revised ppt

1. DR. B.R. AMBEDKAR
BOOK REVIEW ON
THE
UNTOUCHABLES
WHO WERE THEY
AND HOW THEY
BECAME?
001
Group Members:

2. Untouchable, also called Dalit, officially Scheduled caste, formerly
Harijan, in traditional Indian society, the former name for any
member of a wide range of low-caste Hindu groups and any person
outside the caste system. The untouchables were subjected to
many social restrictions, like segregation in the hamlets outside the
town, forbidden entry to temples, school, and well from regarded
as polluting. The use of term and the social disabilities associated
with it were declared illegal by the Constituent Assembly of India.
Despite such measures, the traditional division between pure and
polluted caste groups persist in some levels of Indian society,
marking full emancipation of these groups slow to come about.
INTRODUCTION TO THE UNTOUCHABLES
002

3. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (14 April 1891- 6 December1956) also known as
Babasaheb Ambedkar,was an Indian scholar, jurist, economist, politician
and social reformer.He was independent India's first minister of Lae and
Justice, the chief architect of the Constitution of India, and a founding
father of the republic of India.Born into a poor untouchable community ;
he spent his life fighting against the system of Hindu Untouchability and
the Indian caste system . In October1956, in despair because of the
perpetuation of untouchability in Hindu doctrine, he because a Buddhist,
together with many fellow Dalits. Ambedkar's legacy as a socio political
reformer, had a deep effect on modern India. His initiatives have
influenced various spheres of life and transformed the way India today
looks at socio-economic policies.Ambedkar has been honoured with the
Bharat Ratna. India's highest civilian award, given for the highest degree of
national service.
003

4. ABOUT THE
BOOK
THE UNTOUCHABLES WHO WERE THEY AND WHY THEY BECAME
UNTOUCHABLES? written by Dr. BR Ambedkar is a sequel to his treaties called
The Shudras-Who they were and How they came to be the Fourth Varna of the
Indo-Aryan Society which was published in 1946. Dr. Ambedkar has taken the
initiative of investigation the origin of one of the unfortunate classes of the
Indian society, the untouchables. He claims that even though it persist in the
Hindu society, no one has taken the chief task of enquiring about their origin. So
through his book Ambedkar tries to clarify all the main aspects connected to the
origin and also the questions that most people aren't even aware of. To mention
a few, this book deals with, 'why the untouchables live outside the village?'
Hence, he proposes that this book should be taken as the pioneer attempt for
the exploration of the field neglected by everybody.
004

5. 005
BOOK
REVIEW
I
GROUP
3
Chapter - I
Untouchability among Non-Hindus
- Who are Untouchables ?
Origin of Untouchables
Primitive Society Ancient Society
- BIRTH
- INITIATION
- PUBERTY
- MARRIAGE
- COHABITATION
- DEATH
For a person to touch the sacred was to contaminate the sacred and to cause
pollution to it .
Eg- Removal of shoes or sprinkling of water
Purity and Pollution
:

6. 006
BOOK
REVIEW
I
GROUP
3
Chapter - 2
Untouchability among Hindus
- Hindus recognized pollution is abundantly clear from the Manusmriti .
Manu recognizes defilement.
- Anyone within the range of defilement could not escape it. Only certain
persons like king, kings men were exempted.
- Jatra, where a buffalo is taken round the village and the blood is
sprinkled to purify territorial and communal pollution
-Heredity untouchability of certain communities in the Hindu society is
very diverse and vast.

7. 007
BOOK
REVIEW
I
GROUP
3
- Government of India Act of 1936 has attached Schedules under order-
in- council. The Schedules is divided into 9 parts.
Schedules – i) Madras
ii) Bombay
iii) Bengal
iv) United provinces
v) Punjab
vi) Bihar
vii) Central Provinces and
Berar
viii) Assam
ix) Orissa
-This list includes 429 communities. Reduced to numbers it means that today there
exist in India 50-60 millions of people whose mere touch causes pollution to the
Hindus.
Conclusion - Non Hindu societies only affected individuals. They did not segregate them in separate
quarters.
Hindu society insists on segregation of the Untouchables.

