Inter-Caste Dynamics in Mulk Raj Anand's Untouchable: A Critical Study

Journal of Research and Development A Multidisciplinary International Level Referred and Double Blind Peer Reviewed, Open Access ISSN : 2230-9578 | Website: https://jrdrvb.org Volume-17, Issue-11(I)| November 2025 207 Inter-Caste Dynamics in Mulk Raj Anand’s Untouchable: A Critical Study Arun Shrirang Sonkamble (M.A.(ENGLISH) NET, SET, B.Ed.) Assistant Professor, Dept. English (Business Communication) PES’s Dr. Ambedkar College of Commerce and Economics Wadala, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India Manuscript ID: JRD -2025-171142 ISSN: 2230-9578 Volume 17 Issue 11 (I) Pp. 207-210 Nov. 2025 Submitted:15 Oct. 2025 Revised: 25 Oct. 2025 Accepted: 10 Nov. 2025 Published: 30 Nov. 2025 Abstract Mulk Raj Anand's Untouchable (1935) is still one of the most significant literary analyses of caste discrimination in Indian English literature. Written during a period of intense sociopolitical turmoil, the story provides an unusual one-day glimpse into the life of Bakha, a young sweeper child labelled as "untouchable." This study critically examines the novel's depictions of inter-caste relations, demonstrating how caste shows itself through spatial segregation, labour hierarchy, everyday violence, psychological trauma, and political societal reform. The article also places the novel in the larger sociohistorical backdrop of colonial India and the growth of anti-caste movements. Through the lens of literary realism and humanist ethics, Anand's work is seen to be a forceful condemnation of the caste system as a dehumanising social framework. Keywords: caste discrimination, labour hierarchy, anti-caste movements, condemnation of caste system. Introduction: Caste-based segregation has long been the foundation of Indian society, influencing social interactions, work divisions, and identity politics for generations. One of the most persistent and oppressive social structures is caste dynamics, particularly the exclusion of Dalits, who have historically been referred to as "untouchables." Mulk Raj Anand's Untouchable is among the first and most potent narrative interventions in this area. Untouchable, which was published in 1935, tells the story of a single day in the life of Bakha, a young sweeper kid whose experiences serve as a microcosm of the institutionalised violence against underprivileged groups. Anand's book highlights interactions between different castes and the systems that influence them, highlighting the conflicts, biases, and inconsistencies present in caste-based social interactions. This paper explores the inter-caste relationships in Untouchable, contending that Anand reveals the moral inconsistencies of a culture based on rituals of contamination and purity in addition to highlighting the widespread nature of caste discrimination. Anand shows how caste permeates every aspect of social life, from physical space to labour, from food distribution to interpersonal relationships, from religious authority to political discourse, through Bakha's interactions with upper-caste Hindus, Christians, Muslims, British soldiers, and fellow outcasts. Socio-Historical Background: Caste and Colonial Modernity: It is crucial to take into account the sociohistorical setting in which Anand was writing in order to comprehend the inter-caste dynamics in Untouchable. Several forces came together in the early 20th century. Bhimrao Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar was one of the most prominent leaders to oppose the caste systems through his many agitations. Gandhi also ran campaign against untouchability to some extent. criticism of Hindu social customs during colonialism, and contemporary Hindu social reform movements were also significant during this century. Gandhian philosophy and Anand's own socialist-humanist viewpoint both had an impact on his writing. Quick Response Code: Website: https://jrdrvb.org/ DOI: Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) This is an open access journal, and articles are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International Public License, which allows others to remix, tweak, and build upon the work noncommercially, as long as appropriate credit is given and the new creations ae licensed under the idential terms. Address for correspondence: Arun Shrirang Sonkamble, (M.A.(ENGLISH) NET, SET, B.Ed.), Assistant Professor, Dept. English (Business Communication), PES’s Dr. Ambedkar College of Commerce and Economics, Wadala, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. How to cite this article: Arun Shrirang Sonkamble (2025). Inter-Caste Dynamics in Mulk Raj Anand’s Untouchable: A Critical Study. Journal of Research & Development, 17(11(I)), 207-210. Original Article Journal of Research and Development A Multidisciplinary International Level Referred and Double Blind Peer Reviewed, Open Access ISSN : 2230-9578 | Website: https://jrdrvb.org Volume-17, Issue-11(I)| November 2025 208 He saw how, in spite of the establishment of contemporary institutions like industries, railroads, and colonial bureaucracy, caste connections continued. This paradox serves as the setting for Untouchable, which depicts a civilisation on the verge of change but imprisoned by archaic societal norms. The novel's realism is due in part to Anand's journalistic methodology. He spent time visiting sweeper communities to guarantee an accurate depiction of their realities. Thus, the work serves as both a literary and ethnographic depiction of caste in colonial India. Caste-based oppression: In Untouchable, Mulk Raj Anand exposes the harsh and dehumanizing conditions under which Bakha, a young Dalit boy, lives. His everyday existence is shaped by a rigid caste system that denies him dignity, equality, and basic human rights. He uses Bakha’s daily life to expose the cruelty embedded in the caste system, showing how oppression functions not only through physical abuse but through constant, normalized humiliation. Bakha’s status as an “untouchable” force him to live in fear of accidental contact, turning simple human actions—walking, fetching water, or working—into