Title: Religion of Oppressed, 2021
Medium: Digital
A dalit woman (“lower caste”) is dressed in the Harlem habit. Her chest adorns the red crescent, token to Nation of Islam. Her hands portray the Abhayahasta and Varadahasta postures which signify strength and charity respectively in Hinduism and Buddhism. The hand is slit, reminder of the sacrifice and oppression her blood bears. Several similarities exist between the Civil Rights movement in the US and the movement against Caste oppression in India.One of the aspects to their history is the role of religion. African Americans adopted Christianity to be equals, then modified and altered it. Black Churches and The Nation of Islam were epicentres of the Civil Rights movements.In India, after Independence, B.R. Ambedkar was disappointed with Hinduism. Together with millions he converted to Buddhism. Other movements were Sanskritisation, where Dalits adopted practices and rituals of upper caste Brahmins while others reinterpreted history and literature. Even after so many years of development and progress, an average person of minority continues to face oppression and discrimination, in the US and in India.
