1 novembre 2017
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ , info:eu-repo/semantics/OpenAccess
Pramod Ranjan et al., « Mahishasur: Un héros du peuple », HAL-SHS : histoire des religions, ID : 10670/1.zcr11r
The book Mahishasur Ek Jannayak, edited in Hindi by journalist and researcher Pramod Ranjan, is a compilation of articles by scholars, journalists, Dalit thinkers and sociologists. It lends credence to the view that Mahishasur was an opponent of Aryan culture and had fought against Aryan oppression. But as their culture was dominant, Aryans painted Mahishasur as a demon, turning him into an object of hatred.The articles compiled in the book endorse the view that the elite class deliberately distorted the image of the heroes of Dalits and lower castes. The projection of Mahishasur as a demon was part of the Aryans’ strategy of oppression. History, however, tells a different tale. The Brahmins wrote all the religious scriptures, including the Vedas and the Puranas, and they are basically anti-Dalit. They were meant to culturally enslave the Dalits and blunt their consciousness. This is continuing even today.Shudras, Dalits and Tribals had their own heroes. After the Aryans conquered and enslaved the Dalits, they projected the Dalit heroes as villains so that the people would begin hating them. This was the objective behind the creation of the mythological story of goddess Durga’s victory over Mahishasur. An analysis of the etymology of the words “sur” and “asur” shows that Asur was, in fact, a primitive tribe whose members still survive in many parts of the country.The book challenges centuries-old beliefs and traditions by treating them as cultural concepts that were devised to strengthen the exploitative structure and to perpetuate the slavery of Dalit and backward castes. The editor has fulfilled a crying need of contemporary history. The book is an eye-opener.- Veena Bhatiya, “A book that destroys prejudices”, Forward PressThe English translation of this book has also been published with the title "Mahishasur: A People's Hero". The English translation can be found at HAL here: https://hal.science/hal-03834426/