Dalits represent a community of 170 million in India, constituting 17% of the population. One out of every six Indians is Dalit, yet due to their caste identity Dalits regularly face discrimination and violence which prevent them from enjoying the basic human rights and dignity promised to all citizens of India. India’s tragedy is that society continues the practice of the caste system even though the practice of untouchability stands abolished. One way in which Dalits and non-Dalits can work with each other is to recognize the soft boundaries that exist between Dalits and non-Dalits. The Indian caste system presents an extraordinarily complex social phenomenon. There is fourfold division of society into Brahman (priest), Kashatriya (Warrior-ruler), Vaishya (merchant) and Shudra (servant). This is an eye-opening work that gives readers insight into the lives of India’s 170 million Dalits, whose struggle for equality continues even today. In this remarkable book, at last giving voice to India’s voiceless.
