Outcaste A Memoir

Research Journal of English Language and Literature (RJELAL) Vol.4.Issue 4.
2016
A Peer Reviewed (Refereed) International Journal
(Oct.Dec.)
http://www.rjelal.com; Email:editorrjelal@gmail.com
RESEARCH ARTICLE
VOICE OF HOPE: A STUDY OF THE RESISTANCE AGAINST CASTE-SYSTEM IN

NARENDRA JADHAV’S OUTCASTE: A MEMOIR
ANJALI SHARMA
Assistant Professor, English
Rajiv Gandhi Govt. Engineering College Kangra, Nagrota Bagwan, Himachal Pradesh
ABSTRACT
The present book Outcaste: A Memoir is an expanded version of Jadhav’s best
selling Marathi novel Amcha Baap Aan Amhi written in 1993.This memoir is a
multilayered saga of the social evolution of the Dalits in India. It is a tribute from a
son to his father as well as an appraisal of the caste-system. It tells the story of the
awakening of the Dalits through three generations. The caste-system represses
even stupefies the Dalits so that they grow into the dutiful lambs that need no
shepherding in order to stay within the fence, it serves as a kind of cultural
repression where people imprison themselves and guard their own prisons. There
is no external enemy to combat, we are staying within the enemy territory and the
enemy is within us. The present paper is an endeavour to highlight the elements of
resistance in the book as well as to emphasize the need for seizing those
oppressive mechanisms which we have internalised over the ages in order to
combat the caste-system.
Keywords: caste-system, dalits, oppressiom, resistance etc.
©KY PUBLICATIONS
Outcaste is not merely a personal document perspective of writer’s father, mother and the writer
of caste-divide in India but a critical appraisal of himself, with an epilogue from the writer’s
Dalit awakening led by Dr. Ambedkar. Ambedkar’s daughter. The narrative moves in the form of
call for the Dalits to ‘Educate, Unite and agitate’ flashbacks and flash-forwards, revealing the caste-
comes as the foremost concern of the book. ridden status of Jadhav’s family and tracing its
Outcaste not only documents the atrocities inflicted journey out of the caste system in three stages. The
on the Dalits but also highlights the possibility of first stage is the one in which Jadhav’s father
refusing to be defined by the circumstances and Damodar Ranjhaji Yadav is a low-caste helpless
fighting within the system. The book is an expression Mahar, in the second stage he moves to city and
of anger against the age-old marginalization and comes under the influence of Bhimrao Ambedkar,
exploitation of the Dalit community. It is an attack hence realising the need to stand against the
on the social structure of Hindu society which inhuman caste-system and the final stage is the one
sponsors the notion of birth defined elitism. It is a where he succeeds in providing his children a life of
call made to unite all the subjugated and respect and dignity with the help of education and
marginalized people to empower themselves with emancipation.
education so that they can stand against the tyranny Jadhav describes his parents’ first
of the irrational and illogical caste-system. experiences of untouchability. His father Damodar
The story of Outcaste is told from the tells his wife Sonabai that once he joined his father
608 ANJALI SHARMA
Research Journal of English Language and Literature (RJELAL) Vol.4.Issue 4. 2016
(Oct.Dec.)
to his place of work. Damu got thirsty because of the The poverty of the Mahars was brought into
scorching heat. The master who was from the higher light by Damu’s description of how they used to long
caste offered him water, but when Damu stretched for the meat of the dead-cattle. For them the news
his hand for the tumbler the man screamed at him of some cattle being dead used to be the most
and abused him for daring to touch the tumbler. longed for news. People lived in so much poverty
Damu could not understand what was wrong in that they used to fight for the flesh. It was not only
touching the tumbler and how could the water get the fight among the people; the animals and
polluted by his mere touch, while he has seen a dog vultures also waited for the treat. This description is
lapping water from the same pot. Damu says “This a severe attack on the caste system which denies
was the first time I wondered if it is better to be equal opportunities to the Dalits which results in
born a dog than to be born a Mahar” (47). Damu felt such poverty that humans had to fight for their
humiliated at this incident and was unable to explain survival like animals and vultures. This plight of the
to himself the reason for this kind of treatment. He Dalits is the result of the denial of productive
could understand just one thing that the insult was a employment opportunities to them. They are
result of his belonging to an untouchable caste. allowed to perform only the unproductive tasks like
The same kind of incident happened to guarding dead cattle; working as messengers and
Jadhav’s mother Sonabai in her childhood which labourers etc. it results in their dependency on the
marked her realisation of the inhuman social higher castes for their bread and butter hence
system. She narrates to her husband that once in a makes them subservient to the higher caste people.
