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Buffalo Nationalism: A Critique of Spiritual Fascism
‘O Mother Lachumamma, your blouse is torn,
Your hair is soiled, your sari in rags . . .
Even in that condition what have you done?
You planted saplings, walking backwards like a bull,
In order to produce food from the mud.’
Kancha Ilaiah Shepherd translates these words of the Telugu poet, singer, activist Gaddar to emphasize the productivity of the ordinary people, the Dalit-Bahujans of India, who receive so little in return. Arguing forcefully against spiritual fascism, which refuses equality or freedom to the majority, he commends the buffalo as a productive animal that epitomizes the qualities of the Dalit-Bahujans. This book contains a selection from Ilaiah Shepherd’s columns in The Hindu, Deccan Herald, Deccan Chronicle, Hindustan Times among others, and journals such as Mainstream and Economic and Political Weekly.
Of particular interest is the new Afterword that discusses his political and social programme for the Sudras of India, presenting his vision of a more just society.
Your hair is soiled, your sari in rags . . .
Even in that condition what have you done?
You planted saplings, walking backwards like a bull,
In order to produce food from the mud.’
Kancha Ilaiah Shepherd translates these words of the Telugu poet, singer, activist Gaddar to emphasize the productivity of the ordinary people, the Dalit-Bahujans of India, who receive so little in return. Arguing forcefully against spiritual fascism, which refuses equality or freedom to the majority, he commends the buffalo as a productive animal that epitomizes the qualities of the Dalit-Bahujans. This book contains a selection from Ilaiah Shepherd’s columns in The Hindu, Deccan Herald, Deccan Chronicle, Hindustan Times among others, and journals such as Mainstream and Economic and Political Weekly.
Of particular interest is the new Afterword that discusses his political and social programme for the Sudras of India, presenting his vision of a more just society.
270 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 29, 2004
About the author
Kancha Ilaiah
16 books101 followersKancha Ilaiah (5 October 1952) is an Indian activist and writer. His books include Why I am not a Hindu, God As Political Philosopher: Budha's challenge to Brahminism, A Hollow Shell, The State and Repressive Culture, Manatatwam (in Telugu), and Buffalo Nationalism: A Critique of Spiritual Fascism. He is a member of the Dalit Freedom Network and a major figure in the movement against the Hindu Caste System.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
January 1, 2009
A collection of Ilaiah's newspaper columns, full of passionate criticism of the Indian caste system and Hindutva political philosophy. In his eagerness to denounce what he sees as fascistic elements in Hinduism, he sometimes falls into the trap of assuming that Christianity, Islam and the cultures that have grown from them are intrinsically superior. I'm not qualified to comment on most of what he says about India and Hinduism themselves, but I found this an intriguing read.
July 19, 2020
“Buffalo Nationalism- A critique of spiritual fascism” என்ற பெயரை பார்தவுடனேயே படிக்க தூண்டியது இந்நூல்.
Kancha Ilaiah தனது “Why I am Not a Hindu” என்ற நூலுக்கு பிரபலமானவர். ஆகச்சிறந்த அரசியல் கட்டுரையாளர் மற்றும் தலித் அரசியல் செயற்பாட்டாளர்.
இந்நூலில் அவர் 1995-2003 வரை பல்வேறு செய்தித்தாள்களிலும் பத்திரிகைகளிலும் எழுதிய கட்டுரைகள் தொகுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. மிகவும் முக்கியமாக வகுப்புவாத வன்முறை , மதம் ,சாதி, கல்வி ,வாக்குவங்கி அரசியல் , சமூக நீதி, உலகமயமாக்கல், கலாச்சாரம் ஆகிய தலைப்புகளில் அவர் எழுதிய கட்டுரைகள் அனைத்தும் மிக சிறந்தவை.
அவரின் எழுத்துக்களில் ஒரு உண்மை தன்மையும், எளிதாக வாசகனிடம் சென்றடையும் போக்கிலும் இயல்பாக அமைந்துள்ளது. குறிப்பாக இந்திய அரசியலில் பார்ப்பனியத்தின்/ஹிந்துத்துவத்தின் தாக்கம் அவர் எழுதிய கட்டுரை அனைத்திலும் ஒரு முக்கிய பங்கு வகிக்கிறது.
