Why did Dr. Ambedkar burn Manusmriti and What was its impact on Dalits and Hindu Society?

 

Why did Dr. Ambedkar burn Manusmriti and What was its impact on Dalits and Hindu Society?

SR Darapuri I.P.S.(Retd)

(“Special on 25 December: Manusmriti Burning Day)

 

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, a pioneering leader in India's Dalit (formerly known as Untouchable) rights movement and the architect of the Indian Constitution, publicly burned copies of the “Manusmriti” (also known as the “Laws of Manu”) on December 25, 1927, during a massive gathering in Mahad, Maharashtra. This event, now commemorated annually as “Manusmriti Dahan Diwas” (Manusmriti Burning Day) or Equality Day, was a pivotal act of symbolic protest rooted in the Mahad Satyagraha—a non-violent campaign demanding Dalits' equal access to public resources, particularly the Chavdar Tank (a water reservoir historically barred to them by upper-caste Hindus).

The “Manusmriti”, an ancient Hindu legal text attributed to the sage Manu (circa 200 BCE–200 CE), outlines the “Chaturvarna” system—a hierarchical social order dividing society into four castes (Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras), with Dalits positioned outside as "untouchables." Ambedkar viewed it as the scriptural foundation of caste-based discrimination, untouchability, and gender inequality, justifying practices like barring lower castes from temples, water sources, and inter-caste marriages. He argued that as long as Hindus revered such texts, genuine reform was impossible, stating in his speech at the event: "It would be futile to expect that any person who revered the Manusmriti could be genuinely interested in the welfare of the Untouchables." His broader aim was not merely to end untouchability but to uproot the entire “Chaturvarna” system at its ideological core, ridiculing orthodox defenders by saying, "They have not read Manusmriti... we will never accept it." Ambedkar likened the burning to revolutionary acts like Gandhi's bonfires of foreign cloth during the independence struggle, emphasizing it as a necessary rejection of oppressive traditions: "If this has become ancient, then why do you have any objection to someone burning it?" He even issued a stark warning: "If unfortunately, Brahminism does not end by burning Manu Smriti, then we will have to either burn the people suffering from Brahmanism or leave Hinduism."

The ceremony itself was defiant: After upper-caste authorities blocked access to venues and supplies, Dalit organizers secured alternative land from a Muslim supporter. Ambedkar arrived by boat to evade transport boycotts, and participants—over 3,000 strong—took oaths affirming equality before the text was ritually torn and burned page by page on an open altar inscribed with slogans like "Bury Brahminism" and "Untouchability should be destroyed." This act was not an attack on all Hindu scriptures (Ambedkar spared texts like the Vedas or Upanishads, which he saw as less prescriptive of caste) but a targeted strike against what he called the "casteist rulebook" enabling systemic oppression.

 Impact on Dalits

The burning was a transformative moment for Dalits, serving as a clarion call for self-assertion and resistance against centuries of dehumanization. It empowered marginalized communities by rejecting the religious legitimacy of their subjugation, framing equality as a non-negotiable right rather than a charitable concession. For the first time, Dalits actively destroyed a sacred symbol of their oppression, fostering a sense of agency and unity—evident in the event's scale and the subsequent resolutions passed, which declared Dalits' equal claim to public spaces and inter-caste solidarity.

This act catalysed broader Dalit mobilization, influencing movements like the temple entry campaigns and Ambedkar's eventual mass conversion to Buddhism in 1956, where nearly 500,000 Dalits renounced Hinduism to escape caste dogma. It laid ideological groundwork for affirmative action policies (reservations) in the Indian Constitution and inspired ongoing Dalit literature, activism, and cultural assertions—such as annual “Dahan Diwas” celebrations that keep the fight against untouchability alive. Today, it remains a beacon for Dalit rights, highlighting persistent issues like caste violence and discrimination, and reinforcing the community's resolve: as one observer noted, "People still face caste-based discrimination in every aspect of their life."

 Impact on Hindu Society

For Hindu society, the burning was profoundly disruptive, exposing fractures in the orthodox framework and igniting fierce backlash while sowing seeds of reform. Upper-caste Hindus, particularly Brahminical elites, decried it as an assault on tradition, with media outlets branding Ambedkar "Bhim Asur" (demon Bhim) and intensifying efforts to suppress Dalit gatherings. This polarization deepened communal tensions in Mahad and beyond, underscoring the chasm between reformist and conservative factions.

Yet, it compelled introspection and debate on caste's scriptural roots, challenging the notion that Hinduism was inherently egalitarian and pressuring leaders like Gandhi to engage more directly with untouchability (though Ambedkar critiqued Gandhi's approach as paternalistic). The event contributed to a wave of social reform, influencing Hindu thinkers to question “Manusmriti's” authority and paving the way for legal changes like the abolition of untouchability in 1950. Its legacy endures in contemporary Hindu society, where it fuels discussions on caste privilege, gender roles (as “Manusmriti” also subordinates women), and secularism—warning against "cultural fascism" from groups like the RSS that revive hierarchical ideals. Ultimately, Ambedkar's act reshaped Hindu discourse, making caste critique a mainstream (if contentious) issue and advancing India's trajectory toward constitutional equality.