high-caste wedding she attempted to distribute the The effect of poverty on the psyche of a Dalit
sweets to the guests as a gesture of help, but the child is brought in the light by the description of the
reaction she got from the landlord’s mother was “Eh way Damu felt when he reached Mumbai for the
you bloody Maharin, what do you think you are first time. When he reached the railway station with
doing? You have polluted all our auspicious food, his aunt he was very hungry and his mouth watered
you fool...You scoundrels, your caste will never to see the grocers selling sweets. He recalls “I stared
change; give you an inch and you grab a mile” (47). hungrily at them, the smells inviting, making me
Later all the sweets were thrown away. Sonu hungrier than ever. But I dared not open my mouth
tells that she could not understand who decided the to ask for anything. That did not stop me, however,
things to be this way. She used to assume that it from lingering and looking longingly, hoping that my
must be the result of some terrible sin that she aunt would notice” (86). Owing to his low financial
committed in her last birth that she was born as an status, he could only look at the sweets but could
outcaste. At this Damu says “Don’t you see? This is a not buy them. A normal satisfactory life remains just
clever trick plated by the high-born. This is what a dream for the Dalits as in their poverty stricken
they have told us through the ages so that we would lives there is no scope to enjoy luxuries of life. The
take it quietly and not challenge them” (48). house where they were going to stay in Mumbai was
This is how the Dalits are exploited in the so crowded that all the male members had to sleep
name of fate and God. The most important feature on the railway platform. He spent his first night in
of caste-system is that it provides a re-enforcing Mumbai sleeping on the railway platform, covering
mechanism to perpetuate social ostracism and himself with his mother’s sari which he was using as
further justifies it by taking support of the sanction blanket. His perception of a city life was shattered at
of the Hindu religion. The people belonging to the his confrontation with the reality where he could
low castes have been taught to believe in the not manage to get a roof over his head.
philosophy of The Geeta, to work selflessly without Damu met a British man in Mumbai who used
demanding anything in return. This religiously to treat him well. Being a Mahar he was so used to
sanctioned inequality provided the higher castes the the caste-discrimination that he couldn’t believe
authority to dominate the Dalits and wiped out any that he was getting such good treatment. He says:
possibility of protest from their side. “My lowly place was so deeply etched in my mind
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that when I was treated well, I could not believe it. I protest from the side of the Dalits that is why they
thought there was something wrong. After much try to maintain their domination time and again so
thought, I reasoned that perhaps Saheb did not that the Dalits do not raise their voices in protest.
know that I was an untouchable” (92). Receiving Jadhav wants to bring into light the fact that the
good treatment from a British man was a luxury for Dalits need not to be afraid of resisting the atrocities
Damu which he never wanted to lose. It was such an inflicted on them in the name of caste-system. They
important possession for him that he even decided should instead unite and agitate against this
not to share this secret with his best friend Pandu, inhuman system, only then they can get their
as he thought that he may spread the news of his rightful place in the society.
untouchability and the man may not treat him well Damu ridicules the caste-conflict among the
anymore. The so-called untouchables are deprived untouchables also. He tells that the untouchable
of their dignity and self respect to such an extent castes had an internal hierarchy of their own “The
that they start relating every incident of their lives musicians who accompanied wedding processions,
to their caste status. coming from Chambhar caste, would never play at
Damu offers a comparison between his Mahar weddings. How could they? Were they not of
school in the village and the city school. In the a higher order than the lowly Mahars? The barber
village school he was made to sit away from the community did not mind shaving the buffaloes but
other students and had to face the caste based they could not bring themselves to give a haircut to
humiliation time and again. When he went to the a Mahar” (36). As the so-called untouchable castes
city school along with the British man he saw that he realised that they will never be able to get a
was treated with respect and was made to sit in a respectful place in the society as long as the caste-
chair. At this juncture he realised that this was a real based discrimination exists; they began to exercise
school and that he never went to any real school untouchability among themselves. Considering some
before this. The village school where he went never castes as more impure or lowly than them satisfied
treated him at par with rest of the students. He was their inner urge to be superior to others. The
always a Mahar boy, not a normal student in the touchables and untouchables stand as binary
school. Jadhav here unveils the workings of the opposites. A touchable is all that an untouchable is
educational institutions. Instead of serving as media not. He is high, pure and civilised and untouchable is
for spreading the message of equality, they indulge exactly opposite of what he is. Ascribing a low status
in the task of spreading the orthodox beliefs hence to some castes within the castes considered low was
contributing to perpetuate the evil trends in society. an attempt at claiming their dignity which the
The writer mentions an incident where Damu society failed to provide them, owing to its caste-
went for hunting with a British family. They killed a based hierarchies.
tigress and brought the cubs back home. Those cubs Damu recalls that when he was a child, a man
seemed like kittens and he used to have a lot of fun used to say that “no one would be happy in the
with them but he used to wonder “What if they country as long as the wild cactus, three tufts and
suddenly turned into fully- grown tigers?” (99). Here the ruddy mugs flourished” (62). The three tufts
the cubs can be compared to the Dalits, who are like referred were the Brahmin priestly class and ruddy
harmless cubs but are perceived by the higher mugs meant the British. Though the country has
castes as mere kittens. If they stop taking been successful in getting rid of cactus and has
humiliations all of a sudden, it would be like turning gained freedom from the British; it has failed to
the cubs into fully grown tigers, and in such situation remove the domination of the three tufts. The caste
it would not be possible for the non-Dalits to system not only exists but is still flourishing in the
exercise power on them. The way Damu was country because of the lack of resistance from the
suspicious of the cubs turning into tigers is the same side of the exploited. It could not be eradicated by a
as high caste people remaining suspicious about the few protests at a few places. It will come to end only
subservience of the Dalits. They are afraid of any if all the Dalits will refuse it, because if it is left to
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sprout anywhere, like tufts; it will soon grow and dead body till the officials arrive. He had not eaten
spread itself. There is a dire need to destroy it from anything from morning and the duties were just
its roots which are deeply rooted in the minds of the raining on him one after another. He even tried to
Indians and are justifying the delusion of supremacy take permission from the officials to go home and
of the higher castes. have food but they did not allow him. A poor
The book describes how the Dalits are untouchable was standing hungry in front of them
made to surrender in face of poverty. Damu and the and was begging their permission to have some food
other workers were getting low wages, so they all in order to appease his hunger, but they were not
decided to protest against it. They demanded better bothered. For them he was a mere servant whose
wages and as a protest stopped working till their duty was to go on doing his tasks without
demands were fulfilled. This continued for long, the questioning anything.
