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From Buddha to Raidas, the brahmanization of Bahujan icons

Enslaving the Bahujans has been the persistent endeavour of the dwijs. From time to time, they have made unsuccessful attempts at portraying Bahujan heroes as Brahmins, says Omprakash Kashyap

While the caste system is the noose around the Bahujans, it is the shield to protect the privileges of a handful of people. The Brahmins and the savarnas want to perpetuate the caste system. They want the Shudras and the Dalits to remain where they are. They have been conspiring to achieve this objective at both social and psychological levels. Their efforts are geared towards keeping the hearts and minds of the Bahujans under their control. The Brahmin want the Dalits and the Shudras to accept the status quo – to believe that their sufferings are their destiny. To this end, they not only tampered with the culture of the non-Brahmins but also deprived the latter of their heroes and their history. Take, for instance, what Bhaktamal says:

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About The Author

Omprakash Kashyap

Omprakash Kashyap has published as many as 33 books in different genres. The litterateur and thinker is well known in the field of children's literature. He has been honoured by the Hindi Academy, Delhi in 2002 and Uttar Pradesh Hindi Sansthan in 2015. Kashyap is a regular contributor to newspapers and magazines

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