Contradictions that Viramma Makes regarding Life as an Untouchable - Coursework Example

The contradictions that Viramma appears to have, regarding her life and world as an untouchable Introduction No Hindu scholar would refute that Hinduism has been guilty of one untold infamy: the oppression until recent past of nearly a sixth of its own followers to a kind of apartheid. Hindu apartheid had a spiritual sanction that was more elaborate than any other part of the whole world. In India, the Untouchables were perceived to be redressing their social ostracism sins committed in earlier life. Meaning that, by total submission one could anticipate renaissance into one of the "clean" castes. The west fearing high-caste curse, did nothing or little if any to challenge the status quo. However, the Indians went against untouchability, which was illegalized shortly after independence. Over years, rules of constructive discrimination have been pursued by Indian authorities, concerning the conservation of several opportunities in public sector employment to what the constitution refers to as the "scheduled castes". The results, members of these castes are richer than others members of the higher castes. However, the majority of Untouchables continue to be at the bottom of the Indian social heap, doing their old-age jobs and agricultural labor in serf-like manner. The following discussion explores the contradictions that Viramma, a local woman of a lower caste appears to have, regarding her life and world as an untouchable. Discussion At the core of the mystery is why the Untouchables continue to be faithful to Hinduism. Virammas autobiography sheds a bright light on this puzzle. The authors assert that “Much to the chagrin of her son, Viramma appears to adhere to a traditional and conservative view of caste hierarchy by affirming the necessary distance between upper and lower castes” (169). Viramma, an Untouchable landless laborer, slaved all her life for the barest of livings on the big plantations of a quasi-feudal lord, the "Grand Reddi". Her life is shared with ghosts that live on plants, spirits and gods that bring disease, and control life and death. In her everyday life, Viramma appeases spirits, worships several gods, and offers sacrifice to others. Shortly after their wedding, she was raped by her husband, with whom she remains to have a caring life and some children. Of the twelve children, nine die as a result as lack of proper care. As a person of a lower caste and materially poor woman, Viramma lives a life on the margins of society. Nevertheless, there is hardly time when she portrays her own life as one molded by deprivation, marginality, and poverty. She actually accounts for the differences merely as ‘her’ and ‘their’ beliefs and practices. Viramma is not literate. Nevertheless, her account is unusually rich in the details of religious observance. She also says "Soap does not remove uncleanliness” (167). Though obviously a brave, spirited woman, Viramma is surprised by the refusal of her son, like others of his age, to show traditional subservience to the high castes. She observes that her son and others of his generation do not follow strict Hinduism and thus do not adhere to Hindu culture and religious beliefs. The writers state that they “eat beef" (160). In addition, she asserts that her son like others in his generation is not subservience to the high castes and when speaking to them do not show respect. The authors assert that they "express themselves by noise" (137). Virammas imaginary is that of the typical other that dares a historians view at every turn. Her accounts on religion and society challenge and annoy her son and his peers, and for a good purpose. Her son is trained to assume, whether implicitly or explicitly, a specific idea of the subject of history. That subject of history is a person secular, modern, and liberal in political and social thought and hardly includes a Viramma. Her daily life- a life moved by spirits and gods who control action or inaction on her part does not match that of her son. Viramma does not seem to be abiding on any of the concerns of her son and those of his peers. Hinduism discriminate the lives of "outcaste" Untouchables in a well-planned religious ritual, which is equally the same as that of Brahmins. The authors lament that in “their revulsion for Pariahs” (169). This can be seen as decisive process of internalization of oppression, the main obstacle on the path to liberation In addition, since Hinduism is not centralized and limitlessly flexible, Untouchables can and do shape Hinduisms of their own without fear of anathemas from all religious authority. We learn that Pariahs are not “retrained" (196). From the story, we see Viramma is so filled with the happiness of spring and set to singing village tunes with ribald lyrics that it is, at times, easy to forget the indignities she has had to endure as a low caste woman. This is shown in this expression “While regularly poking fun at other castes -e.g. at the assumed chastity of Brahmins” (157). Viramma suffering is leavened by the joys she gets in the oral and performance culture all around her. From her account we also know about the various forces that control her life, such as ghosts, relationship between castes, modernization and political approaches to alleviate poverty and caste inequality. Viramma wet nurses a child from the high Reddiar caste and happily sees him become a strong and handsome young man. However, the young man later rejects to give her water when she arrives parched from the fields one day since as an untouchable agricultural laborer, "Viramma is contaminated" (176). From her story we learn that, Hinduism has historically crushed Untouchables; but its flexibility now offers those ways out within Hinduism. We learn that Pariahs are not “retrained"(196) Nevertheless educated India knows nothing or little of its dynamics. Like the rest of the society, Viramma is enslaved to village’s wealthiest landowner. Viramma is resigned to the old-age bondage relationship with the landlord. “In Viramma’s account we become acquainted with various episodes in the life of an untouchable woman. We learn that Paraiyar "speak a half language" (194). Meaning that, Paraiyar are of low caste. Conclusion A very outstanding character of Virammas life story is the strength of her language: realistic, packed of references to characters and episodes in the Hindu tales and intense folk expressions. And nevertheless it is credible as the debate of an uneducated person. The main reason for the contrast could be that Virammas life has had little scope for triviality. Viramma also lives in a society, where language has not been trivialized by media. In a nut shell, Virammas story gives more insight into Indian life. Thus, Viramma is a good read, for in the tale of one little woman lies the tale of Indians too. Work cited Jean-LucRacine, Josiane, R. and Variano John L. Viramma. Life of an Untouchable. Michigan: Verso, 1997. Print Read More