owners knew that the poor workers will have to join Damu even tried to take permission to inform
their work as it was the only source of their living. So his wife that he will not be able to reach home in
instead of fulfilling their demands, they waited for time but the constable declined his plea. Damu got
the workers to give-up their demands. The workers enraged at this and said in sharp tone “Can you at
had no other option but to start working again on least let my folks know that I will not be home till
the same low wages. This is how the resistant voices this body is cremated?” (4). But the constable being
are suppressed. When a person is pushed to a from a higher caste could not tolerate his arrogance
situation where he has to make a choice between and shouted at him “Look at this lout’s arrogance!
earning nothing and earning less than what he Do you think we were born as messengers for you
deserves, he obviously chooses the second option. lowly outcastes?” (4). He indirectly meant here that
But Damu was not the one to give up so easily, so the outcastes were born as messengers for them.
instead of agreeing to work at low wages he Malemdar could not digest the thought that a man
preferred leaving the job. He had no source of from a community which has lived a life of cats and
income and his family reached on the brink of dogs for centuries was now behaving as an equal
starvation. It was in such situation that he had to and claiming his dignity. When his cousin Namya
come to his village from Mumbai and agree to brings food for Damu he bursts out saying “Why
perform his Yeskar duty. should I have to be the one to sit around without a
The Yeskar duty was a duty assigned to the meal since yesterday when everybody else has his
people belonging to the Mahar caste. The person on belly filled?” (6). When Namya tries to pacify him by
the Yeskar duty had to inform the villagers about the telling him that they were big people and that they
arrival of the officials in the village, he had to cannot go hungry. It was for the people like Damu
dispose of the dead cattle as well as to guard the and himself that hunger, deprivation and
dead body if anyone died in the village. Jadhav gives humiliation is in store and he has to accept the
a detailed description of his father’s performance in things, the way they are. Namya even asked Damu
the humiliating Yeskar duty. Damu was on his Yeskar to eat the bhakhri by hiding behind him but Damu
duty, he was running along with the Malemdar’s refused. He did not like the idea of eating while
tonga to inform his arrival to the village people. The hiding as he believed there was nothing wrong in
very first time Damu was addressed by the constable exercising one’s human rights. He retorted to Namya
was “Eh Damu Mahar, I have been looking all “Why should I hide? Am I less human than they
around for you. Where have you been wandering are?” (6).
around, you son of a bitch?” (3). Abusing the Dalits The situation in which Damu was caught was
is considered very normal at the places where also ironical. The dead body which Damu was
untouchability is exercised. People perceive the guarding was of a high-caste woman, who has
Dalits as the inferior beings who can be treated in committed suicide by drowning herself in the well.
any derogatory way. A high caste woman from The job of bringing the body out of the well was
Damu’s village had died and Damu had to guard her given to Damu, who was now caught between the
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tradition and the casteism. The same woman who if his community. In such a situation no individual can
alive could have been defiled by Damu’s touch, now have his individual identity outside his community.
after her death needed to be pulled out of the well In such a scenario a person claiming his human
by him. He tries to reason out with the Fauzdaar rights as an individual and refusing to perform the
that he was a Mahar and his duty was only to guard menial jobs which his community is forced to do is
the dead, which he performed. As the dead person considered a rebel and any defiance from his side is
belongs to the higher caste, he cannot touch the considered a threat to the dominating community as
body. At this Fauzdar got furious as he knew that no well as to oppressive societal structures. Damu was
one from the higher castes will come to claim the a devout follower of Ambedkar; he could not keep
body. He abuses Damu “You mother-fucking son of a his cool on listening to the Fauzdar insulting
bitch, do you see this whip?...Do as you are told” (7). Ambedkar. He suddenly stood up and gripped the
Such is the plight of the Dalits in our country; a half raised whip of the Fauzdaar and roared “Wait
higher caste status provides the officials the until I crack open the Jaws that spew forth such foul
incontestable authority to exploit the Dalits. Damu things. Will die but I will not bow down before you.
poignantly describes the cruelty of the treatment Come on beat me all you can and kill me. Let the
meted out in the name of caste where people in world know that a helpless Mahar was killed on his
power dominate and forcefully subjugate the Dalits. duty. See the entire village is witnessing your
They make use of their authority to threaten the atrocities” (9).
