Gandhi's Now Little-Known Critique of the Four-Fold Varna Order [Gandhi's critics had argued at the time that

he was carrying out his campaigns against untouchability, that it would go only when caste was destroyed. It is not generally known that Gandhi moved to this position in the mid-194 s. It is also generally understood that while Gandhi opposed untouchability and criticised caste, he de!ended 'varnavyavastha', the !our!old varna order. "his is not entirely correct over the entire Gandhian tra#ectory. Gandhi's own criti$ue o! the varna order, which un!urled over time, is usually overlooked by scholars.] Gandhi's critics had argued at the time that he was carr ing out his cam!aigns against untoucha"ilit # that it would go onl when caste was destro ed$ %t is not generall &nown that Gandhi mo'ed to this !osition in the mid-()*+s$ %t is also generall understood that while Gandhi o!!osed untoucha"ilit and criticised caste# he defended ''arna' a'astha'# the fourfold 'arna order$ ,his is not entirel correct o'er the entire Gandhian tra-ector $ Gandhi's own critique of the 'arna order# which unfurled o'er time# is usuall o'erloo&ed " scholars$ Gandhi had said to .ri Lan&ans in ()/0 that if %ndia could ta&e !ride 1in ha'ing sent ou 2ahinda and the message of the 3uddha to this land# it has also to acce!t the humiliation of ha'ing sent ou the curse of caste distinctions$1( 3 the earl ()4+s# Gandhi had declared that caste# that is# the endogamous sociological categor # of which there are hundreds# if not thousands# was 1a handica! on !rogress1/ and 1a social e'il14 and# " the ()*+s# that it was 1an anachronism1* which 1must go1$5 .ince Gandhi distinguished the caste s stem from 'chatur'arna'# the scri!tural fourfold 'arna order of hereditar occu!ational di'isions# his still unfolding critique of the fourfold order has often "een o'erloo&ed$ ,his critique is ignored es!eciall " contem!orar scholars# !artl !erha!s "ecause of the traditionalist nature of the conce!ts with which it deals$ .uch o'ersight is unfair to Gandhi's dalit critics as well as to his dalit su!!orters6 for his interaction with "oth 7 e8em!lified " 3 9 :m"ed&ar and ;ag-i'an 9am 7 had no dou"t contri"uted to the e'olution of Gandhi's !ositions$ Gandhi incrementall unfurled a critique of the fourfold 'arna order# ta&ing the conce!t of such an order in the end# " the mid-()*+s# to 'anishing !oint$ <'en in the earl ears# while defending the fourfold order# Gandhi said that it was not o"ser'ed in his own circle= 1%n the ashram# howe'er# from the "eginning# it has "een our rule not to o"ser'e the 'arna' a'astha "ecause the !osition of the ashram is different from that of the societ outside$1>

Later# in ()/0# Gandhi declared that 1if 'arnashrama goes to the dogs in the remo'al of untoucha"ilit # % shall not shed a tear$10 ?e &new the struggle against old ingrained !ractices would "e long$ Let us fight untoucha"ilit # he sa s o!en-endedl # and we'll cross the other "ridge later$ %n Fe"ruar ()44# he ga'e what he then saw as !ractical reasons= 1:t the !resent moment# it is the 'untoucha"le'# the outcaste# with whom all ?indu reformers# whether the "elie'e in 'arnashrama or not# ha'e agreed to deal$ ,he o!!osition to untoucha"ilit is common to "oth$ ,herefore# the !resent -oint fight is restricted to the remo'al of untoucha"ilit $$$ %t is highl li&el that at the end of it we shall all find that there is nothing to fight against in 'arnashrama$ %f# howe'er# 'arnashrama e'en then loo&s an ugl thing# the whole of ?indu societ will fight it$$$ :t the end of the cha!ter# % ho!e that we shall all find oursel'es in the same cam!$ .hould it !ro'e otherwise# it will "e time enough to consider how and " whom 'arnashrama is to "e fought$1@ Gandhi's sequencing did not# at this !oint# s nchronise with :m"ed&ar's$ 3ut it is clear that Gandhi did not# e'en at this stage# rule out a later struggle against the fourfold 'arna order$ First .al'o :ttac& %n :!ril ()44# Gandhi declared on the "asis of some authoritati'e te8ts that 'arna could not "e !er!etuated or determined merel " "irth$ ?e argues= 1,hese and numerous other 'erses from the shastras unmista&ea"l show that mere "irth counts for nothing$1) ,his formulation was Gandhi's first sal'o attac& on the conce!t of 'arna$ %t did not re!udiate "irth as a criterion for 'arna6 et it too& awa the conclusi'e element attached to "irth$ From now onwards it is inaccurate and erroneous to sa merel that Gandhi defended the fourfold 'arna order or 'arna' a'astha$ Auring Gandhi's all-%ndia anti-untoucha"ilit tour of ()44-4*# he was o!!osed 'irulentl " ?indu orthodo8 $ ?is car was stoned in 3ihar$ %n 3enaras he was met with "lac& flags$ ,here was an attem!t on his life in Bune$ : lethal "om" was hurled and se'eral !ersons were in-ured$ Bune was the heartland of ?indut'a o!!osition to Gandhi$ %t was one of the cities which nurtured his future assassin$ %n Octo"er ()44# "efore launching out on the tour# Gandhi said that the ;ains must 'ehementl stress the fact that their religion &nows no 'arnashramadharma$ 1,he must em!haticall tell the !eo!le that untoucha"ilit and the !resent-da 'arnadharma ha'e no !lace in ;ainism# after first con'incing themsel'es a"out it$1(+ ,hese are clearl not the words of one who is smug a"out the 'arna s stem$ ?e could not acce!t# he said in ()4*# that in his religion 1there should "e a single human "eing considered lower than m self$1(( %n ()45# Gandhi descri"ed the restrictions on inter-marriage and inter-dining im!osed in