ஆன்மீகம் என்ற பெயரில் சாதிய ஒடுக்குமுறையை நியப்படுத்தும் போக்கு இந்திய ஒன்றியத்தின் சாபக்கேடு என்று தான் சொல்ல வேண்டும். அதன் மூலம் ஒடுக்கப்பட்ட மற்றும் பிற்படுத்தப்பட்ட மக்கள் பல முறைகளில் சுரண்ட படுகிறார்கள் என்ற உண்மை ஒருவொரு கட்டுரையின் இறுதியிலும் புலப்படும்.
ஹிந்துத்துவ மதவெறி அரசியலுக்கு எதிராக தலித்தியதை நிறுத்துகிறார் Kancha Ilaiah. அதற்கு அவர் கூறும் சித்தாந்த கூறுகளும் அதையே தான் நிறுவுகின்றன. என்றைக்கு தலித்துகள் அனைவரும் ஒரு அமைப்பை திரள்கிறார்களோ அன்று இந்திய ஜனநாயகம் ஆட்டம்காணும் என்பது கூடுதல் கவனம் ஈர்க்கிறது. இந்த ஒற்றுமை இதர பிற்படுத்தப்பட்ட [OBC’s] மக்களிடம் இல்லாமல் போனதற்கு பல்வேறு கோணங்களில் அவர் கூறும் காரணங்கள் ஏற்புடையதாக தான் இருக்கிறது.
மேலும் இந்நூலின் கடைசி கட்டுரை இடஒதுக்கீடு பற்றியது, அவரின் தனிப்பட்ட வாழ்க்கையிலும் அவர் வசித்து வந்த கிராமங்களிலும் கல்வியும் இடஒதுக்கீடும் ஏற்படுத்திய மாற்றங்கள் பற்றிய ஒன்று. சாதியை ஒழிக்க இடஒதுக்கீடும் ஒரு வழி என்ற அவரின் வாதம் அந்த மாற்றங்களின் மூலம் நிரூபணமாகிறது.
அவர் இந்நூலின் முன்னுரையில் எழுதிய வாக்கியத்தை கொண்டு நிறைவு செய்கிறேன் “Periyar E. V. Ramasamy was the first modern Dravidian to wage a major battle against this Aryan white racism. My indebtedness in evolving the concept of buffalo nationalism goes to him, just as I am indebted to Ambedkar for my understanding of the caste question and in publicizing my understanding I am indebted to the Ambekarite and Mandal movements.”
தேசியத்தின் பெயரால் நடக்கும் சாதிய மற்றும் மத வன்முறைகளை பல்வேறு கட்டுரைகள் மூலம் தோலுரிக்கிறார் ஆசிரியர். சமகால நிகழ்வுகளுக்கு மிகவும் நெருக்கமாக ஒருவொரு கட்டுரையும் இருக்கும்.
தோழர்கள் அவசியம் வாசிக்கவும்
BOOK: Buffalo Nationalism- A critique of spiritual fascism”
AUTHOR: Kancha Ilaiah
Kancha Ilaiah தனது “Why I am Not a Hindu” என்ற நூலுக்கு பிரபலமானவர். ஆகச்சிறந்த அரசியல் கட்டுரையாளர் மற்றும் தலித் அரசியல் செயற்பாட்டாளர்.
இந்நூலில் அவர் 1995-2003 வரை பல்வேறு செய்தித்தாள்களிலும் பத்திரிகைகளிலும் எழுதிய கட்டுரைகள் தொகுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. மிகவும் முக்கியமாக வகுப்புவாத வன்முறை , மதம் ,சாதி, கல்வி ,வாக்குவங்கி அரசியல் , சமூக நீதி, உலகமயமாக்கல், கலாச்சாரம் ஆகிய தலைப்புகளில் அவர் எழுதிய கட்டுரைகள் அனைத்தும் மிக சிறந்தவை.