8. 009
SOCIAL
SCIENCE
CLASS
|
LAMFORD
SCHOOL
SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE Part -
I
1) Dr. BR Ambedkar in his book 'The Untouchables' clearly mentions about the
four fold varna systems that is used a basis for including the members of the
society and excluding the others.
2) This immediately draws my attention to the words that the sociologist 'Allan
Johnson' mentions in his book 'The forest and The Trees' , that difference is used
for including some and excluding others.
3) In short, these different criteria ( such as race, color, caste, creed, etc. )
are used to treat people which leads to inequality and oppression that not only
ruin people's lives but also create division and resentment among the people.

9. BOOK
REVIEW
I
GROUP
3
008
Chapter-III
Why do untouchables lived outside the village?
Untouchables were living outside the village from beginning and when the stigma of
untouchability fell on them they were restricted to live inside the village.
Reason why they live outside is the transformation of Primitive society into Modern
society all over the world.
Primitive Society Modern Society
-Nomadic communities
-Tribal communities
based
on blood relationship
- Settled communities
- Local communities based on
territorial affiliation
Those who were broken into bits and wandered in various
parts of land after getting defeated in tribal wars.
Broken Men-

10. BOOK
REVIEW
I
GROUP
3
009
Problems faced in the transition were mainly two -
1. Settled tribe faced the problem of finding a body of men who would do the work of
watch and ward against the raiders.
2. Broken Men from defeated tribe faced the problem of finding patrons who would
give them food and shelter.
These 2 groups solve their problem by a bargain in which broken men agreed to do work
of watch for settled tribes and settled tribes agreed to give them food and shelter.
In Hindu society Settled tribes formed the village and Broken men lived in separate
quarters outside the village.
Broken men lived outside because they belonged to different tribe and different blood.
Untouchables were originally only Broken men.

11. 010
BOOK
REVIEW
I
GROUP
3
Chapter -
IV
Are the Untouchables
Broken Men?
Two sets of evidentiary facts :
1) Acc. to Hindu shastras ' Anta' means last born
Acc. to varna order Shudra is born last. Untouchable is Avarna.
Acc. to BR Ambedkar 'Antya' means who live on outskirts of
village.
2) An untouchable community called 'MAHAR' in Maharashtra.
They claim rights against Hindu villagers ( touchables ) - i)
Mahars have their quarters outside the wall.
ii) Right to collect food from villagers.
iii) Right to collect corn from each village
in return do a duty of watch.
These facts support the theory that Untouchables lived
outside the village from the beginning because they were
broken men who belonged to a different tribe.

12. BOOK
REVIEW
I
GROUP
3
011
Chapter - V
Are there Parallel Cases?
What occurred in India also occurred elsewhere. 2 Countries where
these developments has been reported are IRELAND and WALES.
FUIDHIRS of
Ireland
ALLTUDES of Wales
> BROKEN
MEN
The organisation of the village have some features:
1) Village settlement consisted of 2 parts-i) occupied by community belonging to one tribe
ii) occupied by Broken men of different tribes
2) Part of settlement occupied by tribal community known as Village proper. Broken
men lived in the outskirts of the village.
3) Broken men lived outside the village because they were aliens and did not belong
to the tribal community.

13. 012
BOOK
REVIEW
I
GROUP
3
Chapter - VI
How did separate settlements for broken men
disappear elsewhere?
In Ireland and Wales quarters of broken men disappeared and they became part of
settled tribe and were absorbed in it.
Reason for that is they adopted rule of
ennoblement.
Why such thing not happened in India is because -
Notion of Untouchability which perpetuated difference between : kindred and non kindred
tribesman and non tribesman
touchables and untouchables

14. 003
BOOK
REVIEW
I
GROUP
3
SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
Part-2
1) The Hindu ancient text, Manusmriti uses a doctrine of purity and pollution to
classify people into four varna. BR Ambedkar condemned Manusmriti that
propagated caste discrimination.
3)The discrimination is still present on the grounds of caste is because in Hindu
society all wants to get rid of the highest but do not want to combine to
overthrow the higher lest they become equal to them in rank. They lack unity.
Everyone is interested in maintaining the caste system.
2) At the top are Brahmins(priest), followed by Kshatriya (soldiers), Vaishya
(merchant),with Shudra (servants/laborers) at the bottom.
Untouchables are outcastes, a fifth group that is so unworthy it doesn't fall within
the caste system.

