Dalits, sometimes called Untouchables in the Indian caste system, are people who according to traditional Indian society are regarded as low caste. There are four accepted castes in Indian society creating a social stratification that has existed for 1500 years. ^[1]. Dalits are not included in any of these castes. They are considered a fifth caste--The Untouchables. They suffer the social segregation and ramifications of discrimination. Dalits are a mixed population of numerous caste groups all over India. Recent comprehensive genetic testing has shown that there is no difference between the various Indian groups. Dalits are genetically the same as the remaining groups of India. Any differentiation of indians is regarded by many as a social construct between Indian people and has no genetic basis. Image File history File links Unbalanced_scales. ... Untouchable may refer to any of the following: Formerly or derogatively, to the large Dalit (outcaste) populations of India and Nepal. ... The Indian caste system describes the social stratification and social restrictions in the Indian subcontinent, in which social classes are defined by thousands of endogamous, hereditary groups often termed as jātis or castes. ... Castes are hereditary systems of social occupation, endogamy, social culture, economic class, and political power. ...

The term Dalit has been highly misused by people in recent years. Many Indians have used this term as a way to get more benefits from the Indian government. A census of Dalits remains highly speculative and so it is not known how many respondents were never actually oppressed but claim Dalit status meerly as a means of getting benefits from the Indian government. This has resulted in the neglect of people who actually deserve the help. As a result actual Dalits are being sidelined by a large number of people who wrongfully claim Dalit caste status.

Included are leather-workers (called chamar), carcass handlers (called mahar), poor farmers and landless labourers, night soil scavengers (called bhangi or chura), street handcrafting people, folk artists, street cleaners, washermen dhobi, etc. Discrimination against Dalits still exists in rural areas (where 2/3's of India's people live) in the private sphere, as in ritual matters such as access to eating places and water sources. It has largely disappeared in urban areas and in the public sphere, in rights of movement and access to schools. The earliest rejection of caste discrimination was made as far back as the Hindu text Bhagavada Gita, which says that no person, no matter what, is barred from enlightenment. The 1991 census reported over 130 million Dalits. There are an currently an estimated 160 million Dalits in India.^[2] This article is about the Indian caste. ... Night soil is a term most often used to describe the practice of using untreated human waste as fertilizer. ... Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... A dhobi is a washerman in Pakistan and India. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Dalits in Jaipur

, Jaipur   (Hindi: जयपुर), also popularly known as the pink city, is the capital of Rajasthan state, India. ...

Related terms

Dalit is the term used in India for the low caste people of India. With respect to the legal terminology in India, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes has held that the term Scheduled Castes to be the proper constitutional usage for the castes identified as Dalits. A Dalit, is hence a person who belongs to one of the castes identified as Scheduled Caste. Offensive terms used in Indian languages include chura, bhangi, neech, kanjjar, mahar and mirasi. Whereas the terms chura and bhangi are profession-based terms for scavengers, they can serve as general terms for the so-called low-born; others are actual names of the caste. Harijan was a term for untouchable, coined by Mahatma Gandhi, which means Children of God — Hari is another name for the god Vishnu. The article describes the languages spoken in the Republic of India. ... In South Asias caste system, an untouchable, dalit, or achuta is a person outside of the four castes, and considered below them. ... “Gandhi” redirects here. ... Hari (Sanskrit: हरि) is another name of Vishnu or God in Vaishnavism, Smarta or Advaitan Hinduism, and appears as the 650th name in the Vishnu sahasranama. ... For other meanings, see Vishnu (disambiguation). ...

The word 'Dalit(a)' comes from the Indo-Aryan root dal, and means 'held under check', 'suppressed', or 'crushed', or, in a looser sense, 'oppressed'. Maharashtrian Dalit Activist and poet Namdeo Dhasal made it a symbol of pride to fight against social injustice. He said: The Indo-Aryan languages (within the context of Indo-European studies also Indic[1]) are a branch of the Indo-European language family. ...

Yes, I do feel that the fight to eradicate caste has to be fought by Dalits and caste Hindus together carrying forward the tradition of Adi Shankara, which got broken somewhere in between. Adi Shankara (Malayalam: ആദി ശങ്കരന്‍, Devanāgarī: , , IPA: ); c. ...

Ambedkar has never used the word "dalit". He has used the phrase "Depressed Classes" consistently in all his writing and speeches. So it is totally improbable that Dr. Ambedkar borrowed this term from Swami Vivekananda from his quote, "Deena-Dalita-Dukhi Devo Bhava!" ("Service to the weak, the down- trodden and the suffering masses itself is the worship of God") Swami Vivekananda (Sanskrit: , Svāmi Vivekānanda) (January 12, 1863 – July 4, 1902), whose pre-monastic name was Narendranath Dutta (Bengali: , Nôrendrônath Dôt-tô), was one of the most famous and influential spiritual leaders of the philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga. ...

The usage of the term "dalit" seems to have originated from the Arya Samaj and their 'dalitoddhâra' (upliftment of the down-trodden). The Arya Samaj began the All India Shraddhanand Dalitodwar Sabha to specialize in the upliftment of the Dalits. Arya Samaj (Aryan Society or Society of Nobles) is a Hindu reform movement in India that was founded by Swami Dayananda in 1875. ...

Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, a Dalit, and one of the leaders of the Indian independence movement, is considered the chief architect of the Indian Constitution, in which Article 17 abolishes untouchability. Ever since, under the aegis of the Constitution of India, as a part of affirmative action under the Government of India, a "reservation system" (privilege in education and other services given only to the Dalits) has been implemented for the benefit of the Dalits. Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (Marathi: डा. भीमराव रामजी आंबेडकर) (April 14, 1891 — December 6, 1956) was an Indian jurist, scholar, Bahujan political leader and a Buddhist revivalist, who is the chief architect of the Indian Constitution. ... The term Indian independence movement is diffused, incorporating various national and regional campaigns, agitations and efforts of both Nonviolent and Militant philosophy and involved a wide spectrum of Indian political organizations, philosophies, and movements which had the common aim of ending the British Colonial Authority as well as other colonial... The Constitution of India, the worlds lengthiest written constitution (with 395 articles and 8 schedules) was passed by the Constituent Assembly on November 26, 1949. ... Manifestations Slavery Racial profiling Lynching Hate speech Hate crime Genocide (examples) Ethnocide Ethnic cleansing Pogrom Race war Religious persecution Blood libel Paternalism Police brutality Movements Policies Discriminatory Race / Religion / Sex segregation Apartheid Redlining Internment Ethnocracy Anti-discriminatory Emancipation Civil rights Desegregation Integration Equal opportunity Counter-discriminatory Affirmative action Racial quota... Judiciary Supreme Court of India Chief Justice of India High Courts District Courts Elections Political Parties Local & State Govt. ... Reservation in Indian law is a term used to describe the governmental policy whereby a percentage of seats are reserved in the Parliament of India, State Legislative Assemblies, Central and State Civil Services, Public Sector Units, Central and State Governmental Departments and in all Public and Private Educational Institutions, except...

The terms scheduled castes/scheduled tribes (SC/ST) and non-caste tribes are also used in the Indian legal system to refer to this social group in India. Scheduled castes (SCs) and scheduled tribes (STs, Adivasi) are Indian communities that are accorded special status by the Constitution of India. ... An Adivasi woman from the Kutia Kondh tribal group in Orissa Ādivāsīs (in Devanagari script: आदिवासी), literally original inhabitants, comprise a substantial indigenous minority of the population of India. ... A legal system is the mechanism for creating, interpreting and enforcing the laws in a given jurisdiction. ...

Social background and origins

In the context of traditional Hindu society, Dalit status has often been historically associated with occupations regarded as ritually impure, such as any occupation involving killing, handling of animal cadavers or night soil (human feces). One million Dalits work as manual scavengers, cleaning latrines and sewers by hand and clearing away dead animals.^[3] Engaging in these activities was considered to be polluting to the individual who performed them, and this pollution was considered to be 'contagious'. As a result, Dalits were commonly banned and segregated from full participation in Hindu social life (they could not enter the premises of a temple or a school and stayed outside the village), while elaborate precautions were sometimes observed to prevent incidental contact between Dalits and other Hindus.^[4] This article discusses the adherents of Hinduism. ... Night soil is a term most often used to describe the practice of using untreated human waste as fertilizer. ... For a person who scavenges, see Waste picker. ...

There are an estimated 250 million Dalits in India according to Dalitnetwork.org. Most of the Dalits, are bonded workers, many working in slave-like conditions to pay off debts that were incurred generations ago.^[5] The majority of Dalits live in segregation and experience violence, murder, rape and atrocities to the scale of 110,000 registered cases a year according to 2005 statistics.^[6] No one believes these numbers are anywhere close to the reality of crimes committed against Dalits. Most crimes go unreported, and few registered cases ever get to trial.^[7] Look up bondage in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Segregation means separation. ...

One study found some association between caste status and Y-chromosomal genetic markers seeming to indicate a more European lineage of the higher castes.^[8] However, there have been other studies done to indicate no racial and genetic differences between upper and lower castes. Many sociologists, anthropologists and historians have rejected the racial origins and racial emphasis of caste and consider the idea to be one that has political undertones.

Many Dalits who have converted to other religions in the past few centuries continue to retain their Dalit heritage. In the 1991 census, Dalits numbered just over 130 million and constituted more than 16% of India's population. Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar. ...

Discrimination against Dalits is not limited to the Hindu community. This situation is exacerbated by the fact that non-Hindu Dalit groups have traditionally not been recognized as Scheduled Castes under hiring quota laws. The Dalit Muslims or "Arzal", as well as Dalit Christians form an integral part of the caste system in South Asia among Muslims and Christians. Many Dalit Muslims are discriminated against by the upper-caste "Ashraf" Muslims, and Dalit Christians are discriminated against by upper caste Christian priests and nuns. Manifestations Slavery Racial profiling Lynching Hate speech Hate crime Genocide (examples) Ethnocide Ethnic cleansing Pogrom Race war Religious persecution Blood libel Paternalism Police brutality Movements Policies Discriminatory Race / Religion / Sex segregation Apartheid Redlining Internment Ethnocracy Anti-discriminatory Emancipation Civil rights Desegregation Integration Equal opportunity Gender equality Counter-discriminatory Affirmative action...

Some Dalits have successfully integrated into urban Indian society, where caste origins are less obvious and less important in public life. In rural India, caste origins are more readily apparent and Dalits remain excluded from local religious life, though this exclusion in its severity is in fact fast diminishing due to changing social norms of acceptable behavior.

Dalits and similar groups are also found in Nepal, Pakistan and Bangladesh. In addition, the Burakumin of Japan are also compared to Dalits, as are the Baekjeong of Korea. Even Dalits in the USA have suggested that discrimination exists within their ethnic community. Burakumin (: buraku, community or hamlet + min, people), or hisabetsu buraku ( discriminated communities / discriminated hamlets) are a Japanese social minority group. ... The baekjeong were an “untouchable” outcaste group of Korea, often compared with the burakumin of Japan and the dalits of India and Nepal. ...

