Syllabus: Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present — significant events, personalities, issues.
Context
- Mahad, part of the Bombay Province, was a major labour source for the Bombay Presidency.
- Strong imitation of caste norms created deep untouchability, excluding Dalits from public resources like the Chavadar Tank.
- The site became central to one of India’s earliest human rights movements led by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.
Background and Early Mobilisation
- The movement began after S.K. Bole’s 1923 resolution in the Bombay Legislative Council.
- It recommended Dalit access to public watering places and public institutions funded by government resources.
- The resolution disrupted Brahmanical dominance and triggered local struggles in Goregaon and Dasgaon.
- Actions by Ramchandra Chandorkar, R.B. More, Ramji Potdar, and the Mahar Samaj Seva Sangh strengthened collective mobilisation.
- Mahad’s history of reform, shaped by activists such as Gopalbaba Walangkar and N.M. Joshi, guided Ambedkar’s selection of the site.
Mahad Satyagraha 1.0 (March 1927)
- Ambedkar and followers asserted Dalit rights to drink tank water under the Bole Resolution.
- Satyagrahis were denied access, forcing purchase of water worth ₹40.
- Upper castes performed purification rituals, reinforcing caste hierarchy over human rights.
Mahad Satyagraha 2.0 (December 1927)
- A court stay declared the tank “private,” delaying further action.
- Ambedkar launched Bahishkrut Bharat, addressing democratic ideals and human rights.
- Violent reprisals led to the creation of the Ambedkar Seva Dal for Dalit protection.
- On December 25, Ambedkar burned the Manusmriti, challenging caste dogma and highlighting women’s equality.
- He linked Mahad’s spirit to the French Revolution, emphasising dignity, self-respect, and collective rights.
Constitutional and Gendered Legacy
- Ambedkar argued that caste annihilation required recognising women’s oppression within caste structures.
- Mahad advanced principles of liberty, equality, fraternity rooted in non-violent Buddhism.
- It articulated a gendered vision of the nation, centred on natural and legal human rights.
- December 25 later came to symbolise Indian Women’s Liberation Day, reflecting Mahad’s constitutional ethos.