“Turn in any direction you like, Caste is the Monster 1

that crosses your path. You cannot have Political Reform,

you can not have Economic Reform, unless you kill this
Monster.”
--Dr. Babasaheb
Ambedkar.

Jai Bheem Means

‘I Honour and Wish the Greatness in You.’

Five
Questions
ON

The Caste OR

Culture of Castes
Projection By--
Dheemant P R Ambedkar
Chief Coordinator
Pay Back to the Society Programme
C-4 / 207, Natasha Enclave, NIBM Road, Pune-48; Ph: 020-26835230, M:9822406581
“There is only one period in Indian history, which is a period of freedom, greatness 1
and glory. That is the period of the Mourya Empire. At all other times the country
suffered from defeat and darkness. But the Mourya period was a period when
Chaturvarnya was completely annihilated, when the Shudras, who constituted the
mass of the people, came into their own and became the rulers of the country.” Pg-63

Governance of Ashoka The Great; By Thinking for welfare & prosper State.
 “Turn in any direction you like, Caste is the Monster 2
that crosses your path. You cannot have Political Reform,
you can not have Economic Reform, unless you kill this
Monster.”
--Dr. Babasaheb
Ambedkar.

Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar on Caste and Education

"There can, under these conditions, be no freedom that is
worthwhile unless the mind is trained to use its freedom. (Given
this fact) the right of man to education becomes fundamental to his
freedom. Deprive a man of knowledge and you will make him
inevitably the slave of those more fortunate than himself....
deprivation of knowledge is a denial of the power to use liberty for
great ends. An ignorant man may be free. ...(But) he cannot employ
his freedom so as to give him assurance of happiness." Pg-39 Vol -III
Education every one must have. Means of defence every one
must have. These are the paramount requirements of every man
for his self-preservation. How can the fact that his neighbour is
educated and armed, help a man who is uneducated and disarmed.
The whole theory is absurd. These are the questions, which the
defenders of Chaturvarnya do not seem to be troubled about. But
they are very pertinent questions. …On account of the
Chaturvarnya they could receive no education. They could not
think out or know the way to their salvation. They were condemned
to be lowly and not knowing the way of escape and not having the
means of escape, they became reconciled to eternal servitude,
which they accepted as their inescapable fate. Pg-70, Vol-III
Although this may be true yet it cannot be difficult to
separate the essential and fundamental features of caste from its
non-essential and superficial features. An easy way to ascertain
this is to ask, ‘What are the matters for which a person is liable to be
excluded from caste’. Pg-142

The Social Organism of India, the play of its motive forces,

is moreover, regulated infinitely more by customs, carrying
according to locality and baffling is its complexity. Pg-131

The existence of a Prayaschita and the absence of it have a

significance which must be clearly understood. Pg-143

A Caste may be defined as a Social group having a) Belief

in Hindu Religion and bound by certain regulations as to b)
Marriage, c) Food, d) Occupation. A social group having a
Common Name by which it is recognized. Pg-144, Vol-III
“There is only one period in Indian history, which is a period of freedom, greatness 2
and glory. That is the period of the Mourya Empire. At all other times the country
suffered from defeat and darkness. But the Mourya period was a period when
Chaturvarnya was completely annihilated, when the Shudras, who constituted the
mass of the people, came into their own and became the rulers of the country.” Pg-63

Governance of Ashoka The Great; By Thinking for welfare & prosper State.
 “Turn in any direction you like, Caste is the Monster 3
that crosses your path. You cannot have Political Reform,
you can not have Economic Reform, unless you kill this
Monster.”
--Dr. Babasaheb
Ambedkar.

“Caste is a notion; it is a state of the mind.

The destruction of Caste does not mean the
destruction of a physical barrier. It means a
notional change. Then, Caste will cease to be
an operative force.”
You will have to do two things: --
1. To enlarge your minds, your vision, your
capacity to think, your ability to solve problems;
and
2. To bring that capacity, that vision, that ability to
form judgement to bear upon the actual problems,
which the vast mass of the people of this country
are facing today.
Vol.17(III), Pg-377
(Abstracted from Writing And Speeches of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar)

Five Questions on Castes are to be solved

Probe must be a continuous process. -- P R Ambedkar

1. What is Castes?
2. Who has created the Caste?
3. What was the Purpose to create the
Caste, or the Culture of Castes? Or,
the Purpose(s) to maintain / strengthen
the elements of the Caste?
4. Who can destroy/annihilate the
Caste or the Culture of Castes?
“There is only one period in Indian history, which is a period of freedom, greatness 3
and glory. That is the period of the Mourya Empire. At all other times the country
suffered from defeat and darkness. But the Mourya period was a period when
Chaturvarnya was completely annihilated, when the Shudras, who constituted the
mass of the people, came into their own and became the rulers of the country.” Pg-63

