Annihilation of Caste: Preface & Gandhi's Response

Annihilation of Caste With A Reply to Mahatma Gandhi

• This version is printed from the third edition of 1944.

Preface to the Second Edition

• The speech was prepared for the Jat-Pat-Todak Mandal of Lahore.
• The reception from the Hindu Public was surprisingly warm.
• The English edition of 1,500 copies sold out in two months.
• It was translated into Gujarati and Tamil and being translated into Marathi, Hindi, Punjabi and Malayalam.
• History and effectiveness of the appeal led to retaining the speech form, despite requests to recast it as a direct narrative.
• There are two appendices in the second edition.
• Appendix I includes Mr. Gandhi's two articles reviewing the speech in the "Harijan" and a letter to Mr. Sant Ram.
• Appendix II features the author's replies to Gandhi's articles.
• Many others criticized the speech.
• The focus was limited to Mr. Gandhi.
• The world owes much to rebels.

Preface to the Third Edition

• The second edition appeared in 1937 and quickly sold out.
• Intended to incorporate another essay, "Castes in India, their Origin and their Mechanism," from the May 1917 issue of the Indian Antiquary Journal.
• Demand from the public was very insistent.
• This edition will only be a reprint of the second edition due to time constraints.

Prologue

• December 12, 1935, a letter from Mr. Sant Ram, Secretary of the Jat-Pat-Todak Mandal was received.
• The Mandal wanted to eradicate the Caste System from amongst Hindus.
• The author does not like to participate in movements carried on by Caste Hindus
• Differing attitudes towards social reform make it difficult to work with them.
• The Mandal first approached, declining the invitation to preside due to uncongenial feelings and differences of opinion.
• The author agreed to preside, but the Reception Committee of the Mandal cancelled the Conference long after printing the presidential address.
• The Annual Conference was to be held at Lahore.
• The Conference was to meet in Easter, but was subsequentially postponed to the middle of May 1936.
• A dispute arose over the printing of the address. -Insistence upon printing it in Bombay, while the Mandal preferred Lahore due to economy.
• A letter was received, signed by several Mandal members, expressing disappointment and opposition from Hindus in Punjab to his invitation.
• Individuals like Bhai Parmanand, MLA, Mahatma Hans Raj, and Dr. Gokal Chand Narang dissociated from the Mandal
• The Mandal insisted on proceeding despite opposition.
• Doubts arose about the Mandal's motivations, particularly regarding the printing of address
• There was pressure to omit certain passages, especially the word "Veda".
• It was requested to clarify that the views in the address were his own, not the Mandal's.
• The Conference was postponed again, but it would have been better to keep it for April 25th and 26th because of the weather
• There is a request to omit passages and close with what was given or add a few paragraphs on Brahminism
• It would be beneficial to get together persons of the same cult.
• Limited the address was condescended as well help at this juncture as we had already undergone postpenses.
• The Mandal would “prefer to postpone the Conference sine die" if I insisted upon printing the address in toto.
• Insisted on printing in toto cancelled the honor of presiding liberty of a President President was canceled because views of president
• Mr. Sant Ram acknowledged the view that the breaking up of the Caste System involved destroying the religious foundation, and prompted request for clarification on this "novel point of view"
• It was felt that some arguments like an attack on the Vedas were irrelevant.
• If the Mandal insisted on certain amendments, I also would prefer the Conference cancelled.
• In the final decision you give liberty president owes conference principle compromise it controversy views are not liked by conference
• The writer was invited to preside over a Conference of Hindu Castes which ended tragically.
• What can any one expect from a relationship between Caste Hindus and Untouchables where neither sector wants to alienate the orthodox followers?

This text discusses the prefaces to various editions of 'Annihilation of Caste' and includes Mahatma Gandhi's response to the book. It highlights the book's impact, translations, and the author's replies to criticism, particularly from Gandhi. The text emphasizes the importance of rebels in societal change.