Politics of Writing: A Study of Dalits in Odia Literature
Provakar Palaka2016, Authorspress
Sign up for access to the world's latest research
checkGet notified about relevant papers
checkSave papers to use in your research
checkJoin the discussion with peers
checkTrack your impact
Abstract
Every writing is a political act with a clear purpose, objective and agenda. therefore several questions arise in one's mind- who writes, what, for whom and why? Writings in India are built around the caste system. The Dalits in India have remained merely the object of the writings by the upper caste Hindus. This book is a critique of the history of literature which is primarily written and interpreted from a view point of the upper caste Hindus. It attempts to reread and revisit the writings on Dalits in India in general and Dalits in Odisha in particular and rewrite their history and their literature from their perspective. This book is an endeavor to provide a monograph of Dalit writings and writers in Odisha. For the first time one sees a host of Dalit writers and their writings brought to the limelight. They not only contest the Brahmanical hegemony but also strive towards creating an egalitarian society.
Related papers
Perspectives on Indian Dalit Literature: Critical Responses
Booksclinic Publishing, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, 2020
The book “Perspectives on Indian Dalit Literature: Critical Responses” is a volume of twenty six scholarly articles focusing on the theme of Dalit’s freedom and emancipation from traditional caste-stigmatised society which sacrifices the interest of Dalits on the altar of tradition. The book endeavours to articulate voices among this marginalized class of people to come in action from their passivity and stillness. The book also tries to cover almost all eminent Dalit writers of past and present century like Omprakash Valmiki, Baby Kamble, Bama Faustina Soosairaj, Meena Kandasamy, Namdeo Dhasal, Sharankumar Limbale, Bhimrao Shirwale, Hira Bansode etc. along with some non-Dalit wrters like Munshi Premchand, Mulk Raj Anand, Arvind Adiga etc. who have sought plea for this marginalized class of people with same ardour and passion as other Dalit writers through their write ups. Hopefully this anthology would serve for better humanity.
Dalit Subaltern : Revolutionary Literature in India
AMRJ PUBLICATION , 2021
The concept of caste Dalit ,as well as the literature created by Dalits in India, has been thoroughly examined in this paper. Dalits have written a diverse range of literary works based on their own personal experiences. The experiences of being a Dalit has inspired them to represent their inhuman situation ,which is exacerbated by India's infamous caste system, which has existed for centuries. The beginning of the caste system with beginning of Hindu religious theology, where in India are there stratification/Savarnas among Hindu communities. The Dalits are on the fourth rung of the social ladder. as a Dalit , they are treated even worse ,as if they were an animal. they have been denied their basic human rights and the dignity to live as human beings for many years, they have been subjected to various forms of humiliation, torture, and slavery, and they have been denied the right to live. This long standing denial has caused India's Dalit community to vent their anguish and sense powerlessness via various forms of writing. They have spoken out against the harsh Hindu caste system that continues to oppress them in all aspects of life through their micronarratives.
