Untouchable

by

Mulk Raj Anand

Uka is the childhood friend that Gandhi cites in his speech about untouchability. Uka was a sweeper in Gandhi’s hometown; because of Uka’s work, Gandhi’s mother prevented him from playing with his young friend, until (as Gandhi puts it) his relationship with Uka caused him to challenge the principle of caste entirely. Bakha finds Uka powerful as a rhetorical figure, and he strongly identifies with this other, much-discussed sweeper.
Get the entire Untouchable LitChart as a printable PDF.
Untouchable PDF

Uka Character Timeline in Untouchable

The timeline below shows where the character Uka appears in Untouchable. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Pages 105–139
Inequality, Harm, and Internalization Theme Icon
Gandhi begins to tell a story about his childhood friend Uka. Uka was a scavenger, and if Gandhi ever touched Uka, his mother would force him... (full context)