Governance of Ashoka The Great; By Thinking for welfare & prosper State.
 “Turn in any direction you like, Caste is the Monster 4
that crosses your path. You cannot have Political Reform,
you can not have Economic Reform, unless you kill this
Monster.”
--Dr. Babasaheb
Ambedkar.
5. How the Caste/the Culture of Caste
can be destroyed, or annihilated?
First Question on Castes to be solved
Probe must be a continuous process. --P R Ambedkar
Caste devitalizes a man. It is a process of sterilization.
Education, Wealth and Labour, are all necessary for every
individual if he is to reach a free and full manhood. Mere
Education without wealth and labour is barren. Wealth without
education and wealth is brutal. Each is necessary to every one.
They are necessary for the growth of a man.

1. What is Castes?
1. An Enclosed Class? Caste has a divine
basis--the sacredness of social order.
2. A Notion or a State of Mind?
3. Spirit of Inequality?
4. Spirit of Isolation? The significance of a
separate name for a Caste lies in this –
namely it makes caste an organized and an
involuntary grouping. A separate and a
distinctive name for a caste make caste
asking to a corporation with a perpetual
existence and a seal of separate entity.
5. Communities are placed in an
ascending scale of reverence and
descending scale of contempt?

“There is only one period in Indian history, which is a period of freedom, greatness 4
and glory. That is the period of the Mourya Empire. At all other times the country
suffered from defeat and darkness. But the Mourya period was a period when
Chaturvarnya was completely annihilated, when the Shudras, who constituted the
mass of the people, came into their own and became the rulers of the country.” Pg-63

Governance of Ashoka The Great; By Thinking for welfare & prosper State.
 “Turn in any direction you like, Caste is the Monster 5
that crosses your path. You cannot have Political Reform,
you can not have Economic Reform, unless you kill this
Monster.”
--Dr. Babasaheb
Ambedkar.
6. Caste Notion is Anti-social, Anti-Human,
and Anti-National in its character?
7. It is Superstitions, Obsolete Traditional
Beliefs and Rationales, and So on?
8. A System of Perverse Superstition?
“Father could not help it and the son could not cure it.”
9. Five Factors to Study the Caste Phenomena
in India, and vice verse:
Factors for Caste Role of Reasoning
to be studied in Choice of Identity
1. Geography of 1. Personal Identity.
Caste. 2. Social Identity.
2. History of Caste. 3. Qualifying Identity of Four Varnas.
3. Sociology of Caste. 4. Qualifying Identity of Citizenship.
4. Economy of Caste. 5. To Be Human Identity.
5. Psychology of
Caste.
10. A Social Group having a Common Name by
which it is recognized? To put it differently the object was to
elevate and ennoble every Brahmin, however mean and worthless he may
be, to the high status occupied by some of them on account of the virtue. It
was an attempt to ennoble the whole of the Brahmin Community without
exception. That this was the object of Brahmanism is clear from Manu's
ordinances. Manu knew that making Varna hereditary, the most ignorant
Brahmin will be elevated to the status occupied by the most learned
Brahmin. He feared that the former may not be respected as much as the
most learned, which was the object of this attempt at the ennoblement of
the whole class of Brahmins. Manu is very much concerned about the
ignorant Brahmin—a new thing and warns people against being
disrespectful to an ignorant and mean Brahmin.
(Pg-288-289, Volume-3)
11. The Caste is a highly organized as well as an
involuntary grouping. And it is subjected to
Social Regulations and Traditions of the
Caste over which he/she (Human Being) has no
“There is only one period in Indian history, which is a period of freedom, greatness 5
and glory. That is the period of the Mourya Empire. At all other times the country
suffered from defeat and darkness. But the Mourya period was a period when
Chaturvarnya was completely annihilated, when the Shudras, who constituted the
mass of the people, came into their own and became the rulers of the country.” Pg-63

Governance of Ashoka The Great; By Thinking for welfare & prosper State.
 “Turn in any direction you like, Caste is the Monster 6
that crosses your path. You cannot have Political Reform,
you can not have Economic Reform, unless you kill this
Monster.”
--Dr. Babasaheb
Ambedkar.
control. --A Hindu is born in a caste and dies as a member of
that caste. There is no Hindu without Caste, cannot escape caste
and being bounded by caste from birth to death he becomes subject
to social regulations and traditions of the caste over which he has
no control. Pg-145, Vol-III
12. Caste-Nature:
“Caste is a double-edged sword cutting both ends.”
Beware of Info-Pollution! Be Info-Literate! Be Power-Literate!
Second Question on Castes to be solved
Probe must be a continuous process. --P R Ambedkar
Caste devitalizes a man. It is a process of sterilization.
Education, Wealth and Labour, are all necessary for every
individual if he is to reach a free and full manhood. Mere
Education without wealth and labour is barren. Wealth without
education and wealth is brutal. Each is necessary to every one.
They are necessary for the growth of a man.