Giving Voice to Voiceless: A Study of Dalit Literature
Galaxy: International Multidisciplinary Research journal, 2014
The term ‘Dalit’ is synonymous with poor, exploited, oppressed and needy people. There is no universally acclaimed concept about the origin of Indian caste system. In every civilized society, there are some types of inequalities that lead to social discrimination. And in India, it comes in the garb of ‘Casteism’. The discourses catering to the gentry tastes did not include the subaltern literary voices of the tribals, Dalits and other minority people. The dalits are deprived of their fundamental rights of education, possession of assets and right to equality. Thus Dalit Literature emerges to voice for all those oppressed, exploited and marginalized communities who endured this social inequality and exploitation for so long. The major concern of Dalit Literature is the emancipation of Dalits from this ageless bondage of slavery. Dalits use their writings as a weapon to vent out their anger against the social hierarchy which is responsible for their degradation. After a so long slumber now, they have become conscious about their identity as a human being. This Dalit consciousness and self-realization about their identity has been centrally focused in various vibrant and multifarious creative writings and is also widely applauded in the works of Mahasweta Devi, Bama, Arjun Dangle, D. Gopi and in many more. The anguish represented by the Dalit writers is not that of an individual but of the whole outcast society. The primary concern of present paper is to show how Dalit writers shatter the silence surrounding the unheard exploitation of Dalits in our country in their writings? And how Dalit Literature has become a vehicle of explosion of these muffled voices. The paper makes an attempt to comprehend the vision and voice of the Dalits and their journey from voiceless and passive objects of history to self-conscious subject. The paper will also make a study of the reasons behind the development of Dalit Literature with its consequences on our society, social condition of Dalit in India and how they write their own history. Keywords: Self-realization, Identity, Exploitation, Caste, Subaltern
An Overview of Dalit Literature: A Special Reference to Marathi Dalit Literature
2022
An anthology of Dalit literature, Poisoned Bread, stirred the literary world not only in Maharashtra but in the whole country. The editor of this anthology is Arjun Dangle, an eminent scholar, who wrote about the past, present and future of Dalit literature. He explored several issues related to Dalit Literature such as B. R. Ambedkar’s influence on the Dalit Literary movement, Progressive Writer’s Association with Dalit Literature, the caste system in India, Little Magazine Movement, Dalit Panthers and Dalit Literature, the importance of Dalit autobiographies in Dalit Literature, etc. The host of Dalit writers like Anna Bhau Sathe, Laxman Mane, Laxman Gaikwad, Arun Kamble, Shantabai Kamble, Baby Kamble, Namdeo Dhasal, Raja Dhale, Uttam Bandu Tupe, Bandu Madhav, Sharankumar Limbale, Waman Nimbalkar, and Bhimsen Dethe have enriched Dalit Literature with their bitter life experiences and literary sensibilities. The most crucial motive of the Dalit Literature is the liberation of Dalit...
EMERGENCE OF DALIT AND DALIT LITERATURE IN INDIA
This research paper attempts to study the emergence of the term dalit and its various interpretations. Though the opinion of pro minent figures like Gandhi, A mbedkar, Phule, EV Ramaswami, Dalit Panthers Movement, Marxist, and others are analyzed, the contemporary writers have not been included in this paper. Further I analyse the term "dalit literature" and its various implications. I argue that the representation of dalit literature celebrates the dalit condition as an unparalleled one an d a permanent entity. It ignores the differences within the dalit communities; rather they concentrate on building on similarities. Through these similarit ies they create a dalit identity and culture that defines "Dalitness' which is not only national but international in its inspiration. To this end dalit writers find and celebrate the similarities of dalit literature with Black literature inspired by the Panthers Movements in USA. Thus transformation of the "dalit" identity" represents a new type of polit ical assertion that confronts, counters and redesigns older forms of struggles, against both class and caste exploitation.
The Journey from Untouchable to Dalit: Pioneering Literary Landmarks and Dissident Dalit Voices of Contemporary India
ODISEA. Revista de estudios ingleses, 2018
This paper analyses the situation of Untouchable / Dalit people in India through intersecting literature and social realities. It focuses on the most relevant and pioneering literary works of colonial and postcolonial times and how these landmarks of fiction function as a mimetic expression of everyday life. Then, the main objective is 1) to give an overview of the representation of untouchability and its evolution into the Dalit consciousness within the interrelated contexts of literature and real life; and 2) to demonstrate that in much less than a century India has witnessed astonishing changes as far as the social stratification of caste-gender is concerned.
Dalit Literature: A Tool of Resistance
Journal of English Language and Literature
In Indian society, the Dalits who are known earlier as untouchables or Shudras have been suffering in the name of Casteism. Even after more than 70 years of achieving Independence, the Dalits are bearing the brunt of torture and humiliation at the hand of upper caste people in many states in India. Dalits, being born in lower castes, are the worst target of embarrassment, dishonour, torture and discrimination. They have been inflicted violence physically or mentally in such a cruel manner that their whole identity is trampled underfoot. For centuries their life has been an epic of traumatic experiences. Their survival was possible at the behest of upper caste people who otherwise treated them like beasts. The wishes and dreams of the Dalits didn’t matter as they had no right to dream for a world of joy and progress. With the passage of time, people in the Dalit community realised the traumatic situation and sufferings of their brethren and decided to give voice through literature to...
