John Ramachandran In shallow mainstream and pseudo-progressive narrative, Kali is described as fierce and embodiment of power, femininity and even queerness. But, none of those narratives analyses to whom she was fierce and over whom she was powerful. Before going into the analysis let’s see who Kali is and what was the outcome of her …
No Fraternity (No Nation) without disempowerment of oppressors
Sagar Kamble The recent Supreme Court judgement that came out on dividing SC-STs reservation into subcategories and applying the creamy layer clause to their reservation is evidence of how the Upper caste people in India view the idea and mission of social justice. Instead of focusing on which caste groups, communities among the lower castes …
Banksy’s Bristol, UK riots and the texture of subaltern life
Umar Nizar The graffiti superstar Banksy known for his politically charged work, has recently been playing it safe by making animal murals in the city of London, which is interesting in the light of the recent right wing hooliganism and rioting in the UK. Multiculturalism in the UK is a sham, and so is the …
Woman – a Caste
Kshipra When I transfer food from my plate to our house help’s, I ask him to place his plate on the floor. My upper-caste father says our women must not hand anything to lower-caste men, fearing our skins might ignite sparks in our minds and genitals. A few months ago, my hands …
‘Rich Dalit with an iPhone’
Dr. Abhijit Khandkar He walks in, his iPhone shining in your face eclipsing centuries of darkness. With all that swag, how dare he, this rich Dalit. Certainly has two more stashed at his bungalow, and surely a Mercedes. Father an IAS or Doctor, earning more than all the poor Brahmins. Don’t you tell me …
Parminder Kaur: A Wave of Confidence, Enthusiasm, and Hope
Dhamma Darshan Nigam Parminder came in contact with me when I organised a writing workshop in 2019, which she wanted to attend but could not. I had then created a WhatsApp group to share information about the workshop. Over the next year, almost everyone had left the group, but she remained there in the group. …
The Sanskritisation of Ambedkarite Buddhism: A Critique
Vaibhav Kharat The conversion of the Mahar community to Buddhism under the leadership of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was a significant socio-religious movement aimed at escaping the oppressive caste system entrenched in Hinduism. However, as a student of Sociology, my recent observations suggest that certain practices within the converted Mahar Buddhist community reflect a form of …
Hunger
Ajitha M.K (Translated from Malayalam by Sreekala Sivasankaran) Hunger is an enemy, always Hate it to the core, it will thicken like forest Stand like a rocky mountain brazenly Bite like leeches and scorpions stealthily Hunger is rain Falling like needle points The blazing sun and the pain Even if you bend …
Liberal Anxieties on Caste: Incorrigible corrosion of Pratap Bhanu Mehta’s limited Cognition
Anshul Kumar “A deputation of Harijans waited on Gandhiji at Sevagram with the request that members of the castes grouped under the head of ‘Scheduled Castes’ should be allowed representation on the governing body of the Harijan Sevak Sangh. Gandhiji is reported to have replied that the Sangh is meant to help Harijans and was …