The rebel musicians fighting India’s caste system
Tenma and Arivu are members of The Casteless Collective, a protest band from Chennai. After growing up in the lower castes, being part of the group has transformed their lives.
Tenma and Arivu are members of The Casteless Collective - an ensemble protest band from the city of Chennai in southern India. They channel their outrage towards caste oppression into song. Arivu has seen that oppression first hand growing up in a Dalit - sometimes called ‘untouchable’ - community, and rapping became his outlet. As The Casteless Collective they blend traditional Gaana music with hip hop and rock, to challenge the caste system through their music.
Music courtesy of The Casteless Collective and Gana Palani.
Picture: Tenma (left) and Arivu (front right) performing as The Casteless Collective in Chennai, 2020
Credit: Palanikumar Manisha
Presenter: Emily Webb
Producer: June Christie and Troy Holmes
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The Outlook Podcast Archive
True stories of ordinary people and the extraordinary events that have shaped their lives