15. 013
BOOK
REVIEW
I
GROUP
3
Chapter - VII
Racial difference as the origin of Untouchability
- What is the origin of untouchability?
{ A field quite unexplored }
- Only one author has attempted to explain - Mr. STANLEY RICE
- According to him , origin of untouchability can be found in 2 circumstances - Race and
Occupation
- According to the Racial
theory :
i) Untouchables are Non-Aryans, Non- Dravidian aboriginals
ii) They were conquered and subjugated by the Dravidians
- There were two invasions of India. First by the Dravadians and second by the
Aryans.
- What do the names Aryans, Dravadians, Dasis and Nagasindicate? Are these
the names of different races or merely the names of people of the same race ?

16. 014
BOOK
REVIEW
I
GROUP
3
- Dr. Ambedkar puts forward that there existed only two races in Indian
society - the Aryans and the Nagas.
- Further, Dr. Ambedkar explains that according to the anthropometric test and
ethnologically, which determine the race, the Untouchables do not belong to a
different race.
- Lastly , he sets forth the Racial theory of the origin of Untouchability must
be abandoned. He mentions various evidences that proved Mr. Rice's theory
wrong .

17. 015
BOOK
REVIEW
I
GROUP
3
Chapter- VIII
Occupational Origin of Untouchability
- To Mr. STANLEY RICE, the origin of untouchability is to be found
in the unclear and filthy occupations of the Untouchables.
- Dr. Ambedkar explains that according to the Law of Slavery a
Brahmin could be a slave in a Brahmin's house, hence they have to
do the filthiest job. So the theory of filthy occupation as and
explanation of Untouchability is therefore not valid according to Mr.
Ambedkar.

18. 015
BOO
REVIEW
I
GROUP
3
SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
Part - III
1) BR Ambedkar tries to describe the origin of Untouchability.
Hence, he analysis closely the caste system and finds the fault in
the disrespectful treatment of a particular section of the society,
the Untouchables.
3) This is what Allan Johnson in his book ' The Forest and the
Trees', explains that it is necessary that we should try and stay in
touch with the unknowable essence of human existence that lies
underneath.
2) DR Ambedkar , in order to answer all the questions elated to
the origin, digs deeper and finds the unknown. He doesn't just
accept, the mishappenings around him.

19. 016
BOOK
REVIEW
I
GROUP
3
Chapter-IX
CONTEMPT FOR BUDDHISTS AS THE ROOT OF UNTOUCHABILITY
Census report for India contain information regarding social and religious life of India
people.
before 1910 census had a column called 'population by religion'. (Muslim, Hindus, Christians
etc.)
After 1910 first time it's divided Hindus under 3 category-
i) Hindu
ii) Animist and tribal
iii) The depressed class or tribal
Hindus divided under three category because Muslim community asked for a separate and
adequate representation for Muslim community in the
- Legislature
- Executive
- Public service

20. BOOK
REVIEW
I
GROUP
3
017
Separating Hindu into two different classes-
A) 100% Hindu
B) Who were not : Animist / tribal
Untouchables
Census commissioner sense one-sided. They showed that Brahmins shunned the untouchables but the fact is
that untouchable also shunned the brahmins
'They both dislike each other'
Brahmins Buddhist
Is immune from death-penalty - Not immune
Get respect from everyone - Beaten and assaulted publicly
Brahmins were the enemies of Buddhism and the brahmins imposed untouchability upon the broken man
because they would not leave Buddhism.
one of the root of untouchability lies in the hatred and contempt which the brahmans created against those who
were Buddhist.
Brahmins was directed against Buddhist in general and not against the broken man in particular

21. 018
BOOK
REVIEW
I
GROUP
3
Chapter-X
BEEF-EATING AS THE
ROOT OF
UNTOUCHABILITY
Meat of the dead cow consumed by communities are
generally classified as untouchable communities.
No Hindu community, however low, will touch cow's flesh.
1 taboo against meat eating divided :Hindu-vegetarian
-
Nonvegetarian
another taboo against beef eating in non-vegetarian
Hindu-who eat beef
-Who do not
the broken men were exposed to scorn and contempt on
the ground that they were Buddhists the main cause of
their untouchability was beef eating.

