Asha Kowtal Nimma dabbalike mattu damanagaluNamma bidugade na tadiyalaravu . . . Your dominance and violenceCan never halt our liberation … ~ Dalit Sangharsh Samiti slogan in the 1980’s, across Karnataka The caste animals never cease for a moment to unleash violence against us, whom they constantly prey upon. It is a rabid gaze …
Once Upon A Time in an Ocean: A Review
Gee Imaan Semmalar In Kerala, a new political and cultural assertion is happening amongst Dalit communities, filmmakers and intellectuals that radically questions the deafening mainstream silence and denial of caste. In the field of filmmaking, Rupesh Kumar and Ajith Kumar A.S have emerged as voices who bring power to a certain kind of representational …
The uniqueness of the Tsundur struggle
Anoop Kumar & Ashokan Nambiar [Published in INSIGHT, a Dalit students’ magazine, Jan-Feb 2005 issue, with the title ‘Following Tsundur: Taking stock of path to justice’] While preparing the last issue of Insight [Nov-Dec 2004] that was based on caste atrocities we were shocked at the poor conviction rate in the massacres of Dalits. …
Revolver Rani is not Phoolan Devi
Atul Anand The film ‘Revolver Rani’ is about a Chambal based female dacoit/politician Alka Singh (Kangna Ranaut). She takes up arms after her father is killed by his upper caste brethren. She dresses up like a cross between Michael Jackson and Phoolan Devi. Unlike Phoolan Devi she wasn’t compelled to take up arms because …
A life lived for the community
Rakshit Sonawane Till 1994, Kishore was one of those forgotten people who have to struggle to get the minimum necessities in life, and undergo humiliation and abuse from the rich and powerful who have everything in life handed to them on a platter. An illegitimate son to a tamasha dancer (tamasha being a performing …
The linked caste slavery of the Kolhatis and the Bedias
Rupali Bansode During my field work for research on female Tamasha artistes, I was fascinated by a few interesting links I found between the two communities: Bedias and Kolhatis. In a recent conference, where I presented my paper on Tamasha dancers, I pointed out the link between these communities and was questioned on its …
Arundhati Roy’s introduction to AoC is a tactical, brahminical trick
Dalit Camera: Through Un-Touchable Eyes Veteran political activist U. Sambashiva Rao was one of the key speakers at the ‘Democratic Debate on Appropriation of Ambedkar’s Writings’ held on 10th April 2014, in Hyderabad. U. Sambashiva Rao, who is Chairman of the BC Mahajana Sangham, has played an active part in many people’s movements – …
Out of the Box – Televisualised Identities and Their Politics
Shaheen Ahmed “The simulacrum is never that which conceals the truth – it is the truth which conceals that there is none. The simulacrum is true” ~ Baudrillard1 No truth about television can be truer than this quote – television is a reality, a reality which is nothing but simulacra. As Jean Baudrillard explains …
‘The whole system is in their hands, including the judicial system’: Bojja Tharakam
Dalit Camera: Through Un-Touchable Eyes Dalit Camera spoke to veteran human rights lawyer Bojja Tharakam after the acquittal of all the accused in the Tsunduru massacre case in the Andhra Pradesh High Court on April 22, 2014. Very recently Bojja Tharakam, who is the Special Public Prosecutor in the case, had openly expressed lack …