Figure 1.--This is n Untouchable mother with her children in Mumbai during 1946. There is a racial compnent to untouchability. |
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Untouchability is the tragic outcome oh Hinuism and the Indiamn caste system. The rerm comes from the fact that Hindus are not allowed to touch the individuals at bottom rung of the caste systm, directly or indirectly. The term for intouchables in India is Dalits. Touch is, however, only part of the social conventions. It is a pervasive system as to most Hindus relate to the bottom group. It is actually deeper than Western racism. It is adeeply enbeded psychological process of thought validated by religious belief and social custom. The results are a wide range physical acts and behaviours, social norms and cultural practices. Untouchability is fonded on beliefs of purity and pollution that is a cental element of casteism. Upper class Hindus believe that Dalits are polluted people which is why they are at the lowest level of the Indian Hindu caste levels. There are severe economic ramifications to untouchbility. Untouchables are excluded from most jobs. The jobs open to them are those seen as polluting and impure. They have traditionlly been prevented from engaging in other work. The actual jobs include removing human waste ('manual scavenging'), removing and skinning animal carcasses, tanning leather, making and fixing shoes, and washing clothes. Untoues were made to live outside village so that their physical presence would not pollute the village and the people in it. And it was not just a spatial matter. Untouchables might be attacked if their houses were not inferior to those of higher status Hindus. Even elctricity and tinning water could mean trouble. Untouchability affected virtully every aspect of an individua;'s life. Tere were endless ways in which could be expressed. It is today most prevalebt in rural areas. In villages, untouchbles are not allowed to use village wells, banned from barber shops, and especially barred from temple and shrines. They are commonly not chosen by privaste enployers. If hired they are paid less and given th most menial work. Promotions are rare. And untouchavle children even experience desrimination at school. There are reports that they are mafe to clean toilets tgeir lunchesapart from the other children. The process begins at an early age. An untouchble web site reports, "As an instrument of casteism, Untouchability also serves to instill caste status to Dalit children from the moment they are born. Kachro (filth), Melo (dirty), Dhudiyo (dusty), Gandy (mad), Ghelo (stupid), Punjo (waste) are just some of the names given to Dalit boys in Gujarat. Of course, names with similar meanings are given to Dalit girls too." [Navsarjan]
Navsarjan. Ti is the main untouchable advocay group in Gujarat.
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