing is understandable and expressive. He has successfully covered the severe problems of dalit, the history and origin of Varna system and certain ways to enhance the lives of dalit which will lead them to liberation.
In conclusion dalits have been deprived socially, professionally, politically, and every prospect of community which is against humanity. The word humanity itself is a positive word which focus on equality but there is no equality between various cultural background of people in Nepal. Dalit are always being discriminated since ages in Nepalese community and it seems continue till future despite of people being educated. The activists who carries campaign in favor of dalit do discrimination to them. Dalit are not allowed to enter into houses of brahman but a dog do. People can keep puppy in their home but cannot allow dalit to enter their house. There are animals right but despite of having human right dalits are not treated fairly in Nepal. It will take more hundreds of years to people to accept and equally treating dalit and it is only possible if people think that dalit are also like them, they are not Alien or anybody from another planet. In Nepal brahman cannot drink water from any tap which has been touched by dalit but they will drink from dalit hand if they are dying. So, I don’t think there should discrimination to dalit. They are also human and should be treated equally.