Emergence of Dalit Art entrepreneurs: Exploring anti-caste songs as the new-creative industry in North India

ABSTRACT

Music is the significant factor in the rise of anticaste consciousness and creating a narrative of resistance among Dalit communities. The practice of musical genres like Bhimgeet has witnessed a rise in recent times, claiming dignity and social justice for historically oppressed Dalit communities. The production of anticaste songs has also created a new class of Dalit-Art entrepreneurs who are engaged in the new-creative industry of producing anticaste songs. Through the multiple entrepreneurial examples and in-depth interviews, the paper has discussed what are the different kinds of production houses, music industry that has emerged around anti-caste consciousness in regions of North India. Furthermore, the paper has explored the culture-economy of anticaste songs and how they are gaining popularity in the public memory. The paper conceptualizes Dalit-Art entrepreneurs as part of the new Dalit Middle class and how they are negotiating with caste identities by maintaining solidarity with community members.

KEYWORDS:

• Dalit entrepreneurs
• anticaste songs
• resistance
• music industry
• Dalit Middle class

Acknowledgments

The author is thankful to Vamsi Vakulabharanam, Associate Professor, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, for discussing the paper with the author and for providing necessary inputs.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. Bhimgeet is a colloquial reference to Dalit songs about their icon Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar. Bhimgeet are sung reflecting the reverence to several anti-caste icons; Ambedkar being the most prominent among them.

2. Theodor W. Adorno (2005) in his seminal work “Culture Industry Reconsidered” has discussed the many facets of what the culture-industry constitutes. He has argued that “industry” is more than its literal meaning of standardization of things. In his concept of “two-faced irony” in culture industry, he has argued that culture is not just limited by its production dimension, but people have actively engaged with the consumption. The consciousness of people have largely determined what becomes the part of this culture industry.

3. Ambedkar (2013), (BAWS, Vol 7–2,) refers the untouchables as “Broken men” who are referred to as Antya, Antyaja and Antyavasin within Hindu Shastras (Chapter 4, p. 278). They were forced to live outside villages as a practice of “untouchability” against them. They were kept outside the Chaturvarnya system (four-fold division of society) and were subjected to exclusionary practices like prohibition from inter-dining and inter-marriage.

4. Mission Geet, is the reference to anti-caste songs that were part of the Bahujan “Mission”. Bahujan Mission refers to socio-political anti-caste movement led by Kanshiram. It started as BAMCEF and DS4 and eventually led to formation of Bahujan Samaj Party in India.

5. Raihbar is the Hindi word for mentor or leader. Many of the songs are dedicated to icons who have dedicated their life and works for the eradication of caste inequities. Some of the names include Dr. B.R.Ambedkar, Jyotirao Phule, Sahuji Maharaj to mention a few.

6. Kanshiram was the founder of Dalit Shoshit Samaj Sangharsh Samiti (DS4) and Bahujan Samaj Party. DS4 was a cultural anti-caste movement. A lot of anti-caste music was produced through this organization.

Kalyani. 14 March 2021. The Print. https://theprint.in/opinion/kanshi-ram-jayanti-bahujan-movement-cultural-political/621192/ accessed 21^st December, 2021

7. The “modern” here is used in the sense of coming up Modern state. The influence of modern institutions like bureaucracy, media, state led institutions etc. led to the formation of modern state. As Benedict Anderson (2006) has argued, the emergence of modern nation-state, was a consequence of modern ideas and modern institutions. The emergence of print culture in particular led to the expansion of the modern ideas and philosophy. These modern ideas and philosophy were based on the Renaissance philosophy that discussed equality, rights, justice etc.

8. Mandali refers to group of singers, who often come together for singing purposes. Such agglomeration of singers is particularly witnessed during cultural events like Ravidas Jayanti (Birthday celebration).

9. Ravidas was a Bhakti saint from 15^th century, who is popularly referred to as “Guru” Ravidas. His teachings are inscribed in Guru Granth Sahib. He is revered by Dalit communities for his rejection to superstitions existing in religion.

10. Sanskar TV channel is exclusively devoted to Hindu devotional and spiritual programs. The channel was started in June 2000 by Sanskar Info TV Private Ltd.

11. Bhajan refers to the devotional songs. Guru Ravidas Bhajan refers to devotional songs dedicated to Saint Ravidas, who was an anti-caste thinker. Ravidasiya is a popular music genre particularly in regions of Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.

12. Ragini music is the genre of music that is popular in the regions of Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh.

13. The practice of Birha music is more popular in Eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Birha is one of the rich sources of knowledge of the local community that is often passed on by oral traditions. Jassal (2012) argues that Birha songs carry within themselves “cultural codes” through which daily negotiations of caste identity can be understood.

14. The Alha music tradition is a group activity in which singing is done in the form of a Ballad. Alha is an oral epic that tells folklore of icons, love stories, significant battles, etc., that are then passed on through this oral tradition.

15. Noor Records. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFBSdM6LLIZeokwQnifEFAw access dated 21 July 2021.

16. Ronki Ram (2016) in his discussion on Ravidassia Dharm has highlighted the significance of Dera Sachkhand Ballan in formally establishing Ravidassia Dharm on 30 January 2010. The association of Dalit with Deras was to claim their cultural heritage through practices like ceremonies, prayers, Katha, folklores etc. The cultural assertion through such practices was a way for Dalit empowerment, self-respect and social upliftment.

17. DS Music. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz_q2547B8z_X2lA51x4LhA access dated 21 July 2021.

18. Ginni Mahi. https://youtu.be/H5XzHJBNyoI access date 21 December 2021.

19. Mtrack Entertainment. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb9_Lr2505Rlxy0DnsQcfAQ accessed 20 July 2021.

20. Ashoka Entertainers. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBZNE6yIPI9dHDhXo6JeqGQ accessed 20 July 2021.

21. Taj Entertainment. https://www.youtube.com/user/TajEntertainemnt accessed 20 July 2021.

22. King Star Canada. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCybIKrgxnuleWu7jUBsXtsA accessed 20 July 2021.

23. Live Lord Buddha Musical Program. https://www.facebook.com/Live-Lord-Buddha-Musical-Programme-Milander-Gautam-159912731167571 accessed 12 July 2021.

24. Youth for Buddhist India. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQeQt_cYuMg&t=907s accessed 23 July 2021.

25. Kalyani. 10 January 2021. Why Dalit-Bahujan Icons of Cultural Resistance are under attack. Newsclick.

https://www.newsclick.in/why-dalit-bahujan-icons-cultural-resistance-under-attack access 21st December 2021

26. Asianet News Hindi. 14 August 2020. https://hindi.asianetnews.com/uttar-pradesh/after-covid-19-pandemic-bahujan-samaj-soldiers-of-kanshiram-s-mission-kishor-kumar-pagala-in-worst-condition-kpm-qf1v9j accessed 21 December 2021.