Dalits and religion

Hindu Dalits

The large majority of the Dalits are Hindus, although some in Maharashtra have converted to Buddhism, often called Neo-Buddhism mostly by Hindus to mark the line. , Maharashtra (Marathi: महाराष्ट्र , IPA  , translation: Great Nation) is Indias third largest state in area and second largest in population after Uttar Pradesh. ... Buddhism is a Dharmic religion and philosophy[1] with between 230 to 500 million adherents worldwide. ... Neo-Buddhism is a modern Buddhist revivalist movement in India. ...

Historical attitudes and discrimination

Traditionally, Dalits were not allowed to let their shadows fall upon a non-Dalit caste member and they were required to sweep the ground where they walk to remove the 'contamination' of their footfalls. Dalits were forbidden to worship in temples or draw water from the same wells as caste Hindus, and they usually lived in segregated neighborhoods outside the main village. However, there have been cases of upper caste Hindus warming to the Dalits and Hindu priests, demoted to lowcast ranks, who continued practising the religion. An example of the latter was Dnyaneshwar, who was excommunicated into Dalit status from society in the 13th century, but continued to compose the Dnyaneshwari, a Dharmic commentary on the Bhagwad Gita. Other excommunicated Brahmins, such as Eknath, fought for the rights of untouchables during the Bhakti period. Historical examples of Dalit priests include Chokhamela in the 14th Century, who was India's first recorded Dalit poet, Raidas, born into Dalit cobblers, and others. The 15th century saint Ramananda also accepted all castes, including untouchables, into his fold. Most of these saints subscribed to the Bhakti movements in Hinduism during the medieval period that rejected casteism. Nandanar, a low-caste Hindu cleric, also rejected casteism and accepted Dalits. Sant Dnyāneshwar / Sant Jñāneshwar (1275-1296) (ज्ञानेश्वर in Marathi) (also known as Jñanadeva - ज्ञानदेव ) was a 13th century saint-poet born in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra state, west India. ... The Dnyaaneshwari (or Gyaneshwari) is the commentary on Bhagavad Gita written by Marathi saint poet Dnyaneshwar. ... Krishna to Arjuna: Behold My mystic opulence! Artwork © courtesy of The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust The Bhagavad Gita (Sanskrit: भगवद् गीता - Bhagavad Gītā) is an ancient Sanskrit text comprising some 700 verses of the Mahabharata (Bhishma Parva chapters 23 – 40). ... Sant Eknath (1533 - 1599) was one of the remarkable saints of Maharashtra, India. ... Bhakti (Devanāgarī: भक्ति) is a word of Sanskrit origin meaning devotion and also the path of devotion itself, as in Bhakti-Yoga. ... There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ... Raidas or Ravidas (c. ... Ramananda was a vaishnava saint, a Ramayat - devotee of Lord Rama. ... Bhakti movements are Hindu religious movements in which the main spiritual practice is the fostering of loving devotion to God, called bhakti. ... Nandanar was a Nayanar saint born in South India who became a great devotee of Lord Shiva. ...

Due to their isolation from the rest of the Hindu society, many Dalits continue to debate whether they are 'Hindu' or 'non-Hindu'. Traditionally, Hindu Dalits or Harijans have been barred from many activities that were seen as central to Vedic religion and Hindu practices of orthodox sects. Among Hindus each community has followed its own variation of Hinduism. The wide variety of practices and beliefs observed in Hinduism makes any clear assessment difficult. Each community, including the Dalit see their importance in the history of Hinduism. For example, Sant Tirumalisai was a Hindu saint and Vidura was the ruler of Hastinapur during the Mahabharata war. , Hastinapur (Hindi: ) (Hastinapura in Sanskrit) is a town and a nagar panchayat in Meerut district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. ... For the film by Peter Brook, see The Mahabharata (1989 film). ...

The VHP leader Ashok Singhal has said:

The Ravi Dasis, Passis and Khatiks all have a royal lineage. They were the freedom fighters of the medieval times but were turned into scheduled castes and tribes because they were defeated.

Reform Movements

Some of the movements in Hinduism have welcomed Dalits into their fold, the earliest being the Bhakti movements of the medieval period. Bhakti movements are Hindu religious movements in which the main spiritual practice is the fostering of loving devotion to God, called bhakti. ...

