Author: Sujatha Gidla
There are plenty of books written about untouchables and the Indian Caste System. This one is different. Sujatha comes from a Christian Untouchable family and until I read this book, I didn’t realize that this could be a big problem. In theory, the caste system does not apply to Christianity. However, as you will discover in this book, it is so deeply rooted in India that even God can’t help fix this.
Until I was halfway through the book, I didn’t realize that Sujatha’s Uncle was one of the pioneers in the Marxist movement in Andhra Pradesh. A good portion of the book covers his entry into politics and his struggle with the leadership. It is also amusing to read about her mother’s discovery that there are Christians who are not Untouchable in India. Another eye-opener to me was the many different untouchable castes and how there is a pecking order among them as well. There are Gollas who are cattle herders and Malas who are servants. These are probably at the top of the untouchable ladder. The bottom rungs have the Upparis, who are diggers, then come the Pakis who clean latrines. The lowest rung is reserved for the Madigas who haul dead animals. You will also become familiar with the wealthy landowners who are either Reddys or Kammas and the Kuppas who are wealthy agriculturists.
Overall, the book gave me a peek into the horrible conditions that untouchables face in India today.
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