Dalits and make them subservient to them. Damu was able to save himself from further
Damu being a morally upright man could not exploitation because he was aware of his rights, but
take this humiliation anymore and declared “I am the illiterate Dalits still continue to be deprived of
not going to do it...whoever wants to claim the their human rights on account of their lack of
body, will come and worry about getting the body awareness. When Damu came back, he was scolded
out. No matter what, I am not going to do it” (8). by his cousin Ragho ji for his behaviour, which he
The Fauzdar lost his temper at this insult; he could thought, was insane. He told Damu that he cannot
not take it that a lowly creature like Damu could come to village and behave in any way that he thinks
raise his voices against him. The people in authority to be appropriate. Sonu, Damu’s wife asks for
feel that the poor villagers are not aware of their forgiveness for her husband’s actions, at this Damu
rights and can be befooled and exploited easily in screams at her asking her to stop being sorry for
the name of authority. The Fauzdar mistook Damu what he did. He says “what kind of tradition is this
to be the same ignorant untouchable but Damu’s that treats Mahars worse than cats and dogs? I spit
refusal to do a task not entitled to him surprised on such inhuman traditions. I am a man of dignity
him. In his fit of anger the Fauzdar insulted and I will not go from house to house begging
Ambedkar saying: “It is all due to that Mahar Baluta. What are all of you going to do? Kill me?”
Ambedkar. He thinks that just because he has (10). As a protest Damu decided not to perform his
learned a book or two, he will suddenly become a Yeskar duties and leaves the village in order to go to
high caste Brahmin from a Mahar. And you listen to the city to live a life of dignity and freedom. The
his talk and start thinking that by talking back to us; author writes “Together, they started walking
you can get away with it” (8). This incident reveals towards freedom” (11).
the attitude of high-caste people towards the Dalits, It is in a way a call for the Dalits to have faith
when a leader of the stature of Bhimrao Ambedkar in liberalization which holds emancipatory potential
can be referred in such an insulting manner how can for the community. It is only when Damu decided to
the Dalits be treated any better? get rid of the discriminatory environment of his
Caste-system negates equality, freedom as village that he was able to get out of the shackles of
well as the basic human rights to low castes which the caste-system. Had he remained in the village he
obstruct their way to development. It does not could never have got any exposure to the Dalit
recognize a person as an individual but as a part of movement and would have always remained an
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outcaste. This move made to get out of the confines When Damu refused to go to the village to perform
of caste-system offered him a better chance to his Yeskar duties his mother said “a true Mahar
realise his potential. The life in the city opened up would die before shirking his responsibility” (18).
the opportunities of doing diverse jobs which had no The dragon of untouchability has gone so deep in
relation to caste-system. While leaving the village Indian psyche that the so called untouchables have
where despite all the humiliations they were at least stopped questioning their lowly status. They accept
able to earn some stale food to fill up their it as a law which they have to follow throughout
stomachs, Sonu was worried about how will they be their lives. They believe that they can get rid of their
able to make both ends meets in the city? When she subhuman existence only in next birth on the
asks Damu about it he replies “We will go to condition that they accept all the inhuman,
Mumbai and I will get a job there. We will have a life discriminatory practices without raising their voice
of dignity, earning a respectable bhakhri” (45). This against them. Damu on the other hand was against
voyage from a small village Ozar to the city of doing such tasks and refused to get the reward of
Mumbai brought back dignity and touchability in his baluta which one used to get after performing the
life. Their migration from the village to the city was a yeskar duties. He tells his wife “We must have self-
move from a life of utter neglect to a life of respect. We must have dignity as human beings.
awareness and dignity. They left their village and How can I take to begging from door to door? Baluta
with it abandoned all the discriminatory practices is our right, they proudly claim! My foot! Have you
associated with their village life. In Mumbai they seen how they throw the food? I don’t want rights
were able to earn their living and self-respect as as a dog. I want my human rights” (18-19).
well. The reason why Damu had to declare time
It was the result of their courage in choosing and again that he was human, was that he was not
to leave their village that they were able to provide being treated as one. He was a self-respecting man,
their children better educational opportunities and but for recognising his self –respect, he first needed
consequently better socio-economic status. Damu to be recognised as human. It was important for him
and his wife left for the city at night, they have to to be true to his thoughts and beliefs. Ambekar’s
walk all the way as they could not find a lift, and teachings are referred to again and again in the
they knew that no one will offer to take them as book, when Damu sat and recounted his resistance
they belonged to the Mahar caste. As they were in the village; he remembered Ambedkar’s words
walking, the dogs came charging at them “Barking, a “Lost rights are never regained by begging, but by
few of them came charging at us, following us for relentless struggle. Goats are used for sacrificial
some distance. After a while, when we walked on offerings, not lions” (20). It was the spirit of
without knowing them, they went away” (15). This resistance inculcated in him by the teachings of
incident has a symbolic significance; the barking Ambedkar that lead him to protest against the
dogs can be compared to the blind followers of exploitation. He had refused to be a sacrificial goat
caste-system. Such people keep raising fingers at the and rejected the tyranny of the inhuman caste-
untouchables till the time the Dalits keep paying system. He was proud that he stood up and
heed to them, the moment the Dalits start ignoring reclaimed his dignity. The book not only inspires to
such fanatics, they stop insulting them. stand against the injustice but also to get out of the
Sonu tells that her husband was annoyed to selfish issues and to think about the better future of
know that even after he has settled in the city, his the Dalits as a whole.