In the 19th Century, the Brahmo Samaj under Ram Mohan Roy and later under Keshub Chunder Sen, actively campaigned against untouchability. The Arya Samaj founded by Swami Dayanand also renounced discrimination against Dalits. Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa's disciple Swami Vivekananda founded the Ramakrishna Mission that actively participated in the emancipation of Dalits. Upper caste Hindus, such as Mannathu Padmanabhan also participated in movements to abolish Untouchability against Dalits, opening his family temple for Dalits to worship. Brahmo Samaj is a social and religious movement founded in Kolkata, India in 1828 by Raja Ram Mohan Roy. ... Raja Ram Mohan Roy is regarded as the Father of the Bengal Renaissance Ram Mohan Roy, also written as Rammohun Roy, or Raja Ram Mohun Roy (Bangla: রাজা রামমোহন রায়, Raja Rammohon Rae), (May 22, 1772 – September 27, 1833) was the founder of the Brahmo Samaj, one of the first Indian socio-religious... Keshub Chunder Sen (Keshava Chandra Sena, 1838-1884) was an Indian religious reformer born of a high-caste family at Calcutta in 1838. ... Arya Samaj (Aryan Society or Society of Nobles) is a Hindu reform movement in India that was founded by Swami Dayananda in 1875. ... Swami Dayananda Saraswati (स्‍वामी दयानन्‍द सरस्‍वती) (1824 - 1883) is an important Hindu religious scholar born in Gujarat, India. ... Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa (Bangla: রামকৃষ্ণ পরমহংস Ramkrishno Pôromôhongsho), born Gadadhar Chattopadhyay (Bangla: গদাধর চট্টোপাধ্যায় Gôdadhor Chôţţopaddhae) [1], (February 18, 1836–August 16, 1886) was a Hindu religious teacher and an influential figure in the Bengal Renaissance of the Nineteenth century. ... Swami Vivekananda (Sanskrit: , Svāmi Vivekānanda) (January 12, 1863 – July 4, 1902), whose pre-monastic name was Narendranath Dutta (Bengali: , Nôrendrônath Dôt-tô), was one of the most famous and influential spiritual leaders of the philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga. ... The Ramakrishna Mission Emblem The Ramakrishna Mission (Bengali: ) is an association founded by Sri Ramakrishnas chief disciple and religious leader, Swami Vivekananda on May 1, 1897. ... Mannathu Padmanabhan (1878-1970) Mannathu Padmanabhan was a great social reformer who hailed from the State of Kerala. ... In South Asias caste system, an untouchable, dalit, or achuta is a person outside of the four castes, and considered below them. ...

While there always have been places for Dalits to worship, the first "upper-caste" temple to openly welcome Dalits into their fold was the Laxminarayan Temple in Wardha in the year 1928 (the move was spearheaded by reformer Jamnalal Bajaj). Also, the Satnami movement was founded by Guru Ghasidas, a Dalit himself. Wardha is a city in Maharashtra, India. ... Year 1928 (MCMXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Portrait of Jamnalal Bajaj Jamnalal Bajaj (1886 – 11 February 1942) was an industrialist, a philanthropist, and Indian freedom fighter. ... Guru Ghasidas (1756-1836) was the founder of the Satnami sect in Chhatisgarh. ...

Other reformers, such as Jyotirao Phule also worked for the emancipation of Dalits. Ayyankali was a prominent figure in the Dalit emancipation struggle in Kerala in the early 20th century. Another example of Dalit emancipation was the Temple Entry Proclamation issued by the last Maharaja of Travancore in the Indian state of Kerala in the year 1936. The Maharaja proclaimed that "outcastes should not be denied the consolations and the solace of the Hindu faith". Even today, the Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple that first welcomed Dalits in the state of Kerala is revered by the Dalit Hindu community. Jyotirao Govindrao Phule (Marathi:ज्योतिराव गोविंदराव फुले) (April 11, 1827 — November 28, 1890), also known as Mahatma Jyotiba Phule was an activist, thinker, social reformer and revolutionary from Maharashtra in the nineteenth century. ... Ayyankali (1863 - 1914) was a leader of the Indian lower caste Dalits (Untouchables). Ayyankali was born in 1863 at Perunkattuvila in Venganoor, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. ... The Temple Entry Proclamation issued by Maharaja Shri Chithira Thirunnal Baala Rama Varma in 1936 abolished the ban on the untouchable or avarnas from entering Hindu Temples in the state of Thiruvathamkoor (now part of Kerala, India). ... Maharaja Chithira Thirunal Shri Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma (November 7, 1912 –July 19, 1991) was the last maharajah (ruler) of the Indian princely state of Travancore before Indias independence. ... -1... Year 1936 (MCMXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article discusses the adherents of Hinduism. ... Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple, (Malayalam: ശ്രീ പത്മനാഭ സ്വാമി ക്ഷേത്രം) is a famous Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu, located inside the East Fort in city of Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. ... -1...

The 1930s saw key struggles between Mahatma Gandhi and B.R. Ambedkar, most notably over whether Dalits would have separate electorates or joint electorates with reserved seats. The Indian National Congress was the only national organisation with a large Dalit following, but Gandhi failed to gain their commitment. Gandhi however, continued to spread his cause for uplifting the Dalits and began the Harijan Yatra. Year 1930 (MCMXXX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display 1930 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... “Gandhi” redirects here. ... Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (April 14, 1891 or 1892 - December 6, 1956) was the most prominent Indian Untouchable leader of the 20th century. ... Indian National Congress-I (also known as the Congress Party and abbreviated INC) is a major political party in India. ...

Similar padyatras borrowing from Gandhi's example were established to uplift the Harijans including Vishwesha Tirtha Swamiji's Padayatras in Bangalore. The Pradeshika Harijan Sevak Sangha was Gandhi's organization aimed at working on uplifting the backward-castes. Mahatma Gandhi is well respected by the Dalits of today. (A few Dalits, such as those of Bhatra, even worship him.)

Ambedkar, a Dalit himself, developed a deeper analysis of Untouchability, but lacked a workable political strategy: his conversion to Buddhism in 1956, along with millions of followers, highlighted the failure of his political endeavours. In South Asias caste system, an untouchable, dalit, or achuta is a person outside of the four castes, and considered below them. ... Buddhism is a Dharmic religion and philosophy[1] with between 230 to 500 million adherents worldwide. ...