22. 014
BOOK
REVIEW
I
GROUP
3
SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE | PART - IV
Untouchability agitation between the upper and caste is the long back
story. It is lower population divided into religion and again religion
itself divided into sub-categories not just by their work but also by their
social life and circumstances. Hindu Buddhist acceptance and rejection
of the society claming to be supremacy of their existence.
Thus untouchability is a form of social exclusion that is
practiced against the lower, impure caste that of Shudras and other
outcaste. These untouchability come to be known as 'Dalits', a term
which was coined by B.R. Ambedkar after the rejection of the terms
'Harijan'-people of god (coined by Mahatma Gandhi) and 'depressed
class'
Many after like Jatiba Phule have contibuted to the upliftment of
the Dalits.

23. BOOK
REVIEW
I
GROUP
3
019
Chapter-XI
DID THE HINDUS NEVER EAT BEEF?
- Every touchable Hindus, whether a Brahmin or non Brahmin, would say 'no'
and Dr. Ambedkar argues to that.
- But what Dr. Ambedkar does not accept is that, the Hindus always held the
cow sacred and opposed to the killing of the cow.
- Dr. Ambedkar puts forward various evidences from the rig Veda and that
opposed to what the Hindus claimed.
- Dr. Ambedkar creams that there was a time when the brahmins and non
brahmins at meat only 'flesh' but also 'beef'.
- Animal sacrifices in Hindu society was considered as religiously right.

24. 020
BOOK
REVIEW
I
GROUP
3 Chapter-XII
WHY DID NON BRAHMIN GIVE UP BEEF-EATING?
HINDU SOCIETY
1. Basis of their cult 2. Basis of their food
A. Saivites A. Shakahari
B. Vaishnavitas B. Mansahari
a) those who eat flesh but not eat cow's flesh
b) those who eat flesh including cow's flesh
Hindu society had three classes:
1. Brahmin (vegetarian)
2. Non brahmin (eat flesh excluding cow's flesh)
3. Untouchable (eat flesh including cow's flesh)

25. 021
BOOK
REVIEW
I
GROUP
3
Chapter-XIII
WHAT MAKE THE BRAHMINS BECOME VEGETARIANS?
- Non brahmins underwent one revolution, but the brahmans had Undergone two.
Brahmins gave up beef eating which was one revolution and become vegetarians was another
revolution.
There was no sacrifice to which the Brahmin was not included cow by some non Brahmin.
The brahmins were therefore the greatest beef eaters.
Yupa is a weapon used for killing its paint have eight edges.
-- Who desires food and wishes make his yupa of bilva wood. (Palasa is the womb of all treats).
i) manusmriti did not prohibit meat eating and also did not prohibit cow killing.
ii) manusmriti did not regard the cow as a sacred animal.
iii) other hand, he regarded it as an impure animal.
iv) Manu give permission to eat the flesh of all domestic animal that how truth in one, do only
(one exception - camel)

26. BOOK
REVIEW
I
GROUP
3
022
-- Manu decided since into two classes
i) mortal sins ii) minor sins
killing a brahmins killing the cows
drinking (Sura) etc. Adultery, setting, oneself etc.
Brahmins become vegetarian because without becoming vegetarian
the Brahmin could not recurred the ground they had lost to their
rival namely Buddhism.
The only way to beat Buddhist was to go a step further and be
vegetarians.
Brahmins started cow worship gave up beef-eating and become
vegetarians in order to vanquish Buddhism.

27. SOCIAL
SCIENCE
CLASS
|
LAMFORD
SCHOOL
023
Chapter - XIV
Why should beef eating make broken men
untouchables?
- In India, difference between the Settled community and Broken men in the
matter of beef- eating created a bar between the two.
- Beef - eating was made a matter of religion. Brahmins made the cow a sacred
animal. This made beef eating sacrilege.
Why should religion make such a
difference?
- There is one universal feature which characterizes all religions. This feature lies
in religion being a unified system of beliefs and practices which - i) Religion is
inseparable from Sacred things. ii) Religion is a collective thing inseparable from
society.
- Once the cow became sacred and Broken men continued to eat beef, there was no
their fate left for Broken men except to be treated unfit for association, i.e as
Untouchables.

28. 024
BOOK
REVIEW
I
GROUP
3
Chapter-XV
THE IMPURE AND THE
UNTOUCHABLES
Untouchability is very ancient in it origin.
Untouchability enjoyed by the Smirit and
Dharma sutras.
Dharma sutras speak a class whom the
call asprashya (untouchables). Dharma
sutras also use a variety of term such as
antya, antyaja, antyevasin and bahya
(used by Smriti).

