#zelliot

Psykers are so normal dw about it.

A while ago, I read Ambedkar's World: The Making of Babasaheb and the Dalit Movement by Eleanor Zelliot.  According to the book itself, it covers the world around Dr. Ambedkar, what shaped, informed and affected him, more than it is about the man himself. It is a great look at Dalit history in modern India, a subject which is often neglected.  

Specifically, the book goes into the history of the Mahar caste (Ambedkar's caste), the myriad political movements around during Dr. Ambedkar’s rise in the public consciousness, the varied feelings about religion among the Dalit community at the time and finally the political parties started by or affiliated with Ambedkar.

While the author claims to write more about the world surrounding the Dalit leader, the book probably is 60% Ambedkar focused and 40% the climate around him, especially after the first chapter.  The parts that are about Dr. Ambedkar do provide a context to the forces working with or against him that is seldom found, in my experience.  Most other writings talk about him as a solitary pillar or in the context of an intellectual/moral struggle between him and Ghandi.  The rest of India is often left out of the picture.  This book takes great care to show what made Ambedkar such a unique, praiseworthy and beloved figure without mythologizing him.

The view of the rest of India the book gives, outside of the 'great figures' (Ambedkar, Ghandi, Nehru), is immensely valuable and a welcome change to depictions of modern Indian history, again particularly when it comes to the Dalit community.  On this count alone, the book is well worth the read.

The other striking aspect of the book is the covering of Ambedkar's personal struggles with political recognition and religious identity.  This is possible thanks to Ambedkar's own writing/speaking style; he humanized the Dalit community in his rhetoric by relating his own experiences and feelings.  Zelliot covers this in detail and connects his writings and speeches over the years into a complete and moving narrative.  The pain Ambedkar felt about the Hindu (religious and political) community's continual indifference to the Dalit plight while using them as political and rhetorical pawns is heartbreaking.  Zelliot shows his journey through life, first believing in the power of law and democracy to help them, then slowly being disillusioned by greater society's refusal to treat them with human dignity and finally resigning himself to separating himself from the Hindu community and Hinduism completely.  While the journey is sad, the description of Ambedkar's conversion to Buddhism is cathartic and joyful.  The emotional quality of this historical text makes it a truly powerful experience to read.

As a sidenote, as a designer, I have to say that the cover art is all kinds of excellent. Props to Akila Seshasayee.