அவரின் எழுத்துக்களில் ஒரு உண்மை தன்மையும், எளிதாக வாசகனிடம் சென்றடையும் போக்கிலும் இயல்பாக அமைந்துள்ளது. குறிப்பாக இந்திய அரசியலில் பார்ப்பனியத்தின்/ஹிந்துத்துவத்தின் தாக்கம் அவர் எழுதிய கட்டுரை அனைத்திலும் ஒரு முக்கிய பங்கு வகிக்கிறது.
ஆன்மீகம் என்ற பெயரில் சாதிய ஒடுக்குமுறையை நியப்படுத்தும் போக்கு இந்திய ஒன்றியத்தின் சாபக்கேடு என்று தான் சொல்ல வேண்டும். அதன் மூலம் ஒடுக்கப்பட்ட மற்றும் பிற்படுத்தப்பட்ட மக்கள் பல முறைகளில் சுரண்ட படுகிறார்கள் என்ற உண்மை ஒருவொரு கட்டுரையின் இறுதியிலும் புலப்படும்.
ஹிந்துத்துவ மதவெறி அரசியலுக்கு எதிராக தலித்தியதை நிறுத்துகிறார் Kancha Ilaiah. அதற்கு அவர் கூறும் சித்தாந்த கூறுகளும் அதையே தான் நிறுவுகின்றன. என்றைக்கு தலித்துகள் அனைவரும் ஒரு அமைப்பை திரள்கிறார்களோ அன்று இந்திய ஜனநாயகம் ஆட்டம்காணும் என்பது கூடுதல் கவனம் ஈர்க்கிறது. இந்த ஒற்றுமை இதர பிற்படுத்தப்பட்ட [OBC’s] மக்களிடம் இல்லாமல் போனதற்கு பல்வேறு கோணங்களில் அவர் கூறும் காரணங்கள் ஏற்புடையதாக தான் இருக்கிறது.
மேலும் இந்நூலின் கடைசி கட்டுரை இடஒதுக்கீடு பற்றியது, அவரின் தனிப்பட்ட வாழ்க்கையிலும் அவர் வசித்து வந்த கிராமங்களிலும் கல்வியும் இடஒதுக்கீடும் ஏற்படுத்திய மாற்றங்கள் பற்றிய ஒன்று. சாதியை ஒழிக்க இடஒதுக்கீடும் ஒரு வழி என்ற அவரின் வாதம் அந்த மாற்றங்களின் மூலம் நிரூபணமாகிறது.
அவர் இந்நூலின் முன்னுரையில் எழுதிய வாக்கியத்தை கொண்டு நிறைவு செய்கிறேன் “Periyar E. V. Ramasamy was the first modern Dravidian to wage a major battle against this Aryan white racism. My indebtedness in evolving the concept of buffalo nationalism goes to him, just as I am indebted to Ambedkar for my understanding of the caste question and in publicizing my understanding I am indebted to the Ambekarite and Mandal movements.”
தேசியத்தின் பெயரால் நடக்கும் சாதிய மற்றும் மத வன்முறைகளை பல்வேறு கட்டுரைகள் மூலம் தோலுரிக்கிறார் ஆசிரியர். சமகால நிகழ்வுகளுக்கு மிகவும் நெருக்கமாக ஒருவொரு கட்டுரையும் இருக்கும்.
தோழர்கள் அவசியம் வாசிக்கவும்
BOOK: Buffalo Nationalism- A critique of spiritual fascism”
AUTHOR: Kancha Ilaiah
April 13, 2021
The book is a collection of the articles that the author wrote in the newspapers in 1990s and early 2000s. Some of these articles are two to three decades old but the articles still hold relevance today which is shocking.
February 2, 2020
I came to know of Kancha Illaiah Shepherd back in 2018 when there was a proposal in Delhi University to remove his books from the syllabus citing their anti-Hindu nature. There was a huge backlash and uproar about this proposal. I had wanted to read him badly but could only get to his books now.
'Buffalo Nationalism' is a collection of his essays published until 2004 in various newspapers as editorial columns. Don't let that deter you from picking up this book because these essays are as contemporary as they come. In fact they are very helpful in understanding the present state of India. Caste based discrimination goes way deeper than I had understood it to be. It was only in college that I became aware of the casteism that is ingrained in this nation's culture. I haven't yet experienced casteism at a level that is bothersome but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Being caste blind only empowers the perpetrators of casteism and never the victims of it.