2. Who has created the Caste?

1. The Brahmin alone has created the Caste /
the Culture of Castes by adopting different
means along with religious sanctions into
the Beneficiaries of System and the Victims
(Shudras and Atishudras) of the System.
2. The Beneficiaries of the Caste System have
created the Caste/the Culture of Castes with
the Purpose of Ruling over the mass of this
country.
3. Manu, Sapta-Rishis, Brahmins, Manavantar
and Gurukul: Manu knew that making Varna hereditary,
the most ignorant Brahmin will be elevated to the status
occupied by the most learned Brahmin. He feared that the
former may not be respected as much as the most learned
“There is only one period in Indian history, which is a period of freedom, greatness 6
and glory. That is the period of the Mourya Empire. At all other times the country
suffered from defeat and darkness. But the Mourya period was a period when
Chaturvarnya was completely annihilated, when the Shudras, who constituted the
mass of the people, came into their own and became the rulers of the country.” Pg-63

Governance of Ashoka The Great; By Thinking for welfare & prosper State.
 “Turn in any direction you like, Caste is the Monster 7
that crosses your path. You cannot have Political Reform,
you can not have Economic Reform, unless you kill this
Monster.”
--Dr. Babasaheb
Ambedkar.
which was the object of this attempt at the ennoblement
of the whole class of Brahmins. Manu is very much
concerned about the ignorant Brahmin—a new thing and
warns people against being disrespectful to an ignorant and
mean Brahmin. (Pg-288-289, Volume-3)

4. Writers of Dharma-Shastras have created

and implemented the modus operandi about
the Varna and Caste to become hereditary.

Third Question on Castes to be solved

Probe must be a continuous process. --P R Ambedkar
Caste devitalizes a man. It is a process of sterilization.
Education, Wealth and Labour, are all necessary for every
individual if he is to reach a free and full manhood. Mere
Education without wealth and labour is barren. Wealth without
education and wealth is brutal. Each is necessary to every one.
They are necessary for the growth of a man.

3. Purpose to create Culture of Caste?

1. To Benefit and Value for the Upper
Castes (Brahmins, Kshatriya and
Banias) and to Victimize and
Suppress the Bahujan Samaj
(Shudras- Atishudras) to rule over
them by initiating and perpetuating
the Slavery or Subservient ness.
2. Creation is more difficult than
retention.

“There is only one period in Indian history, which is a period of freedom, greatness 7
and glory. That is the period of the Mourya Empire. At all other times the country
suffered from defeat and darkness. But the Mourya period was a period when
Chaturvarnya was completely annihilated, when the Shudras, who constituted the
mass of the people, came into their own and became the rulers of the country.” Pg-63

Governance of Ashoka The Great; By Thinking for welfare & prosper State.
 “Turn in any direction you like, Caste is the Monster 8
that crosses your path. You cannot have Political Reform,
you can not have Economic Reform, unless you kill this
Monster.”
--Dr. Babasaheb
Ambedkar.
3. Once you create it (Castes), there is
no problem in retaining it. It will
simply go on.
4. To organize and make involuntary
grouping with the sanctions of
beliefs, customs and traditions, and
above all the Sanctions of Shastras.

“There is only one period in Indian history, which is a period of freedom, greatness 8
and glory. That is the period of the Mourya Empire. At all other times the country
suffered from defeat and darkness. But the Mourya period was a period when
Chaturvarnya was completely annihilated, when the Shudras, who constituted the
mass of the people, came into their own and became the rulers of the country.” Pg-63

Governance of Ashoka The Great; By Thinking for welfare & prosper State.
 “Turn in any direction you like, Caste is the Monster 9
that crosses your path. You cannot have Political Reform,
you can not have Economic Reform, unless you kill this
Monster.”
--Dr. Babasaheb
Ambedkar.

Fourth Question on Castes to be solved

Probe must be a continuous process. --P R Ambedkar
Caste devitalizes a man. It is a process of sterilization.
Education, Wealth and Labour, are all necessary for every
individual if he is to reach a free and full manhood. Mere
Education without wealth and labour is barren. Wealth without
education and wealth is brutal. Each is necessary to every one.
They are necessary for the growth of a man.