India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, based on his own relationship with Dalit reformer Ambedkar, also spread information about the dire need to eradicate untouchability for the benefit of the Dalit community. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru (Hindi: , IPA: (November 14, 1889 – May 27, 1964) was a major political leader of the Congress Party, a pivotal figure in the Indian independence movement and the first Prime Minister of independent India. ... Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (April 14, 1891 or 1892 - December 6, 1956) was the most prominent Indian Untouchable leader of the 20th century. ... In South Asias caste system, an untouchable, dalit, or achuta is a person outside of the four castes, and considered below them. ...

In more contemporary times, India has had an elected Dalit president, K. R. Narayanan, who has stated that he was well-treated in his community of largely upper-caste Hindus. Another popular Harijan includes Babaji Palwankar Baloo, who joined the Hindu Mahasabha and was both a politician and a cricketer. He was an independence fighter. In addition, other Hindu groups have reached out to the Dalit community in an effort to reconcile with them, with productive results. On August 2006, Dalit activist Namdeo Dhasal, engaged in dialogue with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in an attempt to "bury the hatchet". The President of India (Hindi: Rashtrapati) is the head of state and first citizen of India and the Supreme Commander of the Indian armed forces. ... Kocheril Raman Narayanan (Malayalam: കോച്ചേരില്‍ രാമന്‍ നാരായണന്‍; 4 February 1921 — 9 November 2005), also known as K. R. Narayanan, was the tenth President of the Republic of India. ... Babaji Palwankar Baloo, (Dharwad, 19 March 1876– 4 July 1955, Bombay, now Mumbai), commonly known as Palwankar Baloo, was an Indian cricketer. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Namdeo Laxman Dhasal (b. ... The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (Hindi: , English: ), also known as the Sangh or the RSS, is a Hindu terrorist organization in India. ...

Also, the "Pandaram" Hindu priests (a task traditionally reserved for the Brahmins) based largely in Nepal and parts of South India. These Pandaram priests maintain the same tradition as the Brahmin priests, including using Sanskrit for the rituals (a language traditionally reserved for the Brahmins). They perform religious ceremonies from weddings to death rituals. They are not generally as well trained as the Brahmin priests, but are highly respected within their community and are addressed reverentially. Also, Hindu temples are increasingly more receptive to Dalit priests, such as Suryavanshi Das, the Dalit priest of a notable temple in Bihar. Note that the word Brahmin is also known as Brahman in English due to some translation issues between the Upanishads (Hindu Holy Texts) and modern English* Brahmin, in Hinduism, traditionally refers to the priestly caste or a member of this caste in the Hindu caste system. ... The geographical south of India includes all Indian territory below the 20th parallel. ... Sanskrit ( , for short ) is a classical language of India, a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism, and one of the 23 official languages of India. ... For other uses, see Bihar (disambiguation). ...

Discrimination against Hindu Dalits is on a slow but steady decline. Many Hindu Dalits have achieved affluence in society, although vast millions still remain poor. Recent episodes of Caste-related violence in India have adversely affected the Dalit community. In urban India, discrimination against Dalits in the public sphere is largely disappeared, but rural Dalits are struggling to elevate themselves. Government organizations and NGO's work to emancipate them from discrimination, and many Hindu organizations have spoken in their favor. Caste-related violence and hate crimes in India. ...

Brahmins like Subramania Bharati also passed Brahminhood onto a Harijan. For example, in Shivaji's Maratha Empire there were the several Dalit Hindu warriors Mahar Regiment and the Scindia Dalit Kingdom. In modern there are several Dalit Hindu figures BJP leaders Ramachandra Veerappa and Dr. Suraj Bhan. Subramanya Bharathi 1882 - 1921 Subramanya Bharathi (Tamil: ) (December 11, 1882 - September 11, 1921) was a Tamil poet from Tamil Nadu, India, freedom fighter and reformer. ... The Mahar Regiment is an Infantry Regiment of the Indian Army. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Scindia Family of India. ...

Dalit saints in Hinduism

This section does not cite any references or sources. (May 2008) Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

