The thing about the caste system is that we think we get it, having read a paragraph on the four divisions in our school history books. That paragraph itself talks of it in historical context. It tells of a division that was made. It doesn’t talk of repercussions. The Civics book conveniently focused on the Right to Equality given by constitution. The missing links are safely forgotten and buried. Caste system exists everywhere. The sooner we accept that, the sooner we will be able to do something about it.
What we read and write shapes our world. If you want to learn more about caste related issues, here is a reading list.
I have read some from this list but plenty are remaining to be read. I am sure there are others out there like me.
Academic reading
- Annihilation of Caste by B.R Ambedkar( and all his other works)
- Gulamgiri by Jyotirao Phule
- Why I am not a Hindu by Kancha Illiah Shephard
- Writing caste/writing gender by Sharmila Rege
- The Persistence of Caste by Anand Teltumbde
Fiction
- Untouchable by Mulk Raj Anand
- Ants Among Elephants by Sujatha Gidla
- Samskara by U N Ananthamurthy
- Jhoothan by Om Prakash Valmiki
- Sadgati by Munshi Premchand
- Murdahiya by Dr. Tulsiram
- Achhoot by Dayaa Pawar
- A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry
- Nine lives by Dalrymple
- Untouchable Spring by G Kalyana Rao
- Thakur Ka Kuan by Munshi Premchand
- Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson
- A Word With You, World by Siddalingaiah
- The Story of Felanee by Arupa Patanga Kalita
- Savitribai Phule and I by Sangeeta Mulay
- Caste Matters by Suraj Yengde
- Coming Out as Dalit by Yashica Dutt
- Weave of My Life by Urmila Pawar
- A Space of Her Own by Leela Gulati,
- The Outcaste (Akkarmashi) by Sharankumar Limbale
- BHIMAYANA by Shakti Batra
- Strike a Blow to Change the World by Eknath Awad
- Caste is not a Rumour by Rohith Vemula
- The Ferment: Youth Unrest in India by Nikhila Henry
- Steel Nibs Are Sprouting by Susie Tharu
- The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
- Everybody Loves a Good Drought by P Sainath
- Adrishya Bharat by Bhasha Singh
- The Adivasi Will Not Dance by Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar
- My Father Baliah by YB Satyanarayana
- Father May Be an Elephant and Mother Only a Small Basket, But… by Gogu Shyamala
- Ahimsa by Supriya Kelkar
While these are not books, but they are worth reading
Indira Sahwney v Union of India
The Mandal Commission Report (Part-1)(Part-2).
