عنوان

Contesting Hinduism :

TLets424713

Contesting Hinduism :

[Thesis]

Jangam, Chinnaiah.

emergence of dalit paradigms in Telugu Country 1900-1950

School of Oriental and African Studies (University of London)

2005

Ph.D.

School of Oriental and African Studies (University of London)

2005

The thesis explores the intellectual history of dalits and brings out the dalitintellectuals' contestation of Hinduism, caste inequality and the practice ofuntouchability. While tracing the roots of consciousness and assertion among dalits,it points out the role of colonial state in disseminating education and modem ideasamong them. Moreover it explores how the cultural and intellectual atmospherecreated by the colonial institutions and ideas played a crucial role in the emergenceof dalit intellectuals and activists and led to the critical re-assessment of Hindu socialreligious institutions and ideas by the caste Hindus too, who divided themselves intotwo sections, viz. reformists and conservatives. The thesis critically engages with thecaste Hindu ideas and examines the rational and religious arguments put forward bythem either to oppose or defend caste system and untouchability. Further, the thesisoutlines the formation of political organisations and associations by dalit leaders andintellectuals to organise their brethren with a view to reclaim social, economic andpolitical equality in caste Hindu society. Most importantly on the basis ofinnumerable writings of dalit intellectuals in Telugu, the thesis narrates the variousstrategies and ideas articulated by dalit intellectuals to nurture a social space andpolitical identity in the emerging public sphere. It also points out the limitations oftheir cultural and ideological initiatives in formulating liberation theories. Besides,while arguing that colonialism and nationalism had multiple and diverse meaningsfor different communities in India, the thesis also brings out the dalit perspectives oncolonialism and nationalism. It analyses the complexities and contradictions withinthe notions of colonial oppression and nationalist freedom struggle, as for most dalitintellectuals colonialism was also a means of access to public institutions, newemployment opportunities and a language of rights while nationalism meant a reimpositionof caste Hindu social order perpetuating social inequality and oppression.

Jangam, Chinnaiah.

School of Oriental and African Studies (University of London)

p

[Thesis]

276903

a

Y