• Sant Anayar Nayanar
• Sant Atipattar Nayanar
• Sant Banka Mahar, Mahar
• Sant Bhagu[1], a devotee of Krishna
• Sant Binu, a Bengali Tantrik sage
• Sant Chokha Mela, Mahar. He lived at Mangalvedha in Maharashtra. He wrote many Abhangas devoted to Krishna.[2]
• Sant Damajipanth, Mahar, devotee of Vishnu
• Sant Devi Das, a Chamar disciple of Jagjivan Das
• Sant Dhanna Chamar, Chamar (cobbler)
• Sant Jiwan Das, a saint of the Satnami sect
• Sant Kaliar Nayanar [3]
• Sant Kanho or Kanhopatra, Mahar dancer, devotee of Vishnu[4]
• Sant Kapinjalada, Chandala, according to Mahabharata (Anushasana Parvan 53.13-19)
• Sant Karmamelam, Mahar, devotee of Vishnu
• Sant Kurmadas, devotee of Vishnu
• Sant Madara Dhulayya
• Sant Malamat Shah, a saint of the Satnami sect
• Sant Nanhadas, a devotee of Rama and Sant Ramanand's disciple
• Sant Nandanar (Nanthanaar) [5], Athanuur, devotee of Shiva [6], one of 63 Nayanar Shaivite saints. Chidambaram, the main place where Nandanar practiced austerities is now a place where backward castes have their own ashrams and recite the Upanishads in Sanskrit (Sastri, P. 3 Hindu Feasts, Fasts & Ceremonies).
• Sant Nirmala, Mahar
• Sant Parshuram, the founder of the Ramnami[7] sect in Chhattisgarh
• Sant Prasanna, Bengali, devotee of Durga Maa disciple of Kalachand
• Sant Purnananda, became recognized as a Brahmana
• Sant Ramdass Gohal, a former member of the Arya Samaj
• Sant Rohidas or Ravidas[8], Chamar member, the Guru of Mirabai. He is said to have taken up his family job of shoe-making and supplied shoes top ascetics.[9] "My caste is low, my lineage is low, and mean is my birth. I have taken shelter, King Rama, says Ravidas the cobbler" (p. 659, Guru Granth Sahib). His disciples are the Ravidasis. He was a disciple of Ramananda, claimed by Harijans to be their master (Singh, P. 98 Leadership Patterns and Village Structure)
• Sant Sadna, butcher
• Sant Sakhubai, devotee of Vishnu
• Sant Sarwan Dass, a follower of Ravi Das
• Sant Satyakam Jabali
• Sant Shatakopa, Kanjar (prostitute) Alwar devotee, Yamuna Muni declared, "I touch my feet at the holy feet of Shatakopa" (P. 87, Gita Darshan as Bhakti Yoga, as a Chaitanyite Reads it)
• Sant Soyarabai, Sant Chokha Mela's wife
• Sant Tirukkurippu Tondar Nayanar
• Sant Tirumalisai, an Alvar Vaishnava saint
• Sant Tiru Nalai Povar Nayanar
• Sant Tiru Nilakanta Nayanar, potter, devotee of Shiva
• Sant Tiru Nilakanta Yazhpanar, one of 63 Nayanar Shaivite saints
• Sant Tiru Panazhwar[10]
• Sant Tiruvalluvar, one of 63 Nayanar Shaivite saints, wrote the Tirukkural
• Sant Umaid Ram Maharaj, Bhangi, Rajasthani. He was born on the Hindu month of Miskar (November-December) in the Hindu year 1865 on Thursday in Jodhpur. He was a medicant. His successors were Sukaram Maharaj, Deepa Ram Maharaj and the present-day Mangi Ram Maharaj.

This article needs cleanup. ... In Hinduism, Durga (Sanskrit: ) is a form of Devi, the supreme goddess. ... For other uses, see Guru (disambiguation). ... Mirabai (मीराबाई) (1498-1547) (sometimes also spelled Meera) was a female Hindu mystical poet whose compositions are popular throughout India. ...

Maharishis

Saints and sages only can become real advisors to the kings, because they are selfless and possess the highest wisdom. They only can improve the morality of the masses. They alone can show the way to eternal bliss and mortality. Shivaji had Swami Ramdas as his adviser, King Dasaratha had Maharshi Vasishtha as his advisor.

• Maharishi Veda Vyasa, was born of and raised by a fisherwoman and Parashara (See below)
• Maharishi Valmiki- author of the Ramayana.
• Maharshi Naval Ram, a member of the Rajasthani Bhangi caste. He was born in 1840 on the month of Bhadrapad on Wednesday in Harsala village in Nagaur district. His successors were Daya Ram Maharaj (his son), Ram Baksh Maharaj and the present-day Badri Ram Maharaj.
• Maharishi Vithal Ramji Shinde, a member of the Prartna Samaj and founder of the Depressed Classes Mission organization for the upliftment of backward-caste Hindus.
• Maharishi Parashara, son of an outcaste woman (Matsyakanya-Satyavathi Devi), was one of the greatest devotes and thinkers in the Hindu Dharma. He was a very powerful Vedic astrologer. His astrological book is the Parasara Hora stil used today. He has also written a Smriti known as Parasara Smriti which is held in such high esteem that it is quoted by our present-day writers on sociology and ethics
• Maharishi Soot, narrator of the Puranas.

Rishi Veda Vyasa is a Hindu figure of yore, a divine guru, a luminary of spirituality whose status in Hinduism is equal to that of the gods and goddesses. ... Valmiki composes the Ramayana Valmiki (Sanskrit: वाल्मीकि, vālmīki) (ca. ... For the television series by Ramanand Sagar, see Ramayan (TV series). ... Smriti (Sanskrit स्मॄति, that which is remembered) refers to a specific canon of Hindu religious scripture. ... The Puranas are part of Hindu Smriti; these religious scriptures discuss devotion and mythology. ...

Muslim Dalits (Arzal)

Muslim society in India can also be separated into several caste-like groups. Descendants of indigenous lower-caste converts are discriminated against by "noble", or "ashraf",^[9] Muslims who can trace their descent to Arab, Iranian, or Central-Asian ancestors. There are several groups in India working to emancipate them from upper-caste Muslim discrimination.^[10][11] For other uses, see Arab (disambiguation). ... Map of Central Asia showing three sets of possible boundaries for the region Central Asia located as a region of the world Central Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west to central China in the east, and from southern Russia in the north to...

The Dalit Muslims are referred to by the Ashraf and Ajlaf Muslims as Arzal or "ritually degraded". They were first recorded in the 1901 census as those “with whom no other Muhammadan would associate, and who are forbidden to enter the mosque or to use the public burial ground”. They are relegated to "menial" professions such as scavenging and carrying night soil Night soil is a term most often used to describe the practice of using untreated human waste as fertilizer. ...

Babasaheb Ambedkar, a renowned Dalit activist and the framer of the Constitution of India, wrote about the Dalit Muslims and was extremely critical of their mistreatment by upper-caste Muslims quoting that "Within these groups there are castes with social precedence of exactly the same nature as one finds among the Hindus" Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (April 14, 1891 or 1892 - December 6, 1956) was the most prominent Indian Untouchable leader of the 20th century. ...

