Nayonika Sen Week 8

Powers of visual imagery: Ambedkar Statues and Dalit Monuments

             The two readings prescribed for this week were meant to initiate a dialogue about the politics of statues, monuments, and other public buildings. There's politics in the location of the structures, the materials used to make it, and of course the very subject of the structures. It was extremely interesting to read about Mayawati's work in UP, specifically Lucknow where she built several public parks and monuments honouring Ambedkar and other Dalit social leaders. The second reading on understanding the symbolism of the image and politics of Ambedkar statues in UP only confirmed what the intentions behind placing statues even are. 

              Mayawati emerged as a cult figure in UP, a revolutionary in respect of being a Dalit Woman Chief Minister of India's largest state. She went on a rampage building several public parks, massive monumental structures and buildings to, what the author calls, 'fabricate heritage' of Dalits. Where it's understood that monuments and buildings have historically been made to honour royalty and kings and rulers, Mayawati's attempt was to reclaim public spaces for who are the majority of the people. To create a 'subaltern memory of shared glorious past', to instill in a community shunned for centuries, a sense of pride. Heroes, Saints, Social reformers. These structures and statues aimed to claim symbolic capital; often by deifying personalities such as that of Ambedkar. It isn't a unique political move, the concept of 'Mahapurush' has pre-existed. But it also favoured her own personality cult. In the heart of the city of Nawabs, are the public parks which are built of solid stone, as though embedding and asserting their permanence. Built in the form of Buddhist structures, in light of Ambedkar's embracing of it. But what did the public make of it? Most of the visitors were mainly upper-caste people urban people. They considered it 'beautification' and a significant numbers of people claimed that they weren't there to gain a caste consciousness but simply for leisure; although the nomenclature of the structures is what intrigued them to find out some history: 'Ambedkar Sthal', 'Kanshi Ram Sthal' etc. They objected to Mayawati's statue being placed among them as equals.The success of these endeavours may be challenged. 

              Nicolas Joul too tried to understand the politics of public receptions to Ambedkar through his statues in UP. From the role of Mayawati, to the Dalit Panthers and the RPI. Symbolic politics. The opposition Ambedkar has faced has essentially been for being anti-Hindu and embracing 'Western' attires over the Indian ones. The Dalits have given a new meaning to Ambedkar's Constitution as one that replaces the Hindu laws of Caste, hence the picture of Ambedkar holding the Constitution becomes crucial. But, there's been repeated attempts to appropriate Ambedkar by right-wing Hindu Nationalist groups proclaiming that Buddhism is essentially just Hinduism; Buddha a reincarnate of Krishna. These statues stand as assertions of Dalit consciousness and identity. And have strongly been opposed by those still fighting to maintain the caste order starting from public officials to political parties like the Congress.

Nayonika Sen