Dignity, Daggers and Disgrace

This collection of fictional letters reflects the reforming zeal of a female Chitpaavan Brahmin sociologist and her colleagues. The book puts its message across by means of letters, reports, the synopsis of a play with a hard-hitting social message, and the colourful retelling of battles and intrigues from Indian history. It reflects a range of strongly held opinions ? on caste, Gandhi, the reservation system, and on the responsibilities of the educated to improve the lot of others. Dr Suttker exposes the hypocrisy of the white-collar social and political vested interests. She exhorts Hindus to improve their personal hygiene. She aims to goad the Kshatriya politicians and lawmakers into removing injustices and to cleanse the Hindu cultural heritage of the glaring disgrace that is the lot of the lowly sweeper caste ? the Dalits or ?untouchables?. She campaigns for the introduction of modern sewage disposal systems so that the sweepers no longer have to remove human waste manually from Indian homes. Dr Suttker is following the example of nineteenth-century Brahmin social reformers in pushing for long-overdue changes.