Dalit literature has arisen out of Dalit consciousness
isara solutions, 2018
Throughout recent years Dalit literature has got itself a spot in the World Republic of Letters through interpretations into English. In a period while issues connecting with basic liberties have been under basic concentration, abstract portrayals of the encounters of minimized bunches have procured extraordinary importance. The new spray in Dalit literature in India is an endeavor to bring to the very front the encounters of separation, viciousness and neediness of the Dalit. Articulation of these encounters have for some time been hushed, frequently with strict and social authorization and consigned to the edges as non-artistic. Later is the pattern to deny their reality through and through. As a significant artistic pattern in India through Indian territorial dialects and interpretations. Dalit literature is set apart for self-attestation of Dalits, subalterns, lower layers of Indian station class-religion language-capital ridden society through verse, plays, brief tales, self-stories, and oral exhibitions testing barbaric treatment, monstrosities, imbalance, and the alleged standard artistic and basic shows. Dalit literature is arisen as a result of the shady idea of Indian standing system.The philosophy is drawn from Buddha, Charvak, Kabir, Jyotirao Phule, Karl Marx and Dr. B. R. Ambedkar. At this stage, Dalit literature should be balanced out at hypothetical and basic level, considering western basic methodologies to investigate the pith of Dalit literature on the contemporary scholarly and basic peddle.
Editorial: Why should we read Dalit literature?
The Journal of Commonwealth Literature
Related topics
Related papers
Dalit Literature: An Intervention in ‘Caste’and ‘Literary Aesthetics’
2017
In the contemporary socio-cultural and political scenario, ‘caste’ has taken the centre stage in critical analysis. Writings on caste and about those suffering as the result of this hierarchical and discriminatory system have entered the mainstream academia under the rubric of ‘Dalit Literature.’ These writings have not only challenged caste system, but have provided a new dimension to the understanding of the aesthetic value of literature. Noted Dalit writers such as Om Prakash Valmiki, NamdeoDhasal, and BaburaoBagul have broken the conventional understandings of ‘literature’ by including disturbing images and languages in their writing. Most importantly, they have portrayed the Dalits as subjects of analysis rather than objects of interpretation. Studies have been conducted on the thematic and structural aspects of Dalit literature, and a major attraction about Dalit literature has remained its ‘activism’ aspect. But how far has it influenced our views about caste and about litera...
Dalit Literature in India: An Agitation to a Genre
What is a Dalit literature? It is always very hard to define the exact time and place of its beginning. Dalit word is originated form Sanskrit word ‘dalita’ which means broken, oppressed, split, untouchable and exploited. Dalits came from poor section of the society that under the caste system of India used to be known as untouchables. Dr. B.R. Ambedker called them ‘broken people’ and Mahatma Gandhi gave them a new name ‘Harijan’. We only can guess its history from the written source based on “Manusmirity”, one of the most religious books of Hindu mythology. Traditional Indian society is divided into four hierarchical caste systems or varnas: Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras. The four varnas or castes are subdivided into many sub castes. Shudras occupy the lowest position in the social order and Dalits are from this section of society. Even we find some streak of Dalits in the Hindu epics in “Ramayana” and “Mahabharta”. In Mahabharta we find the episode of Eklaviya, whom Guru Drona refused to teach him, because he was from a dalit caste. And we know how he learnt the archery and Drona asked for his right hand’s thumb
Dalit Writing in English: A Dalitification of the History of Indian Writing
Ariel, 2024
This essay makes a pedagogical intervention in the theo- risation of Indian writing in English (IWE). It asserts that postco- lonial studies and anthologies of IWE have deliberately excluded Dalit writing, which narrates the caste discrimination experienced by the majority of the Indian population. It proves the discipline of IWE—the writing and its study—has been hegemonised by upper-caste writers and academics who disregard the historical presence and literary worth of Dalit writing. This essay proposes that Dalit writing in English (DWE) should be viewed as an inde- pendent area of study. It traces the history of Dalit writing through three waves in conjunction with Indian politics and argues that DWE achieved the “Dalitification” of English by challenging Brahmanical control over the language and introducing caste into the reading and writing of English from a Dalit perspective.
