Bhim Geet and the Ambedkarite Movement: The Genesis of a Cultural Field of Protest
This paper sketches the history of a cultural and artistic music category called Bhim Geet (or Bheem Geet), songs to Bhimrao Ambedkar, principal redactor of the Indian Constitution and political hero of the Dalits. By examining this aesthetic construct and its social milieu, we trace back and uncove...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Centre d’Etudes de l’Inde et de l’Asie du Sud
2023-12-01
|
| Series: | South Asia Multidisciplinary Academic Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.openedition.org/samaj/9014 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850126443664637952 |
|---|---|
| author | Joël Cabalion Julien Jugand |
| author_facet | Joël Cabalion Julien Jugand |
| author_sort | Joël Cabalion |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper sketches the history of a cultural and artistic music category called Bhim Geet (or Bheem Geet), songs to Bhimrao Ambedkar, principal redactor of the Indian Constitution and political hero of the Dalits. By examining this aesthetic construct and its social milieu, we trace back and uncover through the lens of music and artistic performances some of the tensions and stakes the Dalits were up against in Maharashtra from a cultural point of view. What does it entail to sing caste struggles in contemporary India? What does emancipation mean for Dalits, both culturally and aesthetically? Ambedkar’s caste conversion to Buddhism in Nagpur in 1956 is now a relatively well-known episode of India’s postcolonial history. It is less known how the ex-Mahar caste, alternately called Buddhists, neo-Buddhists or Ambedkarites, have reconstructed themselves from an inseparably aesthetic and social point of view. We intend to address this lack and show how circulating cultural practices have enabled the construction of a subaltern kind of nationalism. These practices have also made possible legalist dissent through musical narratives widely influenced by Muslim poetry and musical forms, such as Qawwali, although Hindu devotional styles more commonly found in bhajan and kirtan, which are widespread musical genres in India and beyond, have also had an impact. A small fieldwork video accompanies this article and begins by proposing a few sonic examples to its readers to illustrate this significant variation and pool of influences within the category of Bhim Geet. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ad90336fed244f498b8e52f0bb3d7169 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1960-6060 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Centre d’Etudes de l’Inde et de l’Asie du Sud |
| record_format | Article |
| series | South Asia Multidisciplinary Academic Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-ad90336fed244f498b8e52f0bb3d71692025-08-20T02:33:55ZengCentre d’Etudes de l’Inde et de l’Asie du SudSouth Asia Multidisciplinary Academic Journal1960-60602023-12-013110.4000/11vwtBhim Geet and the Ambedkarite Movement: The Genesis of a Cultural Field of ProtestJoël CabalionJulien JugandThis paper sketches the history of a cultural and artistic music category called Bhim Geet (or Bheem Geet), songs to Bhimrao Ambedkar, principal redactor of the Indian Constitution and political hero of the Dalits. By examining this aesthetic construct and its social milieu, we trace back and uncover through the lens of music and artistic performances some of the tensions and stakes the Dalits were up against in Maharashtra from a cultural point of view. What does it entail to sing caste struggles in contemporary India? What does emancipation mean for Dalits, both culturally and aesthetically? Ambedkar’s caste conversion to Buddhism in Nagpur in 1956 is now a relatively well-known episode of India’s postcolonial history. It is less known how the ex-Mahar caste, alternately called Buddhists, neo-Buddhists or Ambedkarites, have reconstructed themselves from an inseparably aesthetic and social point of view. We intend to address this lack and show how circulating cultural practices have enabled the construction of a subaltern kind of nationalism. These practices have also made possible legalist dissent through musical narratives widely influenced by Muslim poetry and musical forms, such as Qawwali, although Hindu devotional styles more commonly found in bhajan and kirtan, which are widespread musical genres in India and beyond, have also had an impact. A small fieldwork video accompanies this article and begins by proposing a few sonic examples to its readers to illustrate this significant variation and pool of influences within the category of Bhim Geet.https://journals.openedition.org/samaj/9014IndiaAmbedkarinequalitysubalternDalitBhim Geet |
| spellingShingle | Joël Cabalion Julien Jugand Bhim Geet and the Ambedkarite Movement: The Genesis of a Cultural Field of Protest South Asia Multidisciplinary Academic Journal India Ambedkar inequality subaltern Dalit Bhim Geet |
| title | Bhim Geet and the Ambedkarite Movement: The Genesis of a Cultural Field of Protest |
| title_full | Bhim Geet and the Ambedkarite Movement: The Genesis of a Cultural Field of Protest |
| title_fullStr | Bhim Geet and the Ambedkarite Movement: The Genesis of a Cultural Field of Protest |
| title_full_unstemmed | Bhim Geet and the Ambedkarite Movement: The Genesis of a Cultural Field of Protest |
| title_short | Bhim Geet and the Ambedkarite Movement: The Genesis of a Cultural Field of Protest |
| title_sort | bhim geet and the ambedkarite movement the genesis of a cultural field of protest |
| topic | India Ambedkar inequality subaltern Dalit Bhim Geet |
| url | https://journals.openedition.org/samaj/9014 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT joelcabalion bhimgeetandtheambedkaritemovementthegenesisofaculturalfieldofprotest AT julienjugand bhimgeetandtheambedkaritemovementthegenesisofaculturalfieldofprotest |