potential sources of punishment. The novel critiques how society uses religion, tradition, and notions of purity to justify violence, while denying people like Bakha any voice or dignity. Through Bakha’s internal conflict— his longing for respect, his admiration for modernity, and his helplessness in the face of entrenched prejudice—Anand reveals how caste oppression damages a person’s sense of self as much as their social position. Ultimately, Bakha becomes a symbol of how deeply injustice is woven into everyday life, and how urgently such structures need to be questioned and transformed. In Untouchable, humiliation, abuse, and exclusion shape every aspect of Bakha’s existence, revealing how deeply caste prejudice governs social life. He is routinely shamed for simply moving through public spaces, forced to announce his presence as though his very being is a threat, and subjected to violence when an upper-caste man claims Bakha has polluted him. Even basic necessities like water become tools of exclusion, as he must wait for someone of a higher caste to pour it for him while enduring insults. The attempted assault on Sohini by the temple priest further exposes how the system protects oppressors and blames the powerless. Together, these experiences show a society where discrimination is not an occasional cruelty but a daily, institutionalized reality that strips Bakha and his community of dignity, safety, and belonging. Bakha’s community is forced to live in an isolated, neglected settlement that reflects how the caste system pushes them to the margins both physically and socially. Their living area lacks proper sanitation, clean water, and adequate housing, not because help is unavailable but because society chooses to deny these facilities to those considered “polluting.” This enforced separation keeps them out of sight and reinforces their inferior status, making deprivation seem normal and justified. Anand uses this bleak environment to show that caste oppression operates not only through open insults and violence but also through systematic neglect, which strips people like Bakha of comfort, safety, and the basic conditions needed for a dignified life. Social Hierarchy: Mulk Raj Anand reveals how Indian society's inflexible social hierarchy confines people to set identities from which they are unable to break free. Bakha's life demonstrates how the caste system operates with unquestionable authority, determining a person's value, employment, and social distance even before they are able to make decisions for themselves. Because they were born into a "low" caste, persons like Bakha are forced to perform dehumanising labour and endure continual humiliation, whilst members of upper castes enjoy privilege, respect, and freedom. Discrimination appears normal rather than harsh because of this intricately interwoven order, which is maintained by custom, religion, and daily activities. In addition to dividing society, Anand's representation shows how such a structure eliminates the prospect of equality or human dignity for those at the bottom. Anand demonstrates how Dalits are forced into the most humiliating jobs and viewed as intrinsically inferior only by virtue of their birth. Bakha's employment as a sweeper is not a choice; rather, it is a function that society has forced upon him since it believes that members of his caste exist solely to carry out activities that others view as immoral. The social order prevents him from undertaking any other work, regardless of his intelligence, diligence, or ambition. Because upper-caste people exploit his employment to bolster their own sense of superiority, this forced link with dirt becomes a reason for additional insults, exclusion, and cruelty. The story uses Bakha's experiences to illustrate how caste oppression works by limiting Dalits to low-paying jobs and then using those same jobs as evidence of their alleged inferiority. Anand emphasises how the caste structure itself is responsible for the economic divide between the higher and lower castes. People like Bakha live in poverty with no chance of advancement, whereas upper-caste families have steady wages, cosy homes, and social security. Their lack of resources, such as clean water, adequate housing, or sanitary facilities, further restricts their chances to improve their life, and their low-paying, dehumanising jobs leave them stuck in a state of financial instability. In the meantime, the upper castes rely on the labour of those they view as inferior for their wealth and comfort, establishing a cycle in which privilege is passed down just as tightly as oppression. Anand illustrates how caste is both a social barrier and an economic trap that sustains inequity over generations by depicting this division. Journal of Research and Development A Multidisciplinary International Level Referred and Double Blind Peer Reviewed, Open Access ISSN : 2230-9578 | Website: https://jrdrvb.org Volume-17, Issue-11(I)| November 2025 209 Internalized Oppression: The way Bakha unintentionally absorbs society's assessments of his caste and frequently views himself through the identical prism of inferiority that others impose on him is an example of internalised oppression. Despite his desire for modernity, cleanliness, and dignity, he frequently places the blame for his humiliations on himself rather than the system. He feels guilty of his alleged "low" status rather than the injustices done to him during abusive moments, demonstrating how deeply caste ideology has permeated his sense of self. He believes that respect can only come from outside his community and never from the society he was born into, as evidenced by his fondness for the British, whom he associates with justice and sophistication. Anand uses Bakha's self-doubt and internal struggle to show how oppression is most harmful when the oppressed start to believe the falsehoods that support their oppression. Intersectionality: Anand investigates how caste oppression, economic class, and colonial presence combine to further marginalise people like Bakha. His low caste forces him into menial labour, rendering him economically powerless and socially