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The Flaming Feet and Other Essays: The Dalit Movement In India
Described by Ashis Nandy as the foremost non-Brahmin intellectual to emerge from India’s vast non-English speaking world, D.R. Nagaraj (1954–1998) was a profound political commentator and cultural critic.
Nagaraj’s importance lies in consolidating and advancing some of the ideas of India’s leading Dalit thinker and icon, B.R. Ambedkar. Following Ambedkar, Nagaraj argues that the Dalit movement rejected the traditional Hindu world and thus dismissed untouchable pasts entirely; but, he says, rebels too require cultural memory. Their emotions of bewilderment, rage, and resentment can only be transcended via a politics of affirmation.
This book gives us Nagaraj’s vision of caste in relation to Dalit politics. It theorizes the caste system as a mosaic of contestations centred around dignity, religiosity, and entitlement. Examining moments of untouchable defiance, Nagaraj argues out a politics of cultural affirmation within his redefinition of Dalit identity. More significantly, he argues against self-pity and rage in artistic imagination, and for re-creating the banished worlds of gods and goddesses.
Nagaraj’s importance lies in suggesting a framework for an alliance of all the oppressed communities of India. This involves, first, a reconciliation of Gandhi and Ambedkar; second, a recognition that modernity has caused a technocide vis-à-vis artisans; third, a reimagining of the Dalit rejection of history, for an alternative reading of untouchable pasts shows that these humiliated communities possessed an autonomous cultural domain.
Nagaraj was that rare observer of politics who did not offer standard social science fare: in fact, he used the phrase ‘competent social scientist’ to damn the person he was speaking of. Not only were his themes unusual, his analytical methods and quirky reliance on cultural texts for analysis were equally so. He uses such material and focuses on these themes because his sensibility was shaped by the Dalit movement, as much as by the time he spent scrutinizing literary texts.
This is a foundational text for Dalit Studies.
Nagaraj’s importance lies in consolidating and advancing some of the ideas of India’s leading Dalit thinker and icon, B.R. Ambedkar. Following Ambedkar, Nagaraj argues that the Dalit movement rejected the traditional Hindu world and thus dismissed untouchable pasts entirely; but, he says, rebels too require cultural memory. Their emotions of bewilderment, rage, and resentment can only be transcended via a politics of affirmation.
This book gives us Nagaraj’s vision of caste in relation to Dalit politics. It theorizes the caste system as a mosaic of contestations centred around dignity, religiosity, and entitlement. Examining moments of untouchable defiance, Nagaraj argues out a politics of cultural affirmation within his redefinition of Dalit identity. More significantly, he argues against self-pity and rage in artistic imagination, and for re-creating the banished worlds of gods and goddesses.
Nagaraj’s importance lies in suggesting a framework for an alliance of all the oppressed communities of India. This involves, first, a reconciliation of Gandhi and Ambedkar; second, a recognition that modernity has caused a technocide vis-à-vis artisans; third, a reimagining of the Dalit rejection of history, for an alternative reading of untouchable pasts shows that these humiliated communities possessed an autonomous cultural domain.
Nagaraj was that rare observer of politics who did not offer standard social science fare: in fact, he used the phrase ‘competent social scientist’ to damn the person he was speaking of. Not only were his themes unusual, his analytical methods and quirky reliance on cultural texts for analysis were equally so. He uses such material and focuses on these themes because his sensibility was shaped by the Dalit movement, as much as by the time he spent scrutinizing literary texts.
This is a foundational text for Dalit Studies.
276 pages, Hardcover
First published March 15, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
April 12, 2022
Powerful book, and a thoughtful, sharp, profound book. I find some of the prose difficult to follow, not sure if it's his style or the fact that this is a translation.
Some things I found compelling, preliminary thoughts:
- The framing of what he describes as Gandhi’s “self-purification” and Ambedkar’s “self-respect” approaches for caste equality -- I thought this was profound. I first read Ambedkar 5 years ago but only recently started reading more about his battles with Gandhi, but was taken by how Nagaraj described the influence each of them had on the other. Ambedkar learned the criticality of a religion based argument, while Gandhi saw the importance of economic equality. I admittedly didn't fully realize how Gandhi's approach would leave the Dalit movement without agency -- the power still remains with the upper-castes to see the error of their ways. Feels like Gandhi was the romantic and Ambedkar the pragmatist.
