From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Mahad (Chavdar Lake) Satyagraha, Annihilation of Caste etc.
Mains level: NA
Why in the news?
The Mahad Satyagraha is hailed as the foundational event of the Dalit movement, marking the community’s collective rejection of the caste system and assertion of human rights.
About Mahad Satyagraha
- The Mahad Satyagraha, also known as Chavdar Tale (Lake) Satyagraha, was led by B. R. Ambedkar on 20 March 1927 in Mahad, Raigad District of Maharashtra.
- Its aim was to assert the right of untouchables to use water from a public tank.
- Background:
- Untouchables (Dalits) were segregated in Indian society and banned from using public water bodies and roads used by other Hindu castes.
- In August 1923, the Bombay Legislative Council passed a resolution allowing depressed classes to use government-maintained places, but it faced opposition from savarna Hindus.
- In January 1924, Mahad passed a resolution in its municipal council to enforce the act but failed to implement it due to protests.
- Satyagraha:
- In 1927, Ambedkar launched a satyagraha to assert untouchables’ rights to use water in public places.
- Mahad was chosen for the event due to its support from ‘caste Hindus’.
- Surendranath Tipnis, president of the Mahad municipality, invited Ambedkar to hold a meeting there.
- Ambedkar drank water from the tank, followed by thousands of untouchables.
- He encouraged Dalit women to abandon customs of untouchability and wear saris like high-caste women, which they embraced.
- A riot erupted over rumors of Ambedkar planning to enter a Hindu temple, and the tank was purified with cow-urine and cow-dung.
- Ambedkar planned a second conference in Mahad in December 1927 but faced legal obstacles due to a case filed by caste Hindus.
- On 25 December 1937, the Bombay High Court ruled that untouchables have the right to use water from the tank.
- Legacy:
- On 19 March 1940, Ambedkar arranged a rally in Mahad to commemorate the Satyagraha as “Empowerment Day.”
Back2Basics: Key Initiatives and Movements Led by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
| Initiative | Location | Objective |
| Temple Entry Movement (1920s-1930s) | Various Locations | Advocating for the right of Dalits to enter Hindu temples. |
| Mahad Satyagraha (Chavdar Tale Satyagraha) | Mahad, Maharashtra | Asserting the rights of untouchables to use water from a public tank. |
| Kalaram Mandir Movement (1930) | Nashik, Maharashtra | Demanding temple entry rights for Dalits at the Kalaram Mandir. |
| Annihilation of Caste (1936) | – | Publication of “Annihilation of Caste,” advocating for the abolition of the caste system. |
| Formation of Independent Dalit Political Party (Independent Labour Party) (1936) | – | Addressing the political concerns and aspirations of Dalits. |
| Push for Separate Electorate by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar (1932) | India | Advocating for separate electorates for Dalits to ensure their political representation and empowerment. |
| Legal Advocacy (1940s-1950s) | – | Drafting of the Hindu Code Bills, contribution to the framing of the Indian Constitution. |
| Conversion to Buddhism (1956) | Nagpur, Maharashtra | Symbolizing a rejection of the caste system through mass conversion ceremony to Buddhism. |
PYQ:[2018] Which one of the following is a very significant aspect of the Champaran Satyagraha? (a) Active all-India participation of lawyers, students and women in the National Movement (b) Active involvement of Dalit and Tribal communities of India in the National Movement (c) Joining of peasant unrest to India’s National Movement (d) Drastic decrease in the cultivation of plantation crops and commercial crops |
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