Illaiah is critical of Hinduism and Hindutva and at no place could I disagree with him. What he says makes a lot of sense. The current political scenario of hyper nationalism has its roots in religion and caste. Casteism is the equivalent of racism in India. Illaiah brings home this point with an amazing analogy of cows and buffaloes. The Hindus worship the cow and treat it as a scared animal. The buffalo on the other hand is ignored even though it is more productive for the labour class. This is where he hits the ideological nail in the Hindu nationalist's coffin (or funeral pyre?).
Whose nation is this? The cow class which knows only to oppress and get fat on the lifeblood of working class or the buffalo class which is involved in every means of production and is yet denied the opportunity to be on the same pedestal as the lucky few who were born into the top tier of caste? The spiritual fascism that is at the root of Hindutva denies the Dalit and Bahujan population any opportunity to be the equals of Swarnas. The evil of caste will stay till the priests in temples are all Brahmins and the manual scavengers -- which is banned by the supreme court but is still practiced -- are all Dalits.
'Buffalo Nationalism' is a collection of his essays published until 2004 in various newspapers as editorial columns. Don't let that deter you from picking up this book because these essays are as contemporary as they come. In fact they are very helpful in understanding the present state of India. Caste based discrimination goes way deeper than I had understood it to be. It was only in college that I became aware of the casteism that is ingrained in this nation's culture. I haven't yet experienced casteism at a level that is bothersome but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Being caste blind only empowers the perpetrators of casteism and never the victims of it.
Illaiah is critical of Hinduism and Hindutva and at no place could I disagree with him. What he says makes a lot of sense. The current political scenario of hyper nationalism has its roots in religion and caste. Casteism is the equivalent of racism in India. Illaiah brings home this point with an amazing analogy of cows and buffaloes. The Hindus worship the cow and treat it as a scared animal. The buffalo on the other hand is ignored even though it is more productive for the labour class. This is where he hits the ideological nail in the Hindu nationalist's coffin (or funeral pyre?).
Whose nation is this? The cow class which knows only to oppress and get fat on the lifeblood of working class or the buffalo class which is involved in every means of production and is yet denied the opportunity to be on the same pedestal as the lucky few who were born into the top tier of caste? The spiritual fascism that is at the root of Hindutva denies the Dalit and Bahujan population any opportunity to be the equals of Swarnas. The evil of caste will stay till the priests in temples are all Brahmins and the manual scavengers -- which is banned by the supreme court but is still practiced -- are all Dalits.
June 26, 2017
This book contains collection of essays written by Kancha Illaih on various newspapers editorial column. The core theme of these essays mainly brought our attention on how the hierarchical based Hindu religion exploits different plots of society.
He trashed Sangh Parivar, RSS, VHP and BJP by their hidden agenda on hindutva and how they are using Dalit Bahujans as a trump card for their Political gains.
If you want to understand the roots of caste then this book is not for you. This book just briefing the effects of caste in Indian society irrespective of religions.
I have one skeptic view on introduction part of this book, where Kancha Ilayah goes like this "Even Ambedkar was misled on the question of Aryan racism and Dalit food culture. He rejected the view of caste as Aryan racism and asked his people to give up beef eating."
Ambedkar never asked Dalits to give up beef eating, one of his writings 'Who are untouchables and how they become untouchables' he clearly asked Dalits to give up eating of dead animals and not beef.
Overall this book is good and I will definitely recommend if you want to know about the exploitation of Hindu's spiritual fascism on Indian society.
He trashed Sangh Parivar, RSS, VHP and BJP by their hidden agenda on hindutva and how they are using Dalit Bahujans as a trump card for their Political gains.
If you want to understand the roots of caste then this book is not for you. This book just briefing the effects of caste in Indian society irrespective of religions.
I have one skeptic view on introduction part of this book, where Kancha Ilayah goes like this "Even Ambedkar was misled on the question of Aryan racism and Dalit food culture. He rejected the view of caste as Aryan racism and asked his people to give up beef eating."