Dalit Literature: A Contemporary Perspective
International Journal of English Literature and Social Sciences
As a major literary trend in India through Indian regional languages and translations. Dalit literature is marked for self-assertion of Dalits, subalterns, lower strata of Indian caste-class-religionlanguage-capital ridden society through poetry, plays, short stories, self-narratives, and oral performances challenging inhuman treatment, atrocities, inequality, and the so-called mainstream literary and critical conventions. Dalit literature is emerged as an outcome of the exploitative nature of Indian caste system.The ideology is drawn from Buddha, Charvak, Kabir, JyotiraoPhule, Karl Marx and Dr. B. R. Ambedkar. At this stage, Dalit literature needs to be stabilized at theoretical and critical level, considering western critical approaches in order to explore the essence of Dalit literature on the contemporary literary and critical canvass. This paper attempts to focus onthe term 'Dalit', the elements of Dalit literature, Dalit literature in English, the term 'Dalit identity' and how it reflected in Dalit literature, theorizing Dalit literature and literary critical standards, précising Dalit literature in the recent literary trends in India, comparison and contrast of Dalit literature with the Anglo-American and third world literary tradition, the issues raised by Dalit literature and their validity in the present era, the sources and forces of Dalit literature and future course of Dalit literature.
Role of Dalit Literature in Social Change in India
International Journal for Multidisciplinary Research (IJFMR), 2024
India, recognised as one of the world's fastest-growing nations, bears the burden of a deeply entrenched caste system. This paper delves into the historical backdrop of suppression, the plight of the oppressed, and the genesis of Dalit literature. It meticulously examines the trajectory and breadth of the Dalit literary movement, which is often rooted in the philosophical tenets espoused by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. Furthermore, it scrutinises the harsh realities faced by Dalits and their commendable efforts to challenge social hierarchies. Dalit literature serves as a powerful medium for conveying the poignant social and political experiences of the Dalit community within the caste-based framework of Indian society. It sheds light on the myriad social factors shaping the lives of Dalits and their interactions with both Dalit and non-Dalit communities. Through vivid narratives, it elucidates the struggles endured by the Dalit community in their quest for equality and liberty. The relentless efforts of Dalit movements, coupled with the impactful discourse presented in Dalit literature, have contributed to a perceptible shift towards equality within Dalit social dynamics. The legal prohibition of discrimination based on caste and gender signifies a significant milestone in this ongoing journey. Dalit literature encapsulates the journey of the oppressed, from grappling with questions of identity to striving for social parity. This paper underscores the transformative potential of Dalit literature as a catalyst for social change, offering a glimpse into the evolving landscape of equality and justice within Dalit communities. Through their literary expressions, Dalit writers continue to champion the cause of social justice and advocate for the rights and dignity of all individuals, irrespective of caste or gender.
