To be fair to Bakha, there's not a whole lot he can do to rebel against the age-old caste system. He and others like him are kept in a state of permanent subjection, looked down upon by the rest of society as the lowest of the low. It's not just social mores or religious dogma that keeps him down, but the entire political and judicial system. Under the circumstances, all Bakha can really do is to go about his daily business cleaning up other people's filth and hope that he gets through the day the best he can.

Nevertheless, Bakha does invest hope in those spiritual and political leaders like Gandhi, who argue that so-called untouchables are human beings and should be treated accordingly. But it's notable here that Bakha remains a spectator. He cannot take part in any mass political movement; he must leave the heavy lifting to those of a higher caste.

Even when it comes to micro acts of rebellion, Bakha is rendered inert by years of harsh treatment. Observe how he can only stand and watch while Pandit Kalinath, a man from a higher caste, assaults Bakha's beloved sister Sohini for supposedly defiling the temple.