Presentation on Eklavya and Karna: An understanding of discrimanation of marginalised in indian education system Paper_2_sem_3

1. Prepared by :-Sneha Agravat
Sem-3
Roll no.:-16
Department of English MkBU
Eklavya and Karna: An understanding of
discrimination of marginalised in indian
education system

2. Introduction
Mahabharata and Ramayana are considered
as biggest epics (Mahakavya) of India are
again in popular discussion with the repeat
telecast of serials on Doordarshan amid
Covid-19 crisis. Those who have access of
television are watching the serial with great
interest and rising TRPs of Doordarshan are
proof of it.

3. ● authorship of the great epic is accredited to
Ved-Vyasa.
● present in written and oral forms and its
version changes according to different
regions, caste and gender.
● Touches every aspect of human life, it has
thrown light on every kind of possible huma
relationship including teacher-pupil
relationship.
● most popular characters of Mahabharata
were Pandavas, Kauravas, Bhisma, Shakuni,
Kunti, and Drona but the characters like
Eklavya and Karna had created huge impact
by their cameos.
● There are multiple anecdotes present on
Arjuna’s bravery, Bhisma’s sacrifice, Drona’
knowledge but Karna’s archery skills and
Eklavya’s devotion towards his teacher was
sidelined.
Mahabharata

4. Marginalized characters in Mahabharata

5. Eklavya
● belongs to low-caste
● Rejected by Guru
Dronacharya
● To ask for his thumb
● Told lie to arjun
● Reflects the present
Brahmical structure

7. ● adopted by Adhiratha (sarathi) who
belongs to sutta (low-caste)
community
● kavach and kundal by birth
● Wanted to become Archer
● Low cast became more problematic
● Iravati Karve in his book Yuganta: The
End of an Epoch writes that despite of
becoming friend of Duryodhana, Karna
was never accorded equal status, he
married to sutta-kanya even his sons
were married in sutta family.
Karna

9. Caste discrimination in present time
● two are genuine example of caste-ridden
society
● Still it's problamatic for a lower caste to a get
job and admission
● The caste-associations were formed for the
welfare of particular castes and surprisingly it
was not just upper-castes who formed
organisations, the backward and lower castes
also formed caste associations for the
emancipation of their caste groups.
● When upper caste groups became aware of
getting education to get government jobs, it
was upper-caste people who have opened
schools for upper-caste students where, lower
caste students were not allowed to take
admission.

10. ● Situation was changed
● Compare the forward and backward
castes the backward are still low.
● But in now days The presence of
Dalit and Adivasi IAS officers,
professors, scientists, engineers
and doctors show that the literacy
rate amongst Bahujans have been
improved. But this does not mean
that discrimination has been
stopped, there are many eklavyas,
and karnas who are deprived of
getting education.

11. ● unfortunately we still have example
of Rohith Vemula, Payal Tadvi,
Muttu Krishnan, Fathima Lateef who
ended their life due to caste and
religious discrimination.
● Many upper caste teachers are
teaching lessons on Ambedkar and
Phule but they themselves are
unable to take lessons from these
personalities. Many professors are
researching on Dalit issues but they
discriminate with Dalit researchers
by failing them, not passing their
thesis, giving low scores in viva,
and mocking their English.

12. Prasanna Kumar Chaudhury
writes in his book Svarg Par dhava:
Bihar me Dalit Aandolan-1912-2000
that backwards and untouchables
didn’t have money and power to
open colleges and schools for their
castes thus, they were dependent
on government schools and
colleges where, they were
discriminated in many ways the
upper-castes teachers refused to
teach them, many upper-caste
students didn’t want to sit beside
them, instead of study they were
made involve in cleanliness and
guarding of the schools.

13. Tulsiram in his autobiography- Murdahiya
has explained the hard struggle of his
educational journey, when he was born no
member from Dalit community was literate
in his village, they have to visit educated
Brahmins to read their letters, he was first
member from his community who went to
school and in school also he was abused
by his upper-caste teachers, the teacher
calls him “chamarkit”(derogatory word) he
had to face taunts, mockery by Brahmins of
his village. He says that it was difficult for
Brahmins to digest the progress of a Dalit
boy.

14. In the book The Untouchables
Ambedkar has highlighted
that Brahmin wanted to
maintain monopoly over
education system as a reason
they firmly tried to maintain
varna system so that they
could enjoy the status of
priestly and educationist
class.

15. Conclusion
The world needs to take lessons from the stories of Karna
and Eklavya that they both are marginalised but they are
empowered they had expressed their wishes and attempted
to fulfil it. The teachers should not become like Drona who
commits to teach students from a certain group, the
mentality towards Bahujan students should be changed
and their merit should not be questioned. Overall equal
opportunity should be provided to everyone where one
must not deprive of getting education because of their
caste, colour and gender.

16. Refrences
Ambedkar, B.R. The Untouchables: Who were they and why they became
untouchables?, Amrit Book and Co. New Delhi, 1948
Chaudhury, Prasanna Kumar, Svarg Par Dhava: Bihar me Dalit Aandolan, Vani
Prakashan, New Delhi 2005
Chopra, B.R. Mahabharata, Released on DD National (2nd October1988- 24 June
1990)
Karve, Iravati Yuganta: The End of an Epoch, Orient Longman, October, 1995.
RITU. “Eklavya and Karna: An Understanding of Discrimination of Marginalised in
Indian Education System.” Countercurrents, Countercurrents.org,
https://countercurrents.org/2020/04/eklavya-and-karna-an-understanding-of-
discrimination-of-marginalised-in-indian-education-system/.
Tulsiram, Murdahiya, Rajkamal Prakashan, New Delhi, 2010
Verma, Ramkumar, Eklavya, Bharati Bhandar, Leader Press, Allahabad, 2015