29. 015
BOOK
REVIEW
I
GROUP
3
SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE | PART - V
1. The yajnas given in the Buddhist Sutras, which dates later than the
Vedas and the Brahmins, provides of untouchability with proof that
the Hindus did kill cause and did eat beef.
2. Also, the amount of slaughter of course that animals that took
place was enormous. Hence, it is a apprehensive to give such huge
amount of slaughter on all accounts committed just in the name of
religion.
3. Andre Beteille talked about sociology and common sense. Many
people use their common sense to do work, because the lack of
sociological knowledge. Same as non- Brahmin use their common
sense and give up beef-eating just because Brahmins gave up.
4. The upper class of the society (Brahmins) underwent two
revolution to uphold their position against Buddhism in the society.

30. 015
BOOK
REVIEW
I
GROUP
3
5. The reason why broken man only become
untouchables was because in addition to being
Buddhists they retained their habit of beef-
eating which gave additional ground for
offence to the Brahmans to carry their new-
found lave and reverent to the cow to its
logical conclusion.
6. We may therefor conclude that the broken
man were exposed to scorn and contempt on
the ground that they were Buddhist, and the
main cause of their untouchability was beef-
eating.

31. BOOK
REVIEW
I
GROUP
3
025
Chapter-XVI
WHEN DID BROKEN MEN BECOME UNTOUCHABLES?
When the cow became sacred and beef eating started. Than society divided
into two parts. I) SETTLED COMMUNITY (touchable)
II) BROKEN MEN (untouchables)
At the time of manu - division of Hindu - Savarna or Hindu
- Avarna or untouchables
But according to Ambedkar there was no untouchability.
Untouchability born at 400AD. It is born out of struggle for supremacy between
Buddhism and Brahmins.

32. 026
BOOK
REVIEW
I
GROUP
3
There is no any specific evidence to say
that when untouchability exist. But in
Ambedkar's opinion or his study says
that in manu time untouchability not
exist but it is very relatable to current
days. Untouchability had not finished
till now unless there is Article 17 against
the Untouchability in constitution. But
existence of untouchability is much
higher in India.

33. BOOK
REVIEW
I
GROUP
3
011
SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE | PART - VI
3. Allan G Johnson also talked about the oppression and privilege as he talked
that White people have privilege and oppressed the black people. Same as in this
book upper caste ( Brahmins, kshatriya...) have privilege and oppressing the
untouchables
4. This book gives the different perspective of untouchables and its origin.
5 .This book helps us understand orientation of the Dalits people toward
Buddha Dharma.
1. we are relating to this topic from "Sociology of India and "Annihilation of caste“
in which Ambedkar says that caste system ( mainly untouchability)should be
abolished for a good nation.
.2. In the article 17th of Indian constitution, abolishes untouchability but it has
been seen that after 6 decades untouchability is still in practice, attitude of
people have not been changed yet.

34. BOOK
REVIEW
I
GROUP
3
006
Scheduled caste communities exist across India and comprised 16.6% of the country's population,
according to the 2011 Census of India. India is home to over 200 million Dalits. It was estimated in 2019
that between 40 to 60% of the 6 million household of the Dalits, are engaged in sanitation work,
manual scavenging, cleaning of drains, garbage collection. According to a 2014 report to the Ministry
of Minority Affairs, over 44.8% of Schedule Tribe and 33.8% of Scheduled Caste population in rural
India were living below the poverty line in 2011-12 in urban areas, 27.3% of ST and 21.8 % of SC
population were below the poverty line. Some Dalit intellectual, such as Chandra Bhan Prasad, have
argued that the living standards of many Dalits have improved since the economic system. The South
Asia State of Minorities Report 2020 has found that since the BJP has returned to political power in
India (2018) "Hate crimes against minorities have seen a spike". According to the 2014 NCAER/
University of Maryland survey, 27% of the Indian population is still practices untouchability. The
Government of India has attempted on several occasions to legislate specifically to address the issue
of caste- related violence that affects SCs and STs. Aside from the constitutional abolition of
Untouchability, there has been the Untouchability (offences) act of 1955, the Scheduled Caste and the
Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act of 1989 (POA). Though the Indian constitution abolished
untouchability, the oppressed status of Dalits remains a reality. Dalits are still at the social and
economic bottom of society.
CURRENT STATUS OF DALIT IN INDIA