Dalit Literature (An Annotated Bibliography)
Oxford Bibliographies in Literary and Critical Theory, 2021
Dalit Literature is at once the expression of a “Dalit consciousness” about identity (both individual and communal), human rights and human dignity, and the community, as well as the discursive supplement to a ground-level sociopolitical movement that seeks redress for historically persistent oppression and social justice in the present. While its origins are often deemed to be coterminous with the movement dating back to the reformist campaigns in several parts of India during the 19th century, contemporary researchers have found precursors to both the Dalit consciousness and literary expressions in poets and thinkers of earlier eras, such as the saint-poets in the Punjab. Dalit literature’s later development has also run alongside political movements such as the Indian freedom struggle, even as B. R. Ambedkar’s campaign on behalf of what were then called the “depressed classes” intersected, sometimes fractiously, with the Indian National Congress, Mahatma Gandhi, and others in the struggle. Ambedkar’s own voluminous writings and speeches, tracts of various social and reformer organizations, debates, and letters also stimulated the literary. This bibliography includes primary texts in terms of foundational writings by B. R. Ambedkar, Jotirao Phule. and Periyar, followed by select examples of Dalit life writing, fiction, poetry, and anthologies that have brought together some of these texts. Later sections include critical-academic texts that cover some of the contexts, history, and development of Dalit literature. With more poetry, autobiographies, commentaries, anthologies, and compilations of Dalit texts appearing through the 20th century, the foundation for academic studies of the field of Dalit literature were also laid. Contextualizing Dalit texts in many cases, the essays and books listed here represent a wide variety of approaches. The contexts invariably involve the Dalit movement; the campaigns from the late 19th century; the various social, cultural, and political associations; the rise of Ambedkar and his influence; and other subjects. Many link Dalit narratives to other cultural productions, iconography, and practices. Others focus on the intersection of caste and class/political economy and capitalist modernity in the postcolonial state, or caste and patriarchy. And some others, working with Dalit literature from particular languages, offer a history of Dalit literature in that language. The role of this literature in shaping not only political mobilization but also the social imaginary of the Dalit communities and the public sphere are also key components of the protocols of reading and receiving Dalit texts engendered in the academic and cultural discussions around the domain. Aesthetics, politics, genre conventions, influences and the “voice” of resistance, anger, and despair are part of the discussion in many essays. Others offer comparative studies of Dalit texts. Read variously as the literature of protest, sympathy, solidarity, and resistance, Dalit literature thrives in Indian languages, and in multiple forms, although oral narratives and stories that are popular in gatherings and meetings remain largely uncollected. New forms such as the graphic novel have energized the field in recent years.
Dalit Literature – Concept, Origin and Features
Abstract: Dalit literature in India over the past many decades has emerged as a separate and important category of literature in many Indian languages. It has provided a new voice and identity to the communities that have experienced discrimination, exploitation and marginalization due to hierarchical caste system. Dalit literature has also made a forceful case for human dignity and social equality. In the light of the growing importance of the study of Dalit literature, this paper attempts to explore the origin, concept and contributions of Dalit literature in India and brings out its significance and key features. Keywords:Challenged, Communities, Dalit literature, Dignity, Equality, Exploitation, History of Dalit Literature, Socio-political commitment, Untouchable
Dalit Literary Narratives
Artha - Journal of Social Sciences, 2014
Literature about Dalits and by Dalits is a huge body of writing today. Autobiographical accounts as well as testimonies by Dalit writers from all over India have already been looked at as genres that locate personal as well as the suffering of a mass of people within the larger discourse of human rights. The present paper attempts to examine literary narratives by Dalits and place them as evidence of atrocities committed against them. The paper will also look closely at Dalit stories as typifying the Dalit lived experience. The stories also throw light on the rich and varied culture of these subaltern castes. It is worth noting that there seems to be a hierarchy even among the various kinds of Dalits. The literature analysed will cover stories that show the range of experiences and the cultural identity of the Dalits. The Dalit literary narrative will be looked at as a document that records the suffering of the marginalised and, therefore, as something that is different from a socio...
DALIT LITERATURE ACTS AS A MANEUVER FOR DALITS PERSPICACITY AND SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS
Studies in Indian Place Names, 2020
India is well-known for its culture and traditions. It is one of the fastest emergent countries in the field of technologies and skills in the universe, yet, it is tarnished for its stubborn prevailing caste system. This paper proposes to examine the persisting socioeconomic condition of Dalits, and how it has been explicated by the Dalit writers through the genre of autobiographies. The study includes the scope of Dalit literature and how commendably they have attempted to achieve in uplifting their community. It discusses in detail, the socio-political experience and how the 'Varna System' functions in India. It also depicts a clear picture of Dalits' struggle for their basic human rights and liberation through autobiographies of eminent Dalit writers like Omprakash Valmiki, Bama, Daya Pawar, Baby Kamble and Urmila Pawar. This paper tries to show how Dalit writers throughout their writings bring to mind an imperative and frequent thematic alarm: a heedful protest against and refusal of the political and cultural supremacy of the caste Hindus. Dalit literature; openly investigates cultures and ideologies from a marginalized position and makes the voiceless to 'voice' on various issues like caste, class, race and gender.
Loading Preview
Sorry, preview is currently unavailable. You can download the paper by clicking the button above.