CHENNAI: Language — while arbitrary and evolving constantly — holds histories and hierarchies; it allows a peek into dialects, dynamics, and demographics and yet carries the power to break boundaries and move us deeply; In the poem ‘Infant Language’, poet Sukirthirani yearns for a language “which no one has spoken so far” which has meanings “as wide as the skies. Its gentle words won’t wound the tender surface of the tongue.”
From revolutionary Babasaheb BR Ambedkar, leader ‘Thanthai’ Periyar to singer Dalit Subbaiah, their body of written words have brought worlds of change, and are still read fervently today. Over the years, as honour killings and caste-based violence continue, solidarities have also followed suit along with the growth of the anti-caste movement, Dalit History Month, since 2015, has spotlighted artists and writers from the community. This year, CE talks to activists, educationists, and youngsters from the community, about what April means to them, and how Ambedkar has inspired them to do more.
“Every Dalit has their own history. The community has struggled for 3,000 years and it has sustained, survived, and fought back successfully, that has to be told. Mainstream history has a lot of Dalit history but it has to be pinpointed,” says Shalin Maria Lawrence, activist and writer. She points out that history textbooks are penned by the privileged.
Did you know rasam has roots in being a dish from the Dalit community? Or that Thirukkural was penned by Thiruvalluvar, a Dalit, and his works were brought into vernacular usage by Iyothee Thass? Or that the Reserve Bank of India can be traced to Ambedkar’s writing? Shalin’s book Sandakaari delves into these facts and her tales. “We want our people to know our history, our history is glorious,” says Shalin
A for April, A for Awareness
For Shalin, her April and days beyond April include dropping truth bombs, facts, and redefining mainstream history. On April 14, she follows crowds that mill inside Ambedkar Mani Mandapam in Adyar where speeches, music, and beats of parai follow. The joy is palpable in the air. Despite the unbearable heat in summer, there are crowds, the activist says, adding “April is a month of fun and frolic, celebrative and commemorative.”
North of Adyar, on this day, the streets of Vysarpadi reverberate with songs of Ambedkar and are adorned with lights; masses garland his statue in the market nearby and speeches from youth groups — with or without mics — follow. “Our people in Vyasarpadi do not have a strong connection to the term Dalit History Month, but everyone knows Ambedkar’s birthday is on April 14; that day is a day of pride,” says Sarathkumar, one of the founders of tuition centre Vyasai Thozhargal.
Since 2015, the centre has been organising programmes introducing the leader’s ideology to students. “We would focus on education; for the kids of single parents, we would pay the fees and distribute notebooks to all kids. We want to bring awareness about him, what he did for us, and how we can examine him,” explains Sarathkumar.
According to him, “My emotional connection with Ambedkar is big, I can’t explain in words but I can feel it internally; he is an ideology. Dalit History Month is not just about Ambedkar. It is about every leader and comrade who worked towards creating an equal society in every age and generation.”
Joy Andrew marks his new year not by the Gregorian calendar but instead by Ambedkar’s birth anniversary. “I grew up in this society feeling there was nobody, no belonging, without knowing my history or identity, I grew up in a semi-urban space. When I was introduced to Ambedkar I was happy. When April comes, there’s inexplicable happiness,” says Joy, the organiser of the Ambedkar Reading Circle, Chennai Chapter.
As a child, filmmaker Kalpana Ambedkar recalls singing Dalit Subbaiah’s songs praising Babasaheb before and after extra classes, conducted by an NGO, in her village near Sathyamangalam. As the first graduate in her colony, she highlights the importance of liberation and breaking free from shackles.
For Muthamizh Kalai Vizhi, founder and CEO of Neelam Trust, education is a means to break discrimination. Watching her father run a night study centre and reading Marx, Periyar, and Ambedkar inspired her to pursue a career dedicated to uplifting marginalised communities. “April is a time for me to reflect on the principles of equality, social justice, and rational thinking instilled in me by my father and the teachings of Dr Ambedkar,” she says. A first-generation learner and a Dalit woman, she says, her “connection to Dalit history runs deep, reflecting the resilience, resistance, and pursuit of dignity and equality amid centuries of discrimination. My journey to education mirrors the broader struggle of the Dalit community, historically denied access to learning to perpetuate caste-based oppression.”
As the Canadian city of Burlington marks April as Dalit History Month, Ambedkar Mani Mandapam and tuition centers facilitate conversations, histories are being reclaimed and languages to fight oppression are crafted. As Shalin perfectly sums it up, “Globally, Dalits celebrate April 14. We are all united because it’s Babasaheb’s birthday.”
Month matters
Influenced by Black History Month, the Dalit History Month project – with its roots in resistance, solidarity, and liberty – was launched by Dalit women in 2015. Nearly a decade later, this month has evolved but continues to celebrate Babasaheb Ambedkar and other revolutionaries from marginalised communities.