The ‘self-dignity’ movement of eighteen seventy three: Caste, protest and social boycott of the Namasudras of Bengal”

In pre-colonial Indian traditional society, lower castes peoples or untouchables were socially discrimination, hated and economically exploited by high caste Hindu elites. Caste system also violates human rights and dignity of untouchable- downtrodden peoples in India. This paper seeks a protest movement of 1873 against caste system and Brahmanism, articulated untouchable caste Namasudras (Chandalas), numerically largest caste group in Hindus society in Eastern Bengal. The Namasudras emerged as strong agricultural community and organized themselves with new hope of well-being, and urge for dignity and self-respect in late 19^th century. The self-dignity movement of 1873 in Bengal was successful in respect of establishing their equality before law of British imperialistic administration.