4. Who can destroy/annihilate Caste?

1. The Brahmins of Religious
Intellectual Class in India?
2. The Beneficiaries of the
Brahmanical Social Order?
3. The Political Power, if it deserves
and desires?
4. The Organized Independent Force
of the Victims of Brahmanical
Social Order?
5. The Organized Intellectual Class
among Victims of the Social System
through the Social Transformation
Movement?
6. Organized De-Caste Leadership along
with the Victims of the Social System.
“There is only one period in Indian history, which is a period of freedom, greatness 9
and glory. That is the period of the Mourya Empire. At all other times the country
suffered from defeat and darkness. But the Mourya period was a period when
Chaturvarnya was completely annihilated, when the Shudras, who constituted the
mass of the people, came into their own and became the rulers of the country.” Pg-63

Governance of Ashoka The Great; By Thinking for welfare & prosper State.
 “Turn in any direction you like, Caste is the Monster 10
that crosses your path. You cannot have Political Reform,
you can not have Economic Reform, unless you kill this
Monster.”
--Dr. Babasaheb
Ambedkar.

Fifth Question on Castes to be solved

Probe must be a continuous process. --P R Ambedkar
Caste devitalizes a man. It is a process of sterilization.
Education, Wealth and Labour, are all necessary for every
individual if he is to reach a free and full manhood. Mere
Education without wealth and labour is barren. Wealth without
education and wealth is brutal. Each is necessary to every one.
They are necessary for the growth of a man.

5. How the Caste can be annihilated?

(Ho w the Ca ste / the Cu lture of Ca stes , ca n be
destro yed/ann ih il ated)

1. Social Transformation Movement based on

the established principles :
Educate! = Learn-teach Thinking!
Agitate! = Learn-teach Possibility!
Organize! = Learn-teach Creativity!
2. The Victims should not wish away the
Caste/the Culture of Castes. They must
learn t handle it. (Mahars did not handle it properly).
3. Handle the Caste to the benefits of the
victims of Caste. Not to ignore the Caste,
but to take note of it.
4. Use the Caste to liberate the migrated
people to cities.
5. Arouse the victims of Caste to strive for
Social Transformation Movement.

“There is only one period in Indian history, which is a period of freedom, greatness 10
and glory. That is the period of the Mourya Empire. At all other times the country
suffered from defeat and darkness. But the Mourya period was a period when
Chaturvarnya was completely annihilated, when the Shudras, who constituted the
mass of the people, came into their own and became the rulers of the country.” Pg-63

Governance of Ashoka The Great; By Thinking for welfare & prosper State.
 “Turn in any direction you like, Caste is the Monster 11
that crosses your path. You cannot have Political Reform,
you can not have Economic Reform, unless you kill this
Monster.”
--Dr. Babasaheb
Ambedkar.
6. Handle the double-edged sword cautiously
and efficiently.
7. If you want to destroy the Caste, you have
to stop beneficiaries taking advantages of it.
8. Arousing and awakening are the best means
to prepare the vanguard of the De-Caste
Cadre to fight/agitate against the Culture of
Castes.
9. Through Coaching and Training for the
Concept of the De- Caste Cadre.
10. Campaigning/Agitating against the Culture
of Castes
11. Notional Change: --
Negative Notional Change Positive Notional Change
i. Discarding Superstitions, i. Conscious adoption of a sound,
Obsolete Traditional rational outlook in one’s daily
Beliefs and Rituals and So life.
on. ii. To enlarge your minds, your
ii. Rejection of all vision, your capacity to Think,
superstition includes your ability to solve problems;
his/her birth caste.
iii. To bring that capacity, that
iii. A System of Perverse vision, that ability to form
Superstition:
judgement to bear upon the
“Father could not help actual problem, which the vast
it and the Son could mass of the people of this
not cure it.” country are facing today.
12. Education=Knowledge +Intelligence +Thinking
“Education and Organization to lead the citizens
towards exploration, innovation, creativity and design a
way forward to achieve the goal of Social
Transformation Movement and Economic Up-surge.”

“There is only one period in Indian history, which is a period of freedom, greatness 11
and glory. That is the period of the Mourya Empire. At all other times the country
suffered from defeat and darkness. But the Mourya period was a period when
Chaturvarnya was completely annihilated, when the Shudras, who constituted the
mass of the people, came into their own and became the rulers of the country.” Pg-63

Governance of Ashoka The Great; By Thinking for welfare & prosper State.
 “Turn in any direction you like, Caste is the Monster 12
that crosses your path. You cannot have Political Reform,
you can not have Economic Reform, unless you kill this
Monster.”
--Dr. Babasaheb
Ambedkar.

“Let us start/begin with Possibility

Movement to revitalize and rejuvenate
Ambedkarism.”

“There is only one period in Indian history, which is a period of freedom, greatness 12
and glory. That is the period of the Mourya Empire. At all other times the country
suffered from defeat and darkness. But the Mourya period was a period when
Chaturvarnya was completely annihilated, when the Shudras, who constituted the
mass of the people, came into their own and became the rulers of the country.” Pg-63

Governance of Ashoka The Great; By Thinking for welfare & prosper State.