Ambedkar never asked Dalits to give up beef eating, one of his writings 'Who are untouchables and how they become untouchables' he clearly asked Dalits to give up eating of dead animals and not beef.
Overall this book is good and I will definitely recommend if you want to know about the exploitation of Hindu's spiritual fascism on Indian society.
January 15, 2019
SERIOUSLY guys , compilation of all these articles written by kancha ailayyah is awesome . <3
April 11, 2023
This book contains a selection from Kancha Ilaiah’s columns in popular newspapers.
All the articles are published between 1990 and 2003, ie., 20 years before the current situation.
The current situation has changed a lot in many aspects. Our current president is a tribal woman, Droupadi Murmu.
The book is divided into 9 parts covering India's communal tension, civilization, social justice, education, sexuality culture, politics, globalization, reservations and more of the caste system.
Ilaiah himself is from the Dalit community and is an activist.
Across this book, he talks about Spiritual fascism. Arguing forcefully for social justice, strongly advocating the Dalitization of Indian society that will undo its moorings in spiritual fascism, which refuses equality or freedom to the majority(backward community).
The author points out that Hinduism was born out of the Brahminic philosophy that God created humans unequally. This thesis was propounded in the Rig Veda itself.
He trashes RSS, VHP, BJP and all other Hindu organizations for their hidden agenda and how they are exploiting the lower class people such as Dailt, OBC, SC and other backward classes.
He compares the religion, Hindu religion follows the symbols of destruction, and holy Hindu epics are full of war, whereas Buddhism and Christianity offer peace.
He also points out why Ambedkar asked the Dalits to embrace Buddhism to escape from the Hindutva and grow economically in the nation. The other backwards-class people are still struggling to come up in society.
His criticism of Hindutva and Hinduism is completely agreeable. I can easily say that casteism and racism are no different.
The metaphor of buffalo nationalism: Hindu's sacred animal is the cow(which is white in colour), whereas buffalo (black colour animal )provides more milk is ignored. Here, the cow is compared with high-class Hindus and the Buffalo is lower-class labour of the nation.
This book helps you to understand the caste system, the atrocities of Hindu Brahmins towards backward classes, and the political gain of the caste system.
#qotd Do you believe there is a lot of change in the world on tolerance?
All the articles are published between 1990 and 2003, ie., 20 years before the current situation.
The current situation has changed a lot in many aspects. Our current president is a tribal woman, Droupadi Murmu.
The book is divided into 9 parts covering India's communal tension, civilization, social justice, education, sexuality culture, politics, globalization, reservations and more of the caste system.
Ilaiah himself is from the Dalit community and is an activist.
Across this book, he talks about Spiritual fascism. Arguing forcefully for social justice, strongly advocating the Dalitization of Indian society that will undo its moorings in spiritual fascism, which refuses equality or freedom to the majority(backward community).
The author points out that Hinduism was born out of the Brahminic philosophy that God created humans unequally. This thesis was propounded in the Rig Veda itself.
He trashes RSS, VHP, BJP and all other Hindu organizations for their hidden agenda and how they are exploiting the lower class people such as Dailt, OBC, SC and other backward classes.
He compares the religion, Hindu religion follows the symbols of destruction, and holy Hindu epics are full of war, whereas Buddhism and Christianity offer peace.
He also points out why Ambedkar asked the Dalits to embrace Buddhism to escape from the Hindutva and grow economically in the nation. The other backwards-class people are still struggling to come up in society.
His criticism of Hindutva and Hinduism is completely agreeable. I can easily say that casteism and racism are no different.
The metaphor of buffalo nationalism: Hindu's sacred animal is the cow(which is white in colour), whereas buffalo (black colour animal )provides more milk is ignored. Here, the cow is compared with high-class Hindus and the Buffalo is lower-class labour of the nation.
This book helps you to understand the caste system, the atrocities of Hindu Brahmins towards backward classes, and the political gain of the caste system.
#qotd Do you believe there is a lot of change in the world on tolerance?
