Delving into a Handbook on Casteism

Untouchable by Mulk Raj Anand is a literary classic set in India’s Pre-Independence era and revolves around the day of a lower-caste sweeper. ‘Caste’ is a social heirarichialisation of people originally based on occupation but in time turned into a hereditary element of society. For a long time, occupations were decided on caste. For eg, ‘Dalits’ or ‘Shudras’ were called the lower caste and their occupations involved serving the upper caste (Bharmins- Priests and Khastriyas), and were denied education and called ‘Untouchables’.

The book has amazingly well-crafted characters who all touch your heart with their complex personalities and how they are slaves of their circumstances. The protagonist of this story is Lakha’s son Bakha, a sweeper. His sister, Sohini, and brother, Rakha, also play pivotal roles. Losing his mother at a young age and having an older father, his young shoulders bear the weight of all his family’s burdens. He braves inhumane working conditions, abuses and slurs on a day to day basis.

The story is told from a third-person point of view. The writer, an upper caste Indian, is the narrator. His deep connection to the rampant casteism as an Indian and his privilege to read and write in English, bestowed only to the upper caste, allows him to narrate the story in a moving manner with excellent descriptions, painting a picture in the reader’s eyes of the living conditions of the lower caste, including the poor condition of their houses, the lack of hygiene, the latrines Bakha worked at, and how strenuous his job was every day.

Through this third-person perspective, the book acts like a handbook to understand the extent of casteism in India's Pre-Independence era, when an individual’s job was determined at birth. Lower caste individuals, by virtue of their caste alone, were denied any form of education. Only upper caste individuals, namely the Kshatriyas and Brahmins, were afforded this privilege.

Lower caste individuals were called Untouchables. This practice of untouchability is described at several instances in the book;

Bakha, while walking in the town to sweep the temple’s courtyard (only the courtyard, mind you, he wasn’t allowed inside the temple ) and the road, craved some sweets. He tries to buy some sweets with the money he earned from cleaning the latrines early that morning. Since the shopkeeper was from an upper caste, he wouldn’t accept the money from Bakha without pouring water on it, i.e., purifying it. While Bakha treats this with a matter-of-fact attitude, signifying how casteism was ingrained in the day to day lives of the lower caste, he accidentally brushes against an upper caste who then hurls abuses at him. As bystanders join in, Bakha eventually gets slapped. He does not resist the blow not because he wouldn’t be able to win a physical fight, but because of the centuries of oppression that held him back from as much as looking eye to eye with his abuser. He is saved from further abuse by a Muslim, whose social position isn’t much better than the ‘untouchables’.

Apart from the descriptions of casteism, a noteworthy feature of the book is the excellent crafting of characters. Bakha’s love for his sister, his devotion to his job, the sense of fear he had when he entered the temple, as well as the conditioning of younger upper castes by their parents about casteism is shown in great detail and with great emotion. The relationships portrayed allow us a deeper look at the story. It strikes a chord of empathy to the characters for readers. The relationship between Muslims and untouchables is also portrayed intricately in the book: Both outcastes, considered subhuman by upper caste Hindus who walk with the air of authority and audacity by the virtue of their birth.

Although set in the pre-independence era, the book still strikes an extent of relatability to an average Indian reader. Casteism is still very prevalent in today’s Indian society as the social stigma associated with the lower caste has been ingrained in society and passed on from generation to generation. It can only be overpowered by the formal education of all castes, all genders, and all sections of society. Today, untouchability has been abolished and criminalized. India follows policies of affirmative action, and huge efforts to lessen the gap have been undertaken. Though society still doesn’t have an equitable ground yet, hopes are high that we’ll one day get there.

One thing which sadly hasn’t changed from the Pre-Indepence era is the lack of accoutnability towards sexual offenders in power. Though the pathway to gaining power today may differ, by virtue of different factors, the lack of accountability hasn’t seen a massive change. India has a huge number of unreported sexual abuse cases and a strong culture of victim blaming. Just as seen in the book, a number of Sohinis do not receive the justice they are entitled to.

The book dons the prestigious title of being an Indian classic and rightly so. It strikes a chord with its excellent writing. Hard hitting, emotional and with a strong theme, the struggles of the lower class have been beautifully portrayed through the story of Bakha. Well-worth a read, Untouchable acts as a way to understand the casteism of Indian society, both present and past.