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Raja Dhale : A rebel linguist
01-Jul-2019
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How the fiery co-founder of Dalit Panthers sought to cleanse Marathi language of patriarchal, religious overtones
Rakshit Sonawane, Sr. Journalist
[email protected]
Raja Dhale, who passed away at the age of 78 on Tuesday is popularly known as a co-founder of the radical Dalit Panthers, member of the Little Magazine movement (to take on elite Marathi litterateurs) and a rebel who challenged a Shankaracharya for a public debate, apart from repudiating renowned scholar Durga Bhagwat. There is, however, another vital aspect: he was one of the prime crusaders to initiate the search for alternative words, to cleanse Marathi language of its patriarchal and religious overtones.
Dhale and some like-minded people, sought to change words in the Marathi language that revealed gender or religious bias. Words like Saubhagyawati (prefix for a married woman), Shree (prefix for a man), Swargawasi/Kailaswasi (prefix for the dead), Rastrapati (for the President), Pant Pradhan (for the Prime Minister) and Aatmahatya (for suicide).
Since Saubhagyawati denoted that the concerned woman was lucky (to have a husband), the alternative word was Ayushmati (woman alive/living woman). For Shree (that has religious overtones), the alternative word was Ayushmaan. For Swargwasi (residing in heaven) or Kailaswasi (residing at Kailas- abode of Lord Shiva), the alternative was either Kaal Kathit (revealed by time) or Smriti Shesh (remains in memory).
Likewise, for Rastrapati, it was Rastra Adyaksh (chief of nation) and for Pant Pradhan (Pant traditionally referring to a Brahmin Scholar), Pradhan Mantri. For Aatmahatya, the alternate word found was Swahatya, that rejected the Atma (soul). The linguistic initiative did not remain confined to discussion among Dalit writers, but gradually spread among Buddhist Dalits. Eventually, the alternative words are being spoken widely among them across Maharashtra and wherever Buddhist Dalits live. Besides, they also use such words in invitation cards, writing letters or any other literary engagement.
The exercise of finding alternate words, which still continues, was taken up to cleanse the language of its gender bias and religious overtones that took the speaker for granted. The ultimate aim was to usher in equality and neutrality in the language. The ultimate aim was to wean away Dalits from the linguistic and cultural influences of their traditional oppressors, towards liberal values.
It was in keeping with Dr B R Ambedkar’s theory of Revolution and Counter Revolution. According to Ambedkar, long before Christianity and Islam arrived on the Indian soil, the history of ancient India was the history of struggle between Brahminism and Buddhism. The former firmly embedded in the four- tier socio-economic structure, inequality, rituals etc, while the latter without God and socio-economic stratification. Ambedkar described Buddhism as a revolution that preached egalitarian principles which manifested itself in the form of royal diktats during emperor Ashoka’s regime. Later, when Ashoka’s descendent Brihadrath was assassinated by Pushyamitra Sung, Brahminism was revived. Ambedkar called the revival of Brahminism as counter-revolution.
In modern India, with its various faiths (including Abrahamic religions), languages and cultures, the constitution ushered in another revolution by adopting egalitarian principles. Ambedkar went a step ahead by embracing Buddhism along with his followers.
The exercise for alternate words stems from the need to have a language free of religious and gender biases that tend to promote servility towards established mainstream narrative which Ambedkar viewed as hegemony of orthodox Brahmins.
The formation of Dalit Panthers in 1972 by educated Dalit youths was a manifestation of the anguish of the oppressed. It was not just for reaching out to Dalit victims in distress by casteist elites, but also to shake up Marathi language and literature. Hence, while another co-founder Namdeo Dhasal shattered Marathi literature through his rebellious poetry, Dhale was part of the Little Magazine movement that challenged the literary elite who mainly catered to the taste (read entertainment) of upper caste readers. Besides, Dhale took on icons of Marathi culture like Durga Bhagwat and religious heads like Shankaracharya.”