August 30, 2026
This is a collection of published newspaper articles by Kancha Illiah Shepherd, an Indian dalit activist and a former professor of Political Science at Osmania University. In the articles or essays, grouped under themes in the book (itself published in 2002), the author makes the case to move from "Cow Nationalism" (his way of bundling India's dominant caste's oppressions under their reverence for the fairer skinned cow) to "Buffalo Nationalism", a celebration of the oppressed caste people in the productivity, labor, and richness they bring to India (represented here by the higher productive dark skinned buffalo, which does the work but has no mention in the right wing discourse of cow vigilante jingoism or related protections by law for this specific animal).
He walks us through the origins of the caste system in Hinduism, its ills, preservation, and perpetration over time, with several recommendations on how to abolish the caste system for a just and equitable society, making the case that this work is imperative and urgent for India to race superpowers like China and the USA.
Steeped in Identity Politics of the Dalit-Bahujan masses of India, his expertise, he does often discount the ills of Capitalism (alluding to it being an equalizer) while simultaneously dissing globalization (blamed for the loss of artisanal and similar indigenous trades in India). He's also spoken favorably of other world religions for their general lack of any caste system while only lightly touching upon the ills that still exist within some of their more fanatical adoptions.
Overall though, all points made in the book are still jarringly relevant today, more so than before with the rise of hindu nationalism in the past decade. Reads to me like a more contemporary version of Ambedkar's "Annihilation of Caste" treatise, making it an important study for anyone interested in the anti-caste struggle today.
He walks us through the origins of the caste system in Hinduism, its ills, preservation, and perpetration over time, with several recommendations on how to abolish the caste system for a just and equitable society, making the case that this work is imperative and urgent for India to race superpowers like China and the USA.
Steeped in Identity Politics of the Dalit-Bahujan masses of India, his expertise, he does often discount the ills of Capitalism (alluding to it being an equalizer) while simultaneously dissing globalization (blamed for the loss of artisanal and similar indigenous trades in India). He's also spoken favorably of other world religions for their general lack of any caste system while only lightly touching upon the ills that still exist within some of their more fanatical adoptions.
Overall though, all points made in the book are still jarringly relevant today, more so than before with the rise of hindu nationalism in the past decade. Reads to me like a more contemporary version of Ambedkar's "Annihilation of Caste" treatise, making it an important study for anyone interested in the anti-caste struggle today.
April 13, 2023
Oh my! What a misunderstanding why cow is sacred? Is it because it's white!? just simple hint : do google : do cows have feelings? Our sages were much smarter than black and white! Caste had a purpose to keep the work going to sustain each other! There are these misled, mind boggling ideas and purposeful misunderstandings that create havoc out of proportion!! In modern times, anyone and everyone is capable of doing any work and casteism is past!! His experience mixed w/ one sided view or say ignored the real side. Was war part of epic? Yes, it showed one can and should fight for your rights or wrongdoings, make you motivated to work and not only meditate or ignore the real problems if you see.
May 31, 2025
A collection of Ilaiah's newspaper columns, full of passionate criticism of the Indian caste system and Hindutva political philosophy. In his eagerness to denounce what he sees as fascistic elements in Hinduism, he sometimes falls into the trap of assuming that Christianity, Islam and the cultures that have grown from them are intrinsically superior. I'm not qualified to comment on most of what he says about India and Hinduism themselves, but I found this an intriguing read.
October 19, 2020
Actually this book has to be measured to the thoughts prevailing during 1990’s . A lot has changed since. Discrimination on basis of caste system and opposition against reservation benefits! All these were very much prevalent during Mandal commission era. Nevertheless rise of pseudo secularism in politics has gained momentum since near past in our country.
July 1, 2021
Good book
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2020
quite an impressive analysis of caste equations and society. Its one sided biased analysis with some truthful revelations. However the authors description of neo kshatriyas and their dilemma in changing times is quite interesting.
October 2, 2020
Seriously significant ideas in the introduction and a great follow-up in the afterword! The remainder – a collection of past articles is quite thought-provoking too. If you're interested in the subject of Caste in India or social hierarchies in the Hindu religion, then you must read it.
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