relation to the 'arna s stem as 1cruel$1(/ ?e had stood es!eciall for the '"hangis'# considered the wea&est section of the dalits$ ?e was therefore conscious of hierarchies among dalits themsel'es$ ,he scheduled castes# he said in ()40# 1cannot "e e8!ected to a!!reciate and acce!t e8-cathedra usages that discriminate "etween sa'arnas and a'arnas and "etween the different grou!s among the a'arnas themsel'es# as these smac& of in'idiousness and offend against reason$1(4
In 1945, Gandhi's positions against the fourfold varna order become more emphatic. He discards some previous formulations, including those on hereditary occupations. In a ne fore ord to an older Gu!arati language compilation of articles on the sub!ect, he invites the reader "to discard anything in this boo# hich may appear to him incompatible"14 ith his latest formulations. He loo#s beyond this aspect of the Gita, saying no that$ %ut there prevails only one varna today, that is of shudras, or you may call it, ati&'shudras', or hari!ans or untouchables. I have no doubt about the truth of hat I say. If I can bring round the Hindu society to my vie , all our internal 'uarrels ill come to an end.15

,he thought recurs# "eing sometimes formulated not descri!ti'el "ut normati'el # e8!ressing the 'iew that this single categor situation should "e made to !re'ail$ %nterestingl # it is in ()*5 that Gandhi sa s# in re'ersal of his earlier understanding that untoucha"ilit could "e fought se!aratel from caste and the fourfold 'arna order# that 1castes must go if we want to root out untoucha"ilit 1$(> ,hus he had now 'eered round to :m"ed&ar's line on this question$ One Varna %dea 2eanwhile# !ersistent with the one 'arna idea# Gandhi o"ser'ed in :!ril ()*>= 1% ha'e of late "een sa ing that the ?indus ha'e to "ecome atishudras not merel in name "ut in thought# word and deed$(0 9eturning to the theme the following month in 2ussoorie# he "urns the conce!tual candle at "oth ends$ For now the notion of re!udiating one's 'arna enters Gandhi's mind=
I myself have become a hari!an by choice... ( hari!an by birth may repudiate his varna but ho can I ho have become a hari!an by choice) I have not hesitated to suggest to caste Hindus that today they have all to become ati&shudras, if the can#er of caste feeling is to be eradicated from Hinduism and Hinduism is not to perish from the face of the earth.1*

