Significance Of The Spirituality Of The Marginalised
J. Arokia Dass S. J.
Almost all major religions have a group of people called marginalised, like Sutras, Dalits and Tribals who are mercilessly discriminated and suppressed by their own religion and spirituality. Tax collectors and sinners of Judaism, and Sutras of Hinduism are some of the religion-made marginalised people. But on the other hand, the marginalised themselves have their own indigenous religion and spiritualties, born out of their wounded experiences. Their spirituality is entirely different from that of the major and classical religions. In this write-up, I like to discuss on some of the unique characteristics of the ‘Spirituality of the Marginalised’ and its emancipatory potential. Though the subject covers a vast area, yet some of its salient features will link those diversity closely.
Spirituality of the Marginalised
The spirituality of the marginalised stems from their experiences of success, failure, births, deaths, relationships, wellbeing and sickness, which shape how a person transcends these experiences. Antonio Gramsci, in Prison Note Book, mentions the ‘inner life’ of the subaltern which transforms their sufferings into an action of liberation. The struggle for an egalitarian society is the beauty of the subaltern spirituality. Folk deities of the marginalized like Madurai Veeran, Ondi Veeran, Veeranar, Karuppusamy, Kanniyamman, Esakkiyaman and others had really fought against unjust structure, got killed and thus became deities of their clan. Hence, they become their protectors, providers and role models. These deities are not somewhere sitting in far-away heavens; they are with the people, participating in their joys and sufferings. Therefore, the spirituality of the marginalized is deeply rooted in the life experience of the past and present. Three significant features could be identified.
1. Existential in Nature
The Spirituality of the marginalized is essentially an existential spirituality because of their social discrimination, economic exploitation, educational deprivation and political exclusion. Classical religions and Sacred Scriptures are pushing them to the periphery. So their experience of life is more of deceitful anguish and anxiety. Hence, they want to experience the values of the reign of God ‘here and now’, because the ‘Now’ reality of them is obviously an oppressed reality. So they look for an existential spirituality where the religion and deities are imminently available and tangibly accessible. Folk deities are closer to their way of life than the classical deities.
2. Quest for Self-dignity
Christians believe that their dignity comes from God, since all human beings are created in His ‘image and likeness’ (Gen.1:27). God himself intervenes if anything or anyone destroys his ‘image and likeness’ (Exod.3:5–7). The marginalized people also have the same quest for dignity. Dr. Ambedkar observed that the untouchables occupied a poor and lowly status in Hindu religion and society. He was convinced that Buddhism was the best religion for his people and embraced Buddhism along with thousands of his followers (1956). The quest is found even now among the subaltern people. Most often, the victims of caste/ communal violence used say, “It should never happen to anyone else, as it had happened to me.” This sentiment of the marginalized highlights the new dimension of their spirituality i.e. ‘from victim to winner’ of new social life where self-dignity is revered as a high virtue.
3. Assertion of Identity
Another important dimension of the marginalized people’s spirituality is ‘Assertion of their identity.’ Historically they have never been identified as fellow human beings, but by their caste identities which is to humiliate and dehumanise them. A small boy of a ‘high caste family’ used call the elderly person of a ‘low caste family’ by his name and caste. This situation started changing after mass conversion of Dr. Ambedkar, the rationalist movement of Periyar and the political awakening of the marginalized after the birth centenary celebration of Ambedkar. These external factors enkindled the ‘inner’ life of the marginalized people to a larger extent. Now they are able assert their identity and organize themselves as a political force.
Conclusion
The spirituality of the marginalized has got several existential dimensions for the present as well as transcendental dimensions for the future. It gives meaning to their life, motivation to their struggles and orientation to their future. It gives neither an empty promise of a utopian world nor complicated philosophies for present world. It dynamically travels with the marginalized and it enhances them with a hope-filled future. In the words of Jon Sobrino, Latin American liberation theologian, “Hope is the seed of liberation” and we shall walk towards this liberation by imbibing with the ‘Spirituality of the Marginalized.’
About the Author:
J. Arokia Dass S. J. is systematic theologian, teaching in Jesuit regional theologate — Arul Kadal, Chennai. He is a member of Tamilnadu — Pudchery Bar council and member of MH Bar council. He has Master’s Degree in comparative religion and philosophy from the University of Madras.