Sikh Dalits

Dalits form a class among the Sikhs who stratify their society according to traditional casteism. Kanshi Ram himself was of Sikh background although converted because he found that Sikh society did not respect Dalits and so became a neo-Buddhist. The most recent controversy was at village Talhan Gurudwara near Jalandhar where there was a dispute between Jatt Sikhs and Ravidasia Sikhs. The Different Sikh Dalits are Ravidasia Sikh , Ramdasia Sikh , Mazhabi Sikh. Although Sikhism does not recognize the Caste System, many families, especially the ones with immediate cultural ties to India, generally do not marry among different castes. Prominent Dalit Sikhs 1. Kanshi Ram - Former President of BSP 2. Charanjit Singh Atwal - Former Lok Sabha Speaker A Sikh man wearing a turban The adherents of Sikhism are called Sikhs. ... Kanshi Ram (born 1934) is an Indian politician of Dalit Sikh background. ... A Gurdwara is the Sikh place of worship. ... Jatt refers to group of people who mainly lived in Punjab. ... Har The members of the Ravidassi religion believe in Guru Ravidas or Raidas as their founding prophet. ... Har The members of the Ravidassi religion believe in Guru Ravidas or Raidas as their founding prophet. ... Ramdasia sikh is a caste in India. ... A Mazhabi person is one belonging to the Dalit population of Punjab and Haryana in Northern India. ... Kanshi Ram (born 1934) is an Indian politician of Dalit Sikh background. ... Charanjit Singh Atwal (born 15 March 1937) is a member of the 14th Lok Sabha of India. ...

There are sects such as the Ad-Dharmis who have now abandoned Sikh Temples and the 5 Ks. They are like the Ravidasis and regard Ravidas as their guru. They are also clean shaven as opposed to the mainstream Sikhs. Sant Ram was from this community and a member of the Arya Samak who tried to organize the Ad-Dharmis.

Other backward Sikh groups include Jhiwars, Bazigars, Rai Sikh (many of whom are Ravidasias.)

Just like the violence against Harijans (Hindu Dalits) and Muhajirs (Muslim Dalits), there has been violence against Sikh Dalits.

Christian Dalits

In the Indian state of Goa, mass conversions were conducted by Portuguese missionaries from the 16th century onwards. Hindu converts often retained their caste prejudices, attributed to the effectively involuntary nature of mass conversions, sometimes of entire villages. Without conscientious understanding of Christian belief existing social stratification was often left unaffected. The Portuguese colonists, despite their violent anti-Hindu iconoclasm, were unable to destroy all aspects of the indigenous culture. Thus, the Dalits who converted to Christianity were still referred to as "Maharas" and "Chambars" (an apellation of the anti-Dalit ethnic slur "Chamaar"). Several ethnic groups who did not convert to Christianity and remained Hindus (such as Marathas) were nevertheless incorporated into the predominately Christian group "Chaddho". For other uses, see Goa (disambiguation). ... Anti-Hindu leaflet launched by fundamentalist Christian churches Anti-Hindu prejudice is a negative perception against Hinduism, Hindus and Indian or Hindu culture. ... Statues in the Cathedral of Saint Martin, Utrecht, attacked in Reformation iconoclasm in the 16th century. ... Extent of the Maratha Confederacy ca. ...

Attempts by Christian Missionaries to convert Dalits to Christianity continue. The Constitution of India guarantees religious freedom and the right to choose one's religion. However, controversies related to mass-conversions have led to laws being passed against such events in some Indian states. The Constitution of India lays down the framework on which Indian polity is run. ...

A 1992 study [11] of Catholics in Tamil Nadu found some Dalit Christians faced segregated churches, cemeteries, services and even processions. Despite Christian teachings these Dalit also faced economic and social hardships due to discrimination by upper-caste priests and nuns. Other sources support these conclusions , including Christian advocacy groups for Dalits. One famous Christian Dalit activist with the nom-de-plume Bama Faustina has written books providing a first-hand account of discrimination by several upper-caste nuns and priests in South India. In the wake of these discriminations, Christian Dalits have started to reconvert back to Hinduism, the most recent ones being the conversion of some 1000 Dalit Christians back into Hinduism as noted by Christian news sources[12][13][14]. Tamil Nadu (தமிழ் நாடு, Land of the Tamils) is a state at the southern tip of India. ... A pen name or nom de plume is a pseudonym adopted by an author. ... The geographical south of India includes all Indian territory below the 20th parallel. ...

Dalits and Neo-Buddhism

Main article: Dalit Buddhist movement

In Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and a few other regions, Dalits have come under the influence of the neo-Buddhist movement initiated by Ambedkar. Some of them have come under the influence of the Neo-Buddhist and Christian Missionaries and have converted away from Hinduism into religions such as Christianity and Buddhism in what they have been told is an "attempt to eliminate the prejudice they face". The Dalit Buddhist movement (Pāli नवयान navayāna as dubbed by certain Ambedkerites)[1] in India began with support of Sri Lankan Buddhist monks. ... , Maharashtra (Marathi: महाराष्ट्र , IPA  , translation: Great Nation) is Indias third largest state in area and second largest in population after Uttar Pradesh. ... , Uttar Pradesh (Hindi: , Urdu: , IPA:  , translation: Northern Province), [often referred to as U.P.], located in central-south Asia and northern India, is the most populous and fifth largest state in the Republic of India. ... Neo-Buddhism is a modern Buddhist revivalist movement in India. ... Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (April 14, 1891 or 1892 - December 6, 1956) was the most prominent Indian Untouchable leader of the 20th century. ... Neo-Buddhism is a modern Buddhist revivalist movement in India. ... A missionary is a propagator of religion, often an evangelist or other representative of a religious community who works among those outside of that community. ... Topics in Christianity Preaching Prayer Ecumenism Relation to other religions Movements Music Liturgy Calendar Symbols Art Criticism Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is a monotheistic[1] religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament. ... Buddhism is a Dharmic religion and philosophy[1] with between 230 to 500 million adherents worldwide. ...