:nd again in New Aelhi= 1%f the caste ?indus would "ecome "hangis of their own free will# the distinction "etween hari-ans and caste ?indus would automaticall disa!!ear$ ,here are 'arious di'isions amongst the hari-ans too$ ,he should all go$ :ll should "e of one caste# that is# the "hangi$1() .!ea&ing in ;ul ()*># he encouraged marriages "etween dalits and others= 1Finall there will "e onl one caste# &nown " the "eautiful name "hangi# that is to sa # the reformer or remo'er of all dirt$ Let us all !ra that such a ha!! da will dawn soon$1/+ ,hus " ()*5-*> Gandhi had denuded the conce!tual categor of 'arna im!lied in the Gita# "oth of its sociological im!lication and of its original connotation of fi8ed classes of humanit determined " "irth and distinguished " four categories of occu!ations$ Gandhi's !enultimate "lows to the 'arna conce!t were deli'ered in Fe"ruar ()*0$ ?e now turned the categor of 'arna u!on itself " remo'ing the foundation of the edifice of 'arna distinctions$ .a ing that caste must go if ?induism is to sur'i'e# he went on= 1,here was room for 'arna# as a dut $1 :ccording to him= 1,his was true of all religions whether the name used was other than 'arna$ Chat was a 2uslim 'maul'i' or a Christian !riest "ut a "rahmin if he taught his floc& its true dut # not for mone "ut "ecause he !ossessed the gift of inter!retation7 :nd this was true of the other di'isions$1/( .ignificantl # the !osition of a maul'i in %slamic societ does not indicate an inherent su!eriorit and does not necessaril !ass hereditaril $ On the same occasion# the idea of hereditar occu!ations which was the essence of the fourfold 'arna order was laid to rest " Gandhi$ :s&ed if he fa'oured inter-caste marriages and whether the mono!ol of occu!ations of s!ecific castes should "e a"olished# Gandhi reiterated his long-standing !osition in fa'our of inter-caste marriages and !roceeded to sa =

+he 'uestion did not arise hen all became casteless. ,hen this happy event too# place, monopoly of occupations ould go.--

%n a letter written around 2a (5# ()*0 Gandhi o"ser'es in a!!reciation of Gautama 3uddha that he 1&new no caste and stood for !erfect toleration1$/4 On ,erminolog %n ()/0 and ()4( Gandhi had referred to the word 1dalit1 and e'en used it# while sa ing that the state to which it referred was so o"no8ious that an

word to descri"e it would "e re-ected after a while$ ?e wrote that 1dalit1 was used 1quite rightl 1 "ecause the !eo!le to whom it referred were not 1de!ressed1 "ut 1su!!ressed16 and 1the "ecame# and remain# what the are "ecause the were su!!ressed " the so-called u!!er classes1$/* <'identl # he would not ha'e "een sur!rised at his !referred term 'hari-an' now fading out of use$ Gandhi &new the struggle was also !olitical$ 2an dalits went to !rison in Gandhi's cam!aigns against 3ritish rule$ ,o them# Gandhi was the li"erator and alien rule the esta"lished all of their local o!!ressors$ .ocial and economic o!!ression were connected and the colonial regime was u!holding a highl inequita"le land s stem which had contri"uted to the assetlessness of the dalits$ :s inde!endence dawned# Gandhi s!o&e aloud a"out the 1rule of the "hangis1/5 and of a dalit girl "ecoming !resident of %ndia# indeed the first !resident$/> %n ;une ()*0 Gandhi told the :ll %ndia Congress Committee which was meeting in Aelhi to discuss the !artition of %ndia=
...if you do a ay ith the distinction of savarna and avarna, if you treat the shudras, the untouchables and the adivasis as e'uals then something good ill have come out of a bad thing. )%ut if e oppress them and oppress those follo ing other faiths then it ill mean that e do not ant India to survive, that e are out to destroy it.-.

Dnderstanda"l # a leading socialist had o"ser'ed in ()5+ that Gandhi's assassination was an e!isode not merel in the ?indu-2uslim conte8t6 it was equall a result of the 1"itterness1 accumulating from his "lows 1against caste and for woman1$ Gandhi's tra-ector has "een the su"-ect of this essa $ ?e was conscious of the 'ital need to ta&e societ with him# for merel ta&ing an ad'anced !osition without ha'ing an im!act on societ held no attraction for him$ ?e had told a questioner= 1%t is one thing for me to hold certain 'iews and quite another to ma&e m 'iews acce!ta"le in their entiret to societ at large$ 2 mind# % ho!e# is e'er growing# e'er mo'ing forward$ :ll ma not &ee! !ace with it$ % ha'e therefore to e8ercise utmost !atience and "e satisfied with hastening slowl $1/@ ?is a!!roach and method were well understood " man of his contem!oraries$ ,he famous atheist# G 9amachandra 9ao# 1Gora1# for e8am!le# summed u! in ()5+=
+his attitude and method of Gandhi!i can be seen in his ans ers to 'uestions at the meeting of the Hari!an /eva# /angh held on (ugust 14, 1945. ,hen he first undertoo# to remove untouchability, the problem of varna&dharma 0caste

system1 as also there. It as easy to see intellectually, even then, that caste ought to go root and branch if untouchability as to be completely eradicated. %ut as a practical proposition, caste as not the immediate problem then. +he problem as only the removal of untouchability. /o he allo ed caste to continue, though personally he observed no caste even then. +hus the or# of the removal of untouchability progressed through the early stage, leaving the contradictions of the caste system untouched, and, therefore, ithout the complication of opposition from those ho ould resist the abolition of caste. ,hen the stage had come here he found caste as a serious hindrance for further progress, Gandhi!i said that caste ought to go root and branch and proposed not only inter&dining but inter& marriages as the means. ( mere intellectual might read inconsistency in Gandhi!i's tolerance of caste earlier and his denunciation of it later. %ut to a practical man of non& violent creed these are stages of progress and not principles of contradiction.-9

