Abstract
This chapter will move away from the more apparent differences between Ambedkar and Gandhi to examine the differences between their conceptions of memory, history and itihaas. While the modern discipline of history involves “measure” and a third-party judgement of the past; Itihaas or it so happened, is a retelling of what happened in the past without any attempt at a third party adjudication by measure. The chapter will argue that Ambedkar’s self-understanding was “present-centred” and that he saw the past as history and made forays into it by writing two histories—that of the Shudras and of the untouchables. For the old-world Gandhi however there was no writing of history only the telling of an itihaas of a people/nation.
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Notes
- 1.
Gandhi 1888–1948, refers to the Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi. The volume concerned and the page numbers from which citations from Gandhi are drawn have been mentioned within parentheses. These have been mentioned to indicate the exact location of the quotation in the electronic edition of the Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi. However, for the purposes of reference, it may be noted that I have resourced these volumes from the Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi: Volumes 1 to 98. New Delhi: Publications Division Government of India, 1999. Accessed online in May 2021 at https://www.gandhiashramsevagram.org/gandhiliterature/collected-works-of-mahatma-gandhi-volume-1-to-98.php.
- 2.
Ambedkar 2014, refers to the 17 volumes of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar writings and Speeches. The volume concerned and the page numbers from which citations have been drawn have been mentioned within parentheses. These have been mentioned to indicate the exact location of the quotation in the 17 volumes. However, for the purposes of reference, it may be noted that I have resourced these volumes from Ambedkar, B.R. 2014. Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar writings and Speeches, edited by Vasant Moon (set of 17 Volumes). New Delhi: Dr Ambedkar Foundation. Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. Government of India.
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Puri, B. (2022). Memory, History and Itihaas: Ambedkar and Gandhi. In: The Ambedkar–Gandhi Debate. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-8686-3_2
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