uncles and cousins still wanted him to perform his The book also brings into light how the
Yeskar duties. He felt that one could not participate government resolutions to facilitate the Dalits
in Ambedkar’s movement and support such remain only on paper and are not acted upon in
inhuman traditions at the same time. The book reality. He tells that the municipality had passed a
explores the trick by which performing the filthy resolution to allow everyone including the
tasks, was made a matter of pride for the Dalits. untouchables full access to the water tank but the
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untouchables could not dare to exercise their rights for defects” (71). And further after marriage she was
for the fear of the high-caste people. When Damu advised by her own mother to follow her husband
came to know that Ambedkar had planned an blindly. “Your husband is your God from today. He
agitation against it, where he and his volunteers knows what is right and what is wrong. At all costs,
were going to drink water from the same tank, at you must obey him” (79). Sonu is representative of
first he could not understand how drinking water all Dalit women who are twice colonised. She was
from the community tank would help his caught between the caste prejudices and patriarchy.
community. But when Babasaheb proclaimed that Her mother, mother-in-law and all the elderly ladies
they were asserting their rights as human beings she confronts advise her to follow her husband
that they were defiling the arrogance of those blindly.
people who boasted that their religion treated even Sonu tells that as she was much fairer than
animals with respect. her husband she enjoyed a privileged position at
The writer here wants to emphasise that by home, so at times she was happy about the fact that
accepting the discriminatory practices the Dalits her husband was dark. She thought “If he were
indirectly contribute to their perpetuation. It is only handsome, I would have lost my privileged position
when they will unite and assert their disapproval to in everyone’s eyes” (103). Her position can be
the caste-based social practices that they can get rid compared to the position that the non-Dalits enjoy
of them. Such symbolic acts of resistance are in the society. They do not want the Dalits to be
necessary to make the higher-castes realise the treated at par with them as that way they fear losing
Dalits’ claim for dignity and to shake the foundations their unique status in the society. Sonu was fair as
of this hollow social system. But unlike what the long as Damu was dark. In the same way the caste-
agitators intended, the caste Hindus took this Hindus are high as long as the Dalits are ascribed a
agitation as an attempt at disrespecting and defiling low caste-status. They do not want these hierarchies
God. Their reaction to the agitation was ridiculous, to change, for this they try to complement their low
they said “religion was being threatened and the caste status with financial dependency. They push
God was being polluted” (23). When the agitators the Dalits to the depths of ignorance and illiteracy so
returned to Bombay, they came to know that the that the Dalits always remain at the last pedestal in
Brahmin priests purified the water tank by pouring the hierarchy and they can sustain their dominance.
into it 108 pots of curd, milk, cow-dung and cow- The resistance from the side of Sonu is seen
urine amidst loud religious chants. At this Damu says in the incident where she was taking part in a
“Didn’t these educated people realise that the religious procession. Some miscreants mingled with
notion of purification with animal urine was more the crowd and started misbehaving with the girls.
ridiculous and despicable than the idea of Sonu when noticed this, snatched a baton from one
defilement by human touch?” (24). A water tank of the volunteers and started hitting the miscreants.
which gets polluted with a mere touch of an All her neighbours were amazed at her behaviour;
untouchable gets purified when washed with cow one old woman even came to her to express her
dung and urine. This description showcases the shock over her “unfeminine behaviour”. But Sonu
unreasonable grounds of untouchability and the told her “How long do we take things lying down?
foolishness of all those who believe in such We are not allowed to enter their temples. Their
ridiculous social systems. Gods are polluted, they say. We can’t drink from
There are some feministic elements in the their wells. We are not allowed to worship Ganpati
memoir, as it includes the point of view of the because we honour Babasaheb alongside. And now,
writer’s mother Sonabai also. Sonu recalls how we are not to have a procession to immerse our idol.
before her marriage she was inspected by Damu’s We won’t let them bully us in Mumbai. This is a big
relatives. She was asked to walk up and down to city, not a village” (120).
check if she was not handicapped in anyway. She The issue of conversion is discussed in detail in the
says “I felt like cattle in the bazaar being inspected book. Damu believed that a new religion could
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(Oct.Dec.)
restore the pride of the untouchables. For him giving have been carrying in their hearts for centuries.