“How the fiery co-founder of Dalit Panthers sought to cleanse Marathi language of patriarchal, religious overtones
Rakshit Sonawane, Sr. Journalist
[email protected]
Raja Dhale, who passed away at the age of 78 on Tuesday is popularly known as a co-founder of the radical Dalit Panthers, member of the Little Magazine movement (to take on elite Marathi litterateurs) and a rebel who challenged a Shankaracharya for a public debate, apart from repudiating renowned scholar Durga Bhagwat. There is, however, another vital aspect: he was one of the prime crusaders to initiate the search for alternative words, to cleanse Marathi language of its patriarchal and religious overtones.
Dhale and some like-minded people, sought to change words in the Marathi language that revealed gender or religious bias. Words like Saubhagyawati (prefix for a married woman), Shree (prefix for a man), Swargawasi/Kailaswasi (prefix for the dead), Rastrapati (for the President), Pant Pradhan (for the Prime Minister) and Aatmahatya (for suicide).
Since Saubhagyawati denoted that the concerned woman was lucky (to have a husband), the alternative word was Ayushmati (woman alive/living woman). For Shree (that has religious overtones), the alternative word was Ayushmaan. For Swargwasi (residing in heaven) or Kailaswasi (residing at Kailas- abode of Lord Shiva), the alternative was either Kaal Kathit (revealed by time) or Smriti Shesh (remains in memory).
Likewise, for Rastrapati, it was Rastra Adyaksh (chief of nation) and for Pant Pradhan (Pant traditionally referring to a Brahmin Scholar), Pradhan Mantri. For Aatmahatya, the alternate word found was Swahatya, that rejected the Atma (soul). The linguistic initiative did not remain confined to discussion among Dalit writers, but gradually spread among Buddhist Dalits. Eventually, the alternative words are being spoken widely among them across Maharashtra and wherever Buddhist Dalits live. Besides, they also use such words in invitation cards, writing letters or any other literary engagement.
The exercise of finding alternate words, which still continues, was taken up to cleanse the language of its gender bias and religious overtones that took the speaker for granted. The ultimate aim was to usher in equality and neutrality in the language. The ultimate aim was to wean away Dalits from the linguistic and cultural influences of their traditional oppressors, towards liberal values.
It was in keeping with Dr B R Ambedkar’s theory of Revolution and Counter Revolution. According to Ambedkar, long before Christianity and Islam arrived on the Indian soil, the history of ancient India was the history of struggle between Brahminism and Buddhism. The former firmly embedded in the four- tier socio-economic structure, inequality, rituals etc, while the latter without God and socio-economic stratification. Ambedkar described Buddhism as a revolution that preached egalitarian principles which manifested itself in the form of royal diktats during emperor Ashoka’s regime. Later, when Ashoka’s descendent Brihadrath was assassinated by Pushyamitra Sung, Brahminism was revived. Ambedkar called the revival of Brahminism as counter-revolution.
In modern India, with its various faiths (including Abrahamic religions), languages and cultures, the constitution ushered in another revolution by adopting egalitarian principles. Ambedkar went a step ahead by embracing Buddhism along with his followers.
The exercise for alternate words stems from the need to have a language free of religious and gender biases that tend to promote servility towards established mainstream narrative which Ambedkar viewed as hegemony of orthodox Brahmins.
The formation of Dalit Panthers in 1972 by educated Dalit youths was a manifestation of the anguish of the oppressed. It was not just for reaching out to Dalit victims in distress by casteist elites, but also to shake up Marathi language and literature. Hence, while another co-founder Namdeo Dhasal shattered Marathi literature through his rebellious poetry, Dhale was part of the Little Magazine movement that challenged the literary elite who mainly catered to the taste (read entertainment) of upper caste readers. Besides, Dhale took on icons of Marathi culture like Durga Bhagwat and religious heads like Shankaracharya.”
