Category: Caste

  • The Real India

    I was prompted to write this poem after a mass conversion of 10000 Bahujans to Buddhism, led by Dr. Rajratna Ambedkar, the great-grandnephew of Dr. B.R.Ambedkar, and organised by Rajendra Pal Gautam, Delhi Cabinet Minister (himself a Buddhist); was targeted by BJP, Congress and casteist media channels as “anti-Hindu” and “spreading hate”. A police complaint…

  • Are There No Depths To Which We Can’t Sink?

    I heard a shocking piece of news today; a woman had her throat slit in Gadag, Karnataka; just because she converted from Hinduism to Islam. Hence, I decided to write this poem; because, I feel I am responsible in some way – being born in a privileged upper middle class Tamil Brahmin family. Some of…

  • Does Independence Day Truly Matter?

    The first political poem I’m writing in 1.5 years. The content is not completely original; some of the information comes from two of the greatest books that have changed Indian society in many ways – “Annihilation of Caste” by Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and “Hatred In The Belly” by Ambedkar Age Collective. Here goes the…

  • I am a Tam Brahm

    Footnote: This poem can’t be called an entirely original work. I owe a lot of the ideas (and certain facts) to the various people in India who have been at the fore of the anti-caste movement – great historical leaders like Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar and Thanthai Periyar; as well as contemporary anti-caste movements – comprising…

  • A dream come true

    Trigger warning: The below poem contains strong references to politics, religion and caste; and certain sentiments may be hurt. It is not recommended for the faint-hearted, conservative families, and people with right-wing or pro-establishment political leanings. The actual content: To live your life The way you like To speak your mind To not speak at…

  • A short response to Nivedita Menon’s blog on Raya Sarkar’s List

    This is my shortest blog post ever. It is also very late. The reason why I am posting it is because my comment on the Kafila blog (of which renown Savarna feminist Professor Nivedita Menon is a member and co-Founder) is waiting for moderation – and I have doubts on whether it will be posted…

  • Liberals and the complicity in casteism – Part 2

    This is a continuation of my rant about the casual casteism of liberals from Part 1 https://ashwinkumar1989.online/2017/12/12/liberals-and-the-complicity-in-casteism-part-1/ . I am sorry for the long gap in between, but well; I was busy with work – to compensate for the end-of-the-year vacation that I am gonna take. Like I mentioned earlier, I am an ex-liberal. Like most…

  • Liberals and the complicity in casteism – Part 1

    I am from a conservative Tamil Brahmin family, which has always leaned to the right (supporting BJP, RSS etc.). I  am privileged in four ways – gender (male), religion (Hindu), caste (Brahmin) and class (upper middle – class). I have been blind to most of these privileges. Because of the patriarchal structure of my family…