excluded, while British colonial rule adds another layer of aspiration and alienation—Bakha admires the soldiers' discipline, cleanliness, and authority, viewing them as symbols of dignity denied to him at home. The colonial gaze both fascinates and emphasises his own servitude, as he compares himself to the authority systems imposed by foreigners and insiders alike. Through this interplay, Anand demonstrates that oppression is not one-dimensional: caste, poverty, and colonial hierarchies work together to imprison Bakha in a web of social and psychological disadvantage, demonstrating how many systems of dominance reinforce one another. In Untouchable, Anand illustrates how social, religious, and economic systems work together to maintain inequality and keep marginalized communities, like Bakha’s, at the bottom of society. The caste system assigns individuals rigid roles, denying them choice or mobility, while religious customs justify discrimination and normalize exclusion. Economic structures reinforce this hierarchy by restricting Dalits to low-paying, degrading work, ensuring they remain dependent and powerless. Even public institutions and communal spaces are organized to reinforce segregation, denying access to clean water, temples, and education. Through Bakha’s experiences, the novel shows that oppression is not the result of isolated incidents but of interconnected systems that systematically deny dignity, opportunity, and equality to certain groups, making marginalization seem natural and permanent. He emphasises how the upper castes deliberately maintain and enforce a repressive social system, ensuring that injustice against Dalits goes unchallenged. They exercise their power through verbal abuse, physical punishment, and social isolation, viewing people like Bakha as intrinsically inferior and "polluting." Even minor offences, such as accidental contact, are treated with exaggerated humiliation, fostering fear and submission. The higher castes use religious and cultural traditions to justify their domination, presenting discrimination as moral or divine law. The story illustrates via Bakha's experiences that those in authority not only tolerate but actively support systematic oppression, ensuring that inequalities and social hierarchies remain unchecked. Critical Perspectives: Mulk Raj Anand's Untouchable is largely regarded as a pioneering literary critique of India's caste system, with a focus on both its social and psychological effects. Critics argue that Anand reveals the everyday injustices encountered by Dalits—humiliation, isolation, and forced menial labour—while also demonstrating how caste ideology pervades all aspects of life, from religious rituals to public encounters. Many interpretations stress Anand's emphasis on the human cost of caste: the work depicts not just physical deprivation, but also internalised oppression and the degradation of self-esteem among the marginalised. Furthermore, historians frequently point out that Anand criticises the role of both society and religion in perpetuating injustice, describing the caste order as a systemic, institutionalised type of violence rather than individual acts of cruelty. These readings believe that Anand uses Bakha's experiences to advocate for social transformation and empathy, making the novel both a sociological document and a moral argument against established inequalities. The novel exposes the cruelty and injustice perpetrated on Dalits by the caste system, emphasising the urgency of social transformation. The story uses Bakha's daily experiences of humiliation, isolation, and menial labour to show how inflexible societal hierarchies deny basic human dignity and perpetuate inequity. Anand not only depicts the agony caused by entrenched customs, but also emphasises society's moral obligation to investigate and reform these practices. By demonstrating the psychological and physical consequences of caste discrimination, the story pleads for empathy, equality, and the destruction of discriminatory structures, making the novel a compelling cry to social awareness and revolutionary reform. The novel is regarded as a milestone in Indian literature because it forces readers to confront the terrible realities of caste tyranny and societal injustice. By focussing on Bakha, a young Dalit, Anand exposes the systemic humiliation, isolation, and exploitation that marginalised populations face—experiences that are frequently disregarded or normalised in society. The novel's unwavering representation of inequity, combined with its humanising portrayal of Bakha's hopes, anxieties, and dignity, compels readers to consider ingrained prejudices and moral duty. Untouchable not only recounts the socioeconomic realities of early twentieth-century India, but it also inspires empathy, awareness, and the questioning of repressive customs, cementing its reputation as a critical book advocating social consciousness and reform. Journal of Research and Development A Multidisciplinary International Level Referred and Double Blind Peer Reviewed, Open Access ISSN : 2230-9578 | Website: https://jrdrvb.org Volume-17, Issue-11(I)| November 2025 210 Conclusion: In Untouchable, Mulk Raj Anand critically reveals how caste discrimination shapes every facet of Dalits' lives, including Bakha, through complex social, economic, and psychological factors. The story illustrates both human prejudice and the institutional enforcement of hierarchy by depicting exclusion, humiliation, and forced labour, exposing the pervasiveness of inequality. In the end, Anand's writing is a potent plea for social consciousness, compassion, and change, challenging readers to confront long-standing discriminatory systems and envision a world that is more just and equal. References: 1. Anand, M. R. (1935). Untouchable. Penguin Books. 2. B.R. Ambedkar (1936). Annihilation of Caste. 3. Kumar, R. (2015). Caste and Colonialism in Mulk Raj Anand's Untouchable. Journal of South 4. Asian Studies, 38(2), 245-258. 5. Singh, S. (2018). Representation of Caste in Mulk Raj Anand's Untouchable. International Journal of Research in Humanities and Social Sciences, 6(1), 1-6.