Abstract
The chapter explores the following questions—how do migrant Dalits establish themselves in a metro city? How do they de-stigmatise their locality and self and, in the process, transform caste-based social relations? What role does a Dalit-majority locality play in challenging caste? Drawing from fieldwork conducted in a Valmiki neighbourhood in the easternmost suburb of Mumbai, I show how Valmikis transformed an uninhabitable place of land into a vibrant space for the self that tackles caste at multiple levels. The Valmiki have marked their locality physically and, coupled with numerical strength, are in a position to negotiate dignity and claim a share in urbanism. In everyday life, the Valmikis in the locality deploy caste as an identity and mobiliser tool to resist everyday casteism. I conclude by suggesting that it appears that urban spaces, in general, and one’s locality, in particular, are providing spaces for Dalits to address the caste question and generate a claim for equal citizenship.
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Notes
- 1.
Samta in Hindi means equality. I use this pseudonym for this settlement to underline the residents’ hope of achieving equality in a city space. All names used in this chapter for persons and places are pseudonyms.
- 2.
A dada is a local gang leader who uses his money and muscle power to maintain his dominance in the locality.
- 3.
The ABSVNS is the oldest, registered, national Valmiki organization, set up in 1940 in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh. The SN chapter opened in 1996.
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Acknowledgements
I owe the greatest debt to the Valmikis in Samta Nagar, who participated in the research and shared their stories. For constructive comments and suggestions on improving this chapter in its earlier forms, I am extremely grateful to Hugo Gorringe, Suryakant Waghmore, Joel Lee, Kanthi Swaroop, Ketaki Hate, and Yashwant Zagade.
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Chalwadi, R. (2023). (Re)Constructing Spatial and Social Relations: Valmikis of Mumbai and Their Everyday Challenge to Caste. In: Bhoi, D., Gorringe, H. (eds) Caste in Everyday Life. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-30655-6_12
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