Untouchable - Classic Text | Alexandria
Untouchable by Mulk Raj Anand, a 1935 novel, offers a stark, unflinching portrayal of a single day in the life of Bakha, a young man belonging to the lowest stratum of India's caste system. Often mistakenly viewed as a simple social commentary, the novel is in fact a potent exploration of human dignity denied, a whispered scream against centuries of oppression codified in religious dogma and societal practice.
The term "untouchable," while not explicitly documented in ancient texts with the same loaded meaning, finds its roots in the rigid social stratifications visible in early Indian society, as seen implicitly in the Manusmriti around 200 BCE. This ancient legal text outlines hierarchical social roles, foreshadowing the formalized caste system and the exclusion felt by those deemed "unclean." The British colonial period further solidified these existing inequalities, inadvertently codifying them within administrative structures and perpetuating injustices which Anand so poignantly explores.
Anand's Untouchable was groundbreaking not just for its subject matter, but for its innovative narrative voice. While Gandhi's activism against untouchability had begun to gain momentum in the early 20th century, Anand’s fictionalized account brought the visceral reality of oppression to a wider audience. The novel challenged prevailing stereotypes of Dalit lives, showcasing Bakha’s humanity through his desires and frustrations, rather than simply painting him as a passive victim. Intriguingly, the novel's original manuscript faced numerous rejections before being championed by E.M. Forster, suggesting the discomfort the subject matter initially evoked even among progressive circles.
Today, Untouchable remains a powerful testament to the ongoing struggle against discrimination. While formal legal structures of caste have been dismantled, the insidious realities of prejudice persist, finding echoes in contemporary discussions of social justice and systemic inequalities. Does Bakha’s story, penned nearly a century ago, serve merely as a historical artifact, or does it continue to resonate with uncomfortable truths about the human cost of societal division, challenging us to interrogate our own biases and complicities?