up Hinduism was the only way to bring touchability The caste system continues to influence the
into his life. The resistance to conversion from minds of the Indians as it is sown and nourished in
Sonu’s side was very interesting. She tells him that the minds of people for centuries. The result of this
changing the religion was not like changing the influence is that the untouchables when they are
clothes “its religion that you want to change not offered an alternative religion, they find it difficult to
clothes” (174). When Damu shouts at her forcing her accept it. Buddhism has its base in reason, it can get
to follow him she rebels saying “it’s always you, you them out of the unreasonable caste-system but
and you…Damodar Runjhaji Jadhav. What about what prevents them from accepting it is the firm
me? I am the insignificant Sonu, always nodding my hold that the Hindu spiritual mysticism has on their
head to whatever you say and walking behind you psyche, which is nothing but a medium to make the
like your shadow?” (174). Damu was shocked at this; Dalits victims of the caste-system. But ultimately
the thought of his wife rebelling against him was they had to convert because they could not go on
beyond his imagination. He could not believe that remaining trapped in the chains of a religion which
his meek wife could behave in such a manner. As a treats them worst than animals. It was a move at
husband Damu represents the patriarchal society entering a democratic space which included
that still believes in the secondary status of women. everyone alike. It was a form of rejection of
Even though Damu himself is subjugated by the Hinduism with its inhuman practices and an
caste system he makes it a point that his wife endeavour to create a dignified Dalit identity. It was
follows him in whatever he does. Sonu’s protest a collective effort to create a new culture based on
against conversion is not merely an argument social equality transcending the caste-boundaries.
between a husband and a wife; it is her attempt to The arrogance of the caste Hindus is brought into
claim her individuality. She rejects the continuous light at the time when the Dalits agitation was going
domination of her husband and refuses to be an to take place. The agitators were going to enter the
agent of the patriarchal ideology. She fights the Kala Ram temple, the entry into which was denied
caste-system and the male domination at the same to them by the high-caste people. The touchables
time. declared that, “even Lord Ram could not himself
The conflict on the issue of conversion make them open the temple to untouchables” (129).
continued. On one side was Damu’s determination However there were some people who admired the
to provide his children a respectful place in the will power of the protestors and mocked at the
society which was possible only if they gave up fanatics saying “Even the stone walls of the temple
Hinduism. He said “Why should we favour the would melt in face of our determination to worship
religion that preaches untouchability and the Lord, but not the hearts of the orthodox!” (130).
discrimination? Who has given the Brahmin class the This gesture emphasises the wickedness of the caste
authority to decide our fate? We are the masters of system and the need to stand against such a system
our destiny and have to reclaim our rightful place in where entering the abode of God is considered an
society” (179). On the other side was Sonu’s faith act of defilement and pollution. The people who
which was not allowing her to betray the Gods she should take a stand and contribute towards making
worshipped all her life. She told Damu that he was a society which treats them equally; they try to
out to kill her faith while his reason was that they secure their high-caste status by denying the Dalits
were giving up the religion where they were the entry into religious places. They fail to
unwanted. Finally they all went to Nagpur and understand the fact that they can lock the gates of
converted into Budhhism. Sonu however kept the the temples for the Dalits but God could not be
idols of her Gods hidden and continued worshipping confined in a temple.
them secretly. But in her heart she knew that The incident which took place on the day
conversion was their step towards claiming their when the untouchables tried to enter the Kala Ram
dignity and a relief from the burden that the Dalits temple reflects the futility and hollowness of the
615 ANJALI SHARMA

(Oct.Dec.)
system which discriminates among humans. The civilized!” (208). The man’s shock at finding Jadhav
priests on that day started asking the castes of the civilized speaks for the caste-ridden mentality of
people before letting them enter the temple. The people and their negative attitude towards the
untouchables at that time concealed their caste by Dalits. Such people believe that all the virtues can be
lying to the priests and got the entry to the temple. found only in the people who belong to higher
The priests could not make out who belonged to castes and for them, an untouchable being virtuous
which caste. When priests doubted any of them they is something unheard of.
said’ “You suspect us to be untouchables? And you Once a man from a higher caste suggested
want us to prove our caste?” (132). This incident Jadhav to meet a holy man. The way he praised the
reveals how unscientific and illogical are the holy man was ridiculous. He said “Swamiji is so wise,
foundations on which the caste-system stands. The so broad-minded that he will speak candidly and
priests who claim to be the highest of all castes discuss philosophical issues even with a ‘low caste’
failed to recognize the untouchables. Caste after all person like you” (208). Jadhav wants to highlight the
is a man made construct. It is only when people fact that there are a lot of people who think
reveal their caste that they start getting a biased themselves to be liberals but they actually remain
treatment. As long as the caste is concealed, the confined to their caste-prejudices. They are not able
untouchability does not exist. to free themselves from their slavery to caste-
In the third stage the story is told from prejudices. This incident gives the message that
Jadhav’s perspective. His father succeeds in Dalits do not require any pity or sympathy but their
providing him a better financial status but fails to right to live a life of dignity like all other humans
free him from the shackles of caste. The author tells live.
that the caste system was so ingrained in the minds When Jadhav reached at the top of the
of people that no matter how much progress an ladder of the social success, he got a chance to visit
untouchable makes, he would be at the same the shrine of Vithoba, when he reached there, the
pedestal in the caste-hierarchy. When Jadhav was first question that came into his mind was will he
going abroad for his Ph.D. people praised him a lot, ever be able to free himself from the bondage of his
not for being intelligent but for being intelligent in caste? The moment he reached there he got the
spite of being a Dalit. Jadhav tells “the high-born answer, the temple authorities who never allowed
praised me for making it despite coming from a him to enter the temple when he was a common
lowly caste” (206). When Jadhav outperformed all untouchable, now did not fail to recognize his social
others in Sanskrit; his teacher’s reaction was that he and financial status. He was escorted with honour to
had begun to lose faith in the education system. At enter the temple. The temple, the entry into which
this Jadhav wonders “Why? Why can’t they let me was reserved for the cast-Hindus, and which used to
be? Why can’t they accept me for what I am? For get polluted with the mere shadow of an outcaste,
the millionth time I asked myself why they couldn’t was welcoming him. His improved economic and
judge me on where I stood? Why did they always social status provided him the right to enter the
have to judge me on the basis of my origins?” (207). arena of dignity and touchability.
