3 Review(s)

Much in common with Franz Fanon’s classic,The Wretched of the Earth.'~ Susie Tharu, Economic and Political Weekly'In Kancha Ilaiah’s conceptual universe, you feel the pain of life. In his ideas, yousense the vulnerability of battling unpredicatable waters . . . you also sense the gaietyof robust combat and the fun in the fight.' ~ Sagarika Ghose, OutlookKancha Ilaiah Shepherd writes with passionate anger, laced with sarcasm on thecaste system and Indian society. He looks at the socio-economic and culturaldifferences between the Dalitbahujans and Hindus in the contexts of childhood,family life, market relations, power relations, gods and goddesses, death and, notleast, Hindutva. Synthesizing many of the ideas of bahujans, he presents theirvision of a more just society. In this revised edition, he presents an Afterword that discusses the history of thisbook, often seen as the manifesto of the downtrodden Dalitbahujans. He talks ofits reviews as well as of the abuse he has received from its detractors. He remindsus of the need of an ongoing dialogue. As he says, ‘My request to Brahmins, Baniya and Neo-Kshatriyas [upper classSudras] is this; you learnt only what to teach others: the Dalit bahujans. Now in yourown interest and in the interest of this great country you must learn to listen and to