Harijan is a term which has its roots in the words “hari” denoting god and “jan” meaning children. The literal translation of the word “Harijan” is children of god or children of Vishnu (the Hindu god). The term Harijan has a very strong association with Mahatma Gandhi, the freedom fighter and the father of the nation, a humble man from the state of Gujarat who played a key role in the freedom struggle of India from the British. It is Gandhi who popularized the term Harijan to show his love and compassion for people of the lower caste.
The Indian society was stratified initially based on the occupation of the people, but later the occupation of the forefathers became the destiny of the generation in question. This stratification was known as the famous “caste system” of India in which the highest caste was that of the Brahmins and the lowest caste is that of the “Shudras” also known as the untouchables, the Dalits, or the Harijans. These people are the focus of.