Jadhav tells that the caste of an outcaste is Though one’s caste rank plays an important
never cast-off. It always remains an unalterable part role in determining his prestige in the society but
of his identity. “It is an unfortunate truth of our one cannot deny the fact that it is but only one
society that whatever heights a man might scale, his component not the only component. A person’s
caste is never cast off; it remains a cause for scorn wealth be it in the form of knowledge or money,
or contempt. Only the type of humiliation changes” plays a pivotal role in defining his status and
(207-208). The example of it comes when Jadhav is resultantly in determining the treatment he or she
praised for being civilised. A man praises him saying will receive in the society. Therefore the message is
“we the high-born seem to have become civilised. very clear. Erase the lines of poverty from the face
But look at Jadhav, though he is a Dalit, he is so of the existence of a human being and give him a
616 ANJALI SHARMA

(Oct.Dec.)
dignified way of life if you want to break the by the inequities of our caste-system? And how
shackles of caste hierarchy. Economic hierarchy can many more ugly ducklings pretend to be swans and
help an individual to counter caste hierarchy get away with it?” (227).
because people never fail to recognise the economic Jadhav suggests that the beautiful swan
status of a person, no matter to which caste he or inherent in every human being should be emerged.
she belongs. There is something good in every human being and
The priests who used to get defiled by his those practices should be encouraged which bring
touch were now striving to get his attention and out the inherent humanity of people not the ones
wanted to perform rituals for him. He handed over a which make people feel superior or inferior to
hundred rupee note to the priest and thought “Was others. There are people who continue to feel
this the only way I could buy my way into the themselves inferior and impure than others just
temple? Buy some touchability?” (212). He was now because they belong to a low considered caste.
a Dalit who has become a Brahmin due to his While there are some people among the higher
changed economic status. Now he had an identity castes who do not have any humanity left in them,
other than and better than being a Mahar. Jadhav they exploit the Dalits in the name of caste, still their
not only ridicules the touchables but pities them. He actions are not questioned and they continue to be
says that he no longer feels bad about the constant treated as superior because of their high-caste
reminders of his so-called low caste. He says “If status.
others look down on me in their belief that my caste The spirit to keep fighting and trying is
is low. It is their problem, not mine. I certainly don’t highlighted in an incident that took place with
need to torment myself over it. I pity them, for they Jadhav’s brother Dina. Dina was on his way to
are victims of their own obsolete prejudices” (214). become a boxer, one day he was punched hard and
This highlights the change that has come in the defeated by his opponent, at this Damu comforted
mindset of the Dalits due to educational and him saying “Just as God doesn’t get old if you miss
economic empowerment. They no longer see one fair, a wrestler doesn’t chicken out with the first
themselves as the weaklings who can be suppressed defeat like this…your wounds are your trophies! If a
by the powerful groups, but instead they find faults true boxer loses one event, he doesn’t retire from
in the perspective of higher castes towards them. the sport. You are beaten today. Doesn’t matter.
They pity the higher castes for their prejudices and You should take it as a challenge and go on” (234).
are proud of their own unbiased attitudes. This counselling of his comes as a lesson to
He tells that though the city dwellers had all those people who accept the exploitation, just
started accepting the Dalits, in the villages, they because they think they are too weak to stand up
have to face the same the same age-old humiliation. against their opponents. The book itself is an appeal
He says “the village the tea-shop owner used to to all the Dalits to stop blaming the circumstances
shout sarcastically, ‘Get the silver cups out…Sahebs for their pitiable plight and become aware of their
from Mumbai are here!” (224). And the old broken rights through education so that they could stand
cups would be brought for them. The Dalits are against the injustices and fight the caste-system. If
never allowed to get past their caste; they are their first attempt at claiming their dignity is not
reminded again and again that no matter where successful, they should not stop their agitation but
they reach their caste will not change and it will should keep trying until they succeed.
remain an inseparable part of their identity and a Jadhav’s marriage was also a form of
constant source of hurdles for them. The identity protest against the caste-system. The girl he chose
being a matter of shame is brought out by Jadhav was from a so-called high caste, though the choice
when he compares the life story of a Dalit to the was deliberate, as he wanted to choose a soul mate
story of ugly ducklings and swans. He says “I wonder not a caste. The girl’s parents were unwilling to
how many swans waste their lives thinking of marry their daughter to a Mahar as they feared that
themselves as ugly ducklings, trapped and punished it would harm their family reputation. In a country
617 ANJALI SHARMA

(Oct.Dec.)
