Untouchability in Anand's novel

Anand strikes deep at the roots of untouchability in his novel- Untouchable. The protagonist of the novel is young Bakha, a lad of eighteen who cleans laterines. Sohini is Bakha's sister. They are born in a family of laterine cleaners which exists at the very bottom of the Hindu caste system. These people are considered outcastes or untouchables by the entire Hindu society including the lower classes. Even a lower class person would not like to be touched by an untouchable of Bakha's caste. Anand shows the kind of oppression and ill rejection these people at the bottom rungs of the society are subjected to in their daily lives. He brings forth the sin hidden under the practice of untouchability.

One day Bakha is slapped in the market for having touched an upper class hindu. Such incidents are common in the Indian society before Independence. Anand has tried to bring out the helplessness and pain of the lower castes and especially that of the cleaners. These cleaners have to clean toilets for a pair of bread and live on the mercy of the upper classes. Bakha's pain grows intense when Pandit tries to assault Sohini. Gandhi had inspired some hope in bakha's heart. He renamed the untoucahbles Harijans. However, Bakha has not lost his war. He dreams of a better life and is obsessed with English and English life style. Lakha, his father is the jemadar of the cleaners and does not love his son's obsession. He wants his family to remain content with its fate but it is difficult for Bakha. The pain of being considered an untouchable has become intolerable for him. He is not like his father – lazy and passive. However, Bakha has a few friends and well wishers too like Ramcharan, Chhota, and Havildar Charat Singh. Untouchable is a novel of the struggle of the lowest classes in the Indian society who were considered pariahs.