BJP Scheduled Caste Morcha president Bangaru Laxman (Organiser, 6-8-1995) accused Congress leader Sitaram Kesri, who had bracketed the Dalits with the minorities as "sufferers of Hindu oppression", of thereby showing “disrespect to [Dalit] saints like Ravidas, Satyakam Jabali, Sadhna Kasai, Banka Mahar, Dhanna Chamar and others who protected Hindus against foreign onslaughts.” (most of these were Ramanandi saints of the late Middle Ages). Bangaru Laxman was minister of state for railways in Government of India from 1999 to 2000. ...

In the officially Hindu country of Nepal, Dalits and other populations are turning to Buddhism from Vedic Hinduism. Reasons cited are to embrace non-violence and as a response to the caste system, which has led to a substantial increase in Buddhists in the population while those professing Hindusim have decreased from 88% in 1961 to 80% and declining at present. This article discusses the adherents of Hinduism. ... In South Asias caste system, an untouchable, dalit, or achuta is a person outside of the four castes, and considered below them. ... Buddhism is a Dharmic religion and philosophy[1] with between 230 to 500 million adherents worldwide. ... Vedic may refer to: Ancient India the Vedic civilization the Vedas, the oldest preserved Indo-Aryan texts Vedic Sanskrit, their language (see also Vedic meter, Vedic accent, Vedic chant and Shrauta) the historical Vedic religion traditional Hindu culture: Vedic astrology the Ayurveda (Vedic medicine) Ancient Vedic weights and measures modern... Hinduism is a religious tradition[1] that originated in the Indian subcontinent. ...

Dalits and contemporary Indian politics

While the Indian Constitution has duly made special provisions for the social and economic uplift of the Dalits, comprising the so-called scheduled castes and tribes in order to enable them to achieve upward social mobility, these concessions are limited to only those Dalits who remain Hindu. There is a demand among the Dalits who have converted to other religions that the statutory benefits should be extended to them as well, to "overcome" and bring closure to historical injustices.^[11]

Another major politically charged issue with the rise of Hindutva's role in Indian politics is that of religious conversion. This political movement alleges that conversions of Dalits are due not to any social or theological motivation but to allurements like education and jobs. Critics argue that the inverse is true with laws banning conversion, and the limiting of social relief for these backward sections of Indian society being revoked for those who convert. Bangaru Laxman, a Dalit politician, was a prominent member of the Hindutva movement. For Veer Savarkars book, see Hindutva (book). ... Bangaru Laxman was minister of state for railways in Government of India from 1999 to 2000. ... For Veer Savarkars book, see Hindutva (book). ...

Another political issue is over the affirmative action measures taken by the government towards the uplift of the Dalits by implementation of quotas in government jobs and university admissions aimed at improving Dalit representation. About 8% of the seats in the National and State Parliaments are reserved for Scheduled Caste and Tribe candidates, a measure sought by B.R. Ambedkar and other Dalit activists in order to ensure that Dalits would obtain a proportionate political voice. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (April 14, 1891 or 1892 - December 6, 1956) was the most prominent Indian Untouchable leader of the 20th century. ...

Anti-Dalit prejudices exist in fringe groups, such as extremist far-right militia Ranvir Sena, largely run by upper-caste landlords in backward areas of the Indian state of Bihar. They oppose equal treatment of Dalits and have resorted to violent means to suppress them. The Ranvir Sena is considered a terrorist organization. Far right, extreme right, ultra-right, or radical right are terms used to discuss the qualitative or quantitive position a group or person occupies within a political spectrum. ... Ranvir Sena is an anti-communistis resistance paramilitary group based in Bihar, India. ... For other uses, see Bihar (disambiguation). ... This article is becoming very long. ...

See also

• Annabhau Sathe
• Caste-related violence in India
• Backward-caste Hindu Saints
• Backward-caste Hindu Warriors
• 2006 Dalit protests in Maharashtra
• Ayyankali
• Dalit Freedom Network
• Persecution of Dalits

Caste-related violence and hate crimes in India. ... // Hinduism is religion founded 5,000 years ago with traditions dating back 10,000 years. ... // Ahilyabai Holkar - Daugther in Law of Malhar Rao, the Holkars were from the tribal Dhangar caste of Maharashtra. ... In November-December 2006, the desecration of a Ambedkar statue in Kanpur triggered off violent protests by Dalits in Maharashtra, India. ... Ayyankali (1863 - 1914) was a leader of the Indian lower caste Dalits (Untouchables). Ayyankali was born in 1863 at Perunkattuvila in Venganoor, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. ... Dalit Freedom Network is an evangelical Christian organization whose official mission is to The Dalit Freedom Network exists to empower the Dalits in their quest for social freedom and human dignity by networking human, financial, and informational resources. ...

Footnotes

is the 273rd day of the year (274th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 171st day of the year (172nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 171st day of the year (172nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 171st day of the year (172nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Six year old Dalit Girl Burned alive
• Dalit word unconstitutional says SC Commission
• Scheduled Castes Federation of Pakistan (SCFP)
• National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights
• Example of Colored Eyes Discrimination