like India, which is fractured along caste-lines, a the system but offers an appraisal of individual’s
marriage is never a simple establishment of own responsibility in shaping his destiny, and the
relationship between two independent individuals. faith in one’s individual efforts in striving to come
It involves the individuals, their families and out of his shackled existence. All kinds of odds can
communities as well. In such scenario, an inter-caste be tacked by the ones who choose to act. This is the
marriage is a forbidden thing. The caste group that is message Jadhav gives through his memoir. He
relatively higher in the social hierarchy sees any such makes it a point to tell that if the higher caste
marriage as a social stigma. people are hypocrites; the Dalits are superstitious. It
Jadhav’s marriage took place in the month is not that the hypocrites are befooling them, but
which was considered most inauspicious by the they are allowing themselves to be befooled. The
Hindus. Keeping aside all the superstitions they got book has succeeded in highlighting the fact that an
married on an inauspicious day. Jadhav ridicules ordinary man like Damodar can bring out
people’s belief that those who get married in the extraordinary changes in his life with the help of
month of Paush, their marriage does not survive for education and awareness. Unlike most of the Dalit
long as one of the companion dies. Jadhav tells that personal narratives which revisit the horrible
he got married on an inauspicious day and remained experiences of untouchability, Outcaste suggests the
happy for over twenty-two years. Jadhav’s marriage way-outs to escape the tyranny of caste-system and
is an example of the changing attitudes of the young gives a call to all the Dalits to refuse to be led by
generations. His wife did not see his caste as an circumstances and to be the masters of their own
obstacle in their marriage and they both refused to destinies.
follow the orthodox religious superstitions. All this Bibliography
was the result of their exposure to the world of Bhagwan, Manu, and Anne Feldhaus, eds. Claiming
knowledge, it was only through education that they Power From Below. New Delhi: Oxford UP,
were able to come out of the deadlock of caste 2008. Print.
prejudices and take a rational decision. Chakraborty,Abin. “Venomous Touch: Meena
The book ends with a note of self-realization Kandasamy and the Poetics of Dalit
that dignity rests in the hearts of people not in the Resistance.” Journal of Postcolonial Cultures
social prejudices. It depicts the shift in perspectives. and Societies. 3.2 (2012): 35-62. Web. 24 Nov
While Damu found himself always caught in the 2012.
shackles of caste, his son Narendra is not sure about <http://www.jpcs.in/upload/1766251931Mee
his future and thinks whether he will be able to get na%20Kandasamy.pdf>.
past his caste. Jadhav’s daughter Apoorva is Dangle, Arjun. “Dalit Literature: Past Present and
confident and proud of her existence. She succeeds Future.” Poisoned Bread. Ed. Arjun Dangle.
in transcending caste boundaries and becomes a Bombay: Orient Longman, 1994. 264-265.
universal citizen where no one reminds her of her Print.
Dalit status. She does not see any point in marrying Faucault, Michael. Archeology of Knowledge.
into one’s own caste. When she hears about the London: Rutledge Classics, 2002.Print.
incidents of caste-based discrimination, she gets Fanon, Frantz. Black Skin, White Masks. New York:
surprised. Her present identity does not smell of Grove Press, 2008.Print.
caste. She says “Now I think I know who I am. I am _____.Wretched of the Earth. Great Britain: Penguin
just Apoorva, not tied down by race, religion or Books, 1983. Print.
caste. My ancestors carried the burden of being a Ganguli, Debjani. Caste and Dalit Lifeworlds: Post-
Dalit and bowing down to demeaning tasks even colonial Perspectives. OrientBlackswan: New
after India’s Independence. I have the torch they Delhi, 2008.Print
have lit for me and nothing can stop me” (263). Jadhav, Narendra. Outcaste. Noida: Viking, 2003.
Outaste is not merely a narrative of revolt but Print.
of a deep-introspection which not only condemns Kumar, Raj. Dalit Personal Narratives. New Delhi:
618 ANJALI SHARMA

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Orient BlackSwan, 2010.Print.

Prasad, Amar Nath, M.B. Jain. Dalit-Literature: a
Critical Exploration. New Delhi: Sarup & Sons,
2007. Print.
Sawai, Chaitya Gawaksha. An Anthology of Dalit
Poetry. Aurangabad: Anand Prakashan, 1992.
Print.
A Brief bio of Corresponding Author
Anjali Sharma has completed her graduation from
Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla, post
graduation and M.Phil from Panjab University,
Chandigarh. She is pursuing her PhD from Panjab
University. She submitted M.Phil dissertation in
2013. Her specialisation throughout has been in
Dalit Literature particularly the Dalit Literature in
translation. She has been teaching as Assistant
Professor at Rajiv Gandhi Government Engineering
College, Kangra for more than one year. The
following is a paper she has written on Narendra
Jadhav’s Outcaste: A Memoir.
619 ANJALI SHARMA

Outcaste A Memoir

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What experiences of untouchability does Damodar face?

How does the narrative structure of Outcaste trace the journey of Jadhav's family out of the caste system?

Research Journal of English Language and Literature (RJELAL) Vol.4.Issue 4.

VOICE OF HOPE: A STUDY OF THE RESISTANCE AGAINST CASTE-SYSTEM IN

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Orient BlackSwan, 2010.Print.

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