- I was hooked by most of the second half of the book (starting with "The Problem of Cultural Memory") where he explores the interaction between the Dalit struggle and literature. I've come across versions of takes on the Ambedkar-Gandhi disagreements (from Guha in India before Gandhi for ex), but none on this argument. As Nagaraj says, Ambedkar's push to remove any use Hindu folk culture in Dalit art and literature has costs - communities need myths, stories and symbols to imagine themselves, and the Dalit "exit" from Hindu cultural storytelling empties out Dalit culture and, I believe, is a loss for broader Hindu culture. The struggle then is -- how do Dalits both embrace their culture and art while discarding the fact that upper-caste mainstream culture locates it as "lesser than". Barring a TM Krishna style approach to blur the distinction between folk and classical (using arguably Gandhian methods in Nagaraj's framing), what does this mean for the movement?Also need to start reading Siddalingaiah and Devanuru Mahadeva et al....
- On the second point, I wonder if what we need is the media industry investing in Dalit storytelling where the focus is less on the oppression Dalits face in modern society, but more to "define Dalits in categories other than political fury and social rage". It sounds like what Nagaraj is aspiring for is a Harlem Renaissance for Dalits. If Black America gave the world jazz and hip-hop and so much more, what can the broader community learn from Dalit India?
Some things I found compelling, preliminary thoughts:
- The framing of what he describes as Gandhi’s “self-purification” and Ambedkar’s “self-respect” approaches for caste equality -- I thought this was profound. I first read Ambedkar 5 years ago but only recently started reading more about his battles with Gandhi, but was taken by how Nagaraj described the influence each of them had on the other. Ambedkar learned the criticality of a religion based argument, while Gandhi saw the importance of economic equality. I admittedly didn't fully realize how Gandhi's approach would leave the Dalit movement without agency -- the power still remains with the upper-castes to see the error of their ways. Feels like Gandhi was the romantic and Ambedkar the pragmatist.
- I was hooked by most of the second half of the book (starting with "The Problem of Cultural Memory") where he explores the interaction between the Dalit struggle and literature. I've come across versions of takes on the Ambedkar-Gandhi disagreements (from Guha in India before Gandhi for ex), but none on this argument. As Nagaraj says, Ambedkar's push to remove any use Hindu folk culture in Dalit art and literature has costs - communities need myths, stories and symbols to imagine themselves, and the Dalit "exit" from Hindu cultural storytelling empties out Dalit culture and, I believe, is a loss for broader Hindu culture. The struggle then is -- how do Dalits both embrace their culture and art while discarding the fact that upper-caste mainstream culture locates it as "lesser than". Barring a TM Krishna style approach to blur the distinction between folk and classical (using arguably Gandhian methods in Nagaraj's framing), what does this mean for the movement?Also need to start reading Siddalingaiah and Devanuru Mahadeva et al....
- On the second point, I wonder if what we need is the media industry investing in Dalit storytelling where the focus is less on the oppression Dalits face in modern society, but more to "define Dalits in categories other than political fury and social rage". It sounds like what Nagaraj is aspiring for is a Harlem Renaissance for Dalits. If Black America gave the world jazz and hip-hop and so much more, what can the broader community learn from Dalit India?
January 29, 2024
Everyone who cares about Indian society and its direction need to read this. It's where activism and scholarship meet, and like nowhere else. It is too careful for blown-out activism and too worldly for the hairsplitting scholars. I felt like proclaiming to the world: who, who says that the pen cannot change times! In the prism of Nagaraj, persons, writings, movements, and moments dance in new shapes. How can one not simply rush to the library and grasp at the play 'Panchama' of Siddalingaiah, which in this book becomes a testimony to a creative and self-conscious rage of the oppressed Dalits. Some of us who admired Gandhi but were embarrassed by his ineffectuality in the caste movement did indeed believe there is some sort of synthesis possible between Ambedkar and Gandhi and turns out Nagaraj already struck at that. Nagaraj shows that a failing of the Dalit movement has been its abandonment of the village and the failure to construct a model of spiritual growth and a genealogy of history and in particular mythology - what Gandhi had done for India, at least for Caste Hindus. In so demonstrating, Nagaraj makes a plea for peace, sensibility, and a constructive India.
February 21, 2019
An informative and insightful read, specially in current scenario when people are trying to stick to the ideas invented in first half of 20th century. The author presents a strong case of going forward by taking both Gandhi's and Ambedkar's approach towards a common goal, i.e., the emancipation of Dalits. Highly recommended.
December 30, 2012
A brilliant synthesis of Ambedkar and Gandhi. Demonstrates that confrontational and consensus politics do not have to be irreconcilable, but can enrich each other.
January 4, 2024
One of the best things about D R Nagaraj is how candid and scathing he is in his analysis. I would not want to be Gandhi reading this book. Wish I could read the original Kannada!
January 13, 2016
Beautiful captivating
February 10, 2021
Dr. Nagaraj's essays evoke a desire for cultural memory and yet makes you debate against the same. A challenging yet brilliant read.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews