Dalit movement: Role of triumvirate

Hyderabad: This article is in continuation to the last article that dealt with historical, cultural and religious factors which led to caste-based oppression. Let’s now focus on Dalit Bahujan Social Reform Movements in Telangana. Arige Ramaswamy Bhagya Reddy Varma, Arige Ramaswamy, and BS Venkata Rao were the popular trio of the Dalit movement in Hyderabad […]

Hyderabad: This article is in continuation to the last article that dealt with historical, cultural and religious factors which led to caste-based oppression. Let’s now focus on Dalit Bahujan Social Reform Movements in Telangana.

Arige Ramaswamy

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Bhagya Reddy Varma, Arige Ramaswamy, and BS Venkata Rao were the popular trio of the Dalit movement in Hyderabad State.
Arige Ramaswamy (1875-1973) advocated Vaishnavism, achala philosophy and Brahma Samaj thought that were popular in pre-British colonial India. Born in Ramankola of Rangareddy district, Ramaswamy was educated in Secunderabad and joined public service. He took active part in social reform movements while working as a Ticket Collector in Nizam Railways.

He established Sunita Bala Samajam in Secunderabad and did notable work for eradication of alcoholism, animal sacrifice, Jogini system and child marriages. Later, he established Adi Hindu Jaatiyonnati Sabha in 1922 to carry out several social reform activities.

Madari Aadayya, along with Arige Ramaswamy, formed Sanghaabhivruddhi Samajam and strived to build Dalit unity through social reform activities. Adayya worked to build interest in education among Dalit youth by eradicating social evils through several spiritual and cultural activities. Adayya Smaraka Pathasala (Aadayya Memorial School) started by him was of great help to Dalit students of Secunderabad. He provided notable support in the areas of social aspects and for marriages and other life events as part of social reform for new consciousness through Sanghaabhivruddhi Samajam that he established.

Arige Ramaswamy took special interest in the upliftment of Madiga sub-caste among the Dalits. He also established Arundathiya Mahasabha along with Girikala Mallesh Rao and Venkata Rao in 1931 for welfare of Madiga community. Arundathiya Mahasabha, Matangi Sabha and Jambavarna Seva Samithi worked for the development of Madiga community.

Magundi Mallayya and Subedar Sayanna demanded human rights for the Madiga community along with the rights for Malas. Babayya and other leaders toured several districts of Telangana to organise movement against vetti and untouchability.

Peesari Veeranna raised several issues of Dalits with Gandhi during his visit to Hyderabad in 1937. Veeranna disagreed with Gandhi’s use of the word ‘Harijan’ for Dalits.

BS Venkata Rao

BS VenkataRao’s orginal name was Batthula Aashayya. Venkata Rao had the opportunity of exposure to modern education because his father worked as a domestic help/housekeeper for a British Officer. Subsequently, after school education, Venkata Rao achieved command over English, Urdu, Persian and Marathi languages along with Telugu which was his mother tongue.

He worked as a sculptor in Pune for a short time before joining as an Officer in Public Works Department of the Nizam government. Having personally seen and suffered several hardships rooted in untouchability and caste discrimination, he strived to end evils of caste system. He played an active role in the activities of Dalit movement spearheaded by Bhagya Reddy Varma.

He started Adi Dravida Sangham in 1922 and worked relentlessly to build new consciousness and unity among Dalit youth for eradication of the age-old evil practices like Devadasi, Jogini and Basivi in Telangana.

Besides, he also started Adi Hindu Mahasabha in 1927 with the aim to spread Dalit reform activities. He built libraries and temples for Dalits in Ghas Mandi (Adayya Nagar) in Secunderabad under the aegis of Adi Hindu Mahasabha. Similarly, he also built houses for Dalits in Ghas Mandi and changed its name to Aadayya Nagar.

With the influence of Ambedkar’s writings and activities inspiring Dalit movement in India, Venkata Rao also established Ambedkar Youth League to build caste eradication movement in Hyderabad State. It instilled new inspiration among Dalit youth and helped build movement against caste system.

To be continued…