Gandhi's !ositions against untoucha"ilit and caste were direct assaults and ma "e com!ared with Luther's attac&s on the church$ On the fourfold order he mo'ed more cautiousl # somewhat li&e <rasmus$ Eet it is difficult to understand wh Gandhi's critique of the fourfold order is now so little &nown$ ,his omission from scholarshi! at large is significant# as his earlier statements on the fourfold order ha'e "ecome# in writings on the su"-ect es!eciall since the ()@+s# a !rimar ground for criticism of Gandhi's !osition$ <mail= instituteoneFgmail$com Notes ,he references to the Collected Cor&s of 2ahatma Gandhi GCCH !u"lished " the !u"lications di'ision# ministr of information and "roadcasting# go'ernment of %ndia# New Aelhi G()5@-())*H are to the original or standard edition$
1 /peech at 2olombo, 3ovember -5, 19-.4 2,, 5ol 65, p 61*. - 7oung India, 8une 4, 19614 2,, 5ol 49, p 6:-. 6 ;etter to /uresh 2handra %aner!i, <ctober 1:, 196-4 2,, 5ol 51, p -19. 4 +he %ombay 2hronicle, (pril 1., 19454 2,, 5ol .9, p 6*4. 5 ;etter to /hyamlal, 8uly -6, 19454 2,, 5ol *1, p -5. 9 ;etter to =hushalchand Gandhi, (ugust 61, 191*4 2,, /upplementary 5ol 5II, p -.. . 7oung India, 3ovember -4, 19-.4 2,, 5ol 65, pp 5--&-6. * Hari!an, >ebruary 11, 19664 2,, 5ol 56, p -91. 9 Hari!an, (pril 15, 19664 2,, 5ol 54, pp 41:&11.

(+ :nswers to corres!ondents# "efore Octo"er @# ()44# CC# Vol 5># ! >)6 and Letter to ?ari"hau D!adh a a# Octo"er @# ()44# CC# .u!!lementar Vol V# ! @>$ (( .!eech at Balluruth # ;anuar (@# ()4*6 CC# Vol 50# ! (/$ (/ 'Caste ?as ,o Go'# ?ari-an# No'em"er (># ()456 CC# Vol >/# ! (//$ (4 ?ari-an# Fe"ruar /+# ()406 CC# Vol >*# ! 4(0$ (* Foreword to Gnew edition of H Varna' a'astha# 2a 4(# ()*56 CC# Vol @+# ! //*$ (5 %"id# CC# Vol @+# ! //4$ (> Letter to .h amlal# ;ul /4# ()*56 CC# Vol @(# ! /5$ (0 ?ari-an# :!ril (*# ()*>6 CC# Vol @4# ! 45+$ (@ .!eech at Bra er 2eeting# 2a 4(# ()*>6 CC# Vol @*# ! /*0$ () ?ari-an# ;une /4# ()*>6 CC# Vol @*# ! 44*$ /+ ?ari-an# ;ul 0# ()*>6 CC# Vol @*# !! 4@@-@)$ /( ?ari-an# 2arch (># ()*06 CC# Vol @># ! *@*$ // %dem$ /4 Letter# :fter 2a (5# ()*06 CC# .u!!lementar Vol V# ! (40$ /* Na'a-i'an# 2arch /0# ()/0# CC# Vol 44# ! ()>6 and Na'a-i'an# ;une 0# ()4(# CC# Vol *># ! 4*/$ /5 .!eech at Bra er 2eeting# ;une (# ()*06 CC# Vol @@# ! 55$ /> .!eech at Bra er 2eeting# ;une /# ()*0# CC# Vol @@# ! >4$ /0 .!eech at :%CC 2eeting# ;une (*# ()*06 CC# Vol @@# ! (5>$ /@ ,al& with 2em"ers of ?ari-an .e'a& .angh# ;ul /+# ()*># CC# Vol @5# ! /*$ /) Gora GG 9amachandra 9aoH# :n :theist with Gandhi# Na'a-i'an Bu"lishing ?ouse# :hmeda"ad# ()5(# ! 50$