Who Were the Shudras?

Who Were the Shudras? 1946 book by Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar on the history of the Shudra (lowest) Varna of the Indian caste system. The book is dedicated to Jyotirao Phule and seeks to dispel the idea that in India, Shudras are an untouchable caste. Ambedkar references Indian texts such as The Vedas and Mahabharata, among others, to suggest that the Shudras were really Aryan rulers who were demoted to a lower caste after a protracted struggle with the Brahmans. Ambedkar also analyses the Aryan race theory and disagrees with the widely accepted Indo-Aryan migration narrative in the history of the race. The book debunks beliefs and ideas and aims to foster compassion for a caste in India that is misunderstood and mistreated.