Prologue to Annihilation of Caste: A Tale of Two Cities

Abstract

Dr. B. R. Ambedkar’s Annihilation of Caste remains one of the most radical and timeless critiques of caste-based discrimination in India. Originally conceived as a speech for the Jat-Pat-Todak Mandal's annual conference in Lahore in 1936, the text was never delivered due to its uncompromising content. This article examines the prologue to Annihilation of Caste, which comprises a compelling exchange of letters between Ambedkar and the conference organisers. The correspondence provides not only a narrative of the cancelled event but also insight into the ideological clash between a reformist intellectual and a conservative social organisation. This article seeks to highlight the themes, controversies, and implications surrounding the prologue, framing it as a tale of two conflicting Indias.