Caste, and more caste
V. Padma
The Week, 18 Jan 2004

The very name indicates newness: Navayana (new vehicle), finds inspiration from the neo-Buddhism that Dr B.R. Ambedkar embraced. Based in Pondicherry, and founded by activist-theoretician of the Dalit movement Ravikumar and journalist S. Anand, publishing house Navayana seeks to explore issues that mainstream publishers shy away from.

Says Ravikumar, "Mainstream publishers automatically equate caste with Dalit subjects. Navayana, however, shall examine issues of caste hegemony as well as oppression. Our books will interrogate and deconstruct caste supremacy. For instance, one of our books Brahmans and Cricket deals with a subject few dare discuss." Adds Anand, "Caste permeates every aspect of our lives. Yet we talk little of caste. Navayana is about bringing caste out of the closet."

The other Navayana books bear testimony to this commitment. Ambedkar: Autobiographical Notes features Ambedkar's reminiscences of his experiences of untouchability beginning with an incident when he was nine years old. Philosopher of Science Meera Nanda's Postmodernism and Religious Fundamentalism offers a critique of "Hindu science" and demonstrates how right-wing fundamentalist movements draw upon academically fashionable postmodernism. Touchable Tales debates the trends in publishing and reading Dalit literature through interviews with a range of players including Narendra Jadhav, Mini Krishnan, Gail Omvedt and Arundhati Roy.

Navayana has priced these slim books at an affordable Rs 40 to Rs 60.

"We are producing some bigger books as well," says Ravikumar. "Due for April 2004 release is Dalit Diary by Chandra Bhan Prasad, perhaps India's only Dalit columnist in a mainstream newspaper (The Pioneer). The book will feature an introduction by Prof. Kancha Ilaiah and a foreword by Robin Jeffrey, author of India's Newspaper Revolution."

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