Caste and Gender Issues in Indian Culture and Literature

This essay is a critical examination of Russian prodigy Dostoyevsky's famous work "Crime and Punishment". In this essay, I attempt to deconstruct the ideas of duality, identity crisis, moral resurrection, and religion by illuminating the theme of prostitution and crime. My area of concern is Sonya and her multi-layered character used as a window to gauge the above-mentioned ideas. 
Keywords: Prostitution, Christianity, Sin, soul, identity, Crime

Social media produces numerous spaces and opportunities, globally, for people to link up, reach out, mobilise, assert their identity, build bridges... For those on the margins, this virtual alternative enables them to break down otherwise impenetrable social barriers and form close-knit digifams. This book is a collection of 9 essays that take an indepth look at social media activism and its ramifications.

This article reexamines the United States Supreme Court’s opinion in United States v. Thind, which held that high caste Hindus were not “white persons” and were therefore racially ineligible for naturalized citizenship, through a rhetorical history of the briefs, judicial opinions, National Archives and Records Administration documents, and British intelligence documents related to the case. As the Court’s final statement on the racial eligibility provisions of the early Naturalization Act, Thind has been the subject of significant scholarly commentary regarding race and citizenship in the United States and heralded as a crucial Asian American civil rights case. The article begins by analyzing the case’s overruling of the majority of lower courts which had found high caste Hindus to be racially eligible for naturalization, two of which the Court had expressly approved of only three months earlier in Ozawa v. United States, a reversal of the Court’s own position not addressed in Thind or by prior studies of the case. In an effort to account for this reversal, the article considers Thind’s political activities in furtherance of Indian independence and the effort of British and American intelligence officials to oppose his naturalization on the basis of his political activities, the parties’ competing citations of British authorities on the significance of India’s caste system for the racial classification of Asian Indians, and how Justice Sutherland’s opinion both responds to and evades the arguments in the case in a manner that suggests a political decision. The article concludes by considering the rhetorical dimensions of race, citizenship, and law.

Nation is a concept that draws lot of attention for its complicated discourse. It impacts the
lives of its citizens in multiple ways. The inception of national consciousness in the minds of its
people creates chaos in their personal as well as public life. The dichotomy of nation as a discourse
is its inherent problematics of memory, forgetting, brutality, glory, necessity of common past,
topography, remembrances, amnesia, suffering, marginalization and politics of control, violence and
plethora of issues that complicates the human life. It also restricts the life, ideology, emotions
within the confines of national borders. These blurred lines on the spatial geography, encroachment,
wars, bloodshed brings out the hollowness and absurdity of popular concept of nationalism and
patriotism when thought on the universal levels.
K. Satchidanandan, a Malayalam poet, raises questions on the changing cartography and
futility of war and borders in his poetry collection, Questions from the Dead(2021). The
communion with nature and human beings across the world preaches the values of universal
brotherhood, peace, love, compassion. He gives hopes of possibility of utopian world where living
and non-living beings would dwell with harmony and co-existence. While portraying the futility
and absurdity of nation, war and borders, he also keenly observes the nation within the nations
caused due to unequal distribution of resources, discrimination, prejudices, and marginalization.
The present paper attempts to trace the critique of nation, nationalism and necessity of
peace, love, compassion for universal brotherhood and harmonious co-existence as reflected in K.
Satchidanandan‟s selected poems from his recently published poetry collection entitled as
Questions From the Dead (2021).
Keywords:
Nation, Nationalism, Boundaries, Borders, War, Peace, Compassion, Universal brotherhood,
Harmony, Co-existence, Civilization, Culture, Language, History, Race, Memory, Amnesia,
National Consciousness

Abstract: The clash between the Rig Vedic Indo-Aryans, the Pre-Rig Vedic Indo-Aryan tribes, and the Harappan civilization can be described as a world-historical dialectical conflict, in which the sovereign dominant culture subjugates the indigenous subcultures within its dominant caste system, through the ‘Sanskritization’ or ‘Aryanization’ of Ancient India. But the Pre-Rig Vedic and Harappan religions were not destroyed by the Rig Vedic Indo-Aryans, but were assimilated into Brahminic Hinduism, and reemerged, centuries later, in the Puranic bhakti cults of Vishnu, Shiva, and Devi. The conflict between the Rig Vedic Indo-Aryans, the Pre-Rig Vedic tribes, and the Harappan civilization, is depicted in the Shunashepa story of the Aitareya Brahmana, in which Shunashepa, a subaltern member of a Pre-Rig Vedic tribe, the Angirasas, is recruited as a sacrificial victim by the Brahminic priests, but escapes being sacrificed by reciting the Rig Vedic hymns to Varuna. The Shunashepa story then describes the master/slave dialectic through which a subaltern subject achieves upward mobility in the Brahminic caste system by sublimating and internalizing the sovereign sacrificial discourse, although that upward caste mobility requires that the subaltern subject abandon their indigenous subculture, as Shunashepa abandons his father to be adopted by the Vishvamitra. By contrast, the Rig Vedic Vrishakapi hymn describes the precisely opposite situation, in which a subaltern subject (Vrishakapi) is denied upward caste mobility and finally sacrificed by the Rig Vedic brahmins. But the Vrishakapi hymn, like the Shunashepa story, still testifies to the survival of Pre-Rig Vedic and Harappan cultures in Brahminic Hinduism.

ECSAS Vienna 2020.
Focusing on the devotional sect of Pushtimarg, this panel encourages a diversity of papers to stimulate new debates on the significance of the sect vis-à-vis its social histories, devotional practices, theologies, literatures, visual and performing arts from the 15 th century up to the present day.

This article explores women-oriented Iyengar yoga practices through a historical, textual and ethnographical analysis. These practices were inaugurated by the teachings of B.K.S Iyengar and Geeta Iyengar and globally expanded by Iyengar yoga teachers. The research focuses on how these pioneering practices where formed, the way they are perceived with respect to the ancient yoga tradition, and the way they are implemented among Iyengar yoga teachers. Drawing on Iyengar literature and interviews with Iyengar yoga teachers, the paper suggests that women-oriented practices are considered by Iyengar members as rooted in ancient knowledge which was illuminated by the Iyengars. Also, women-oriented Iyengar yoga practices manifest what might be considered as the distinct attributes of Iyengar yoga teachings. Women-oriented practices' are perceived as a distinct, yet inseparable segment of Iyengar yoga practices. While Iyengar teachers express diverse standpoints regarding specialized practices' necessity and usage, they are an inherent element of the contemporary Iyengar teaching tradition.

This is an article based on five  ancient Vedic Mantras that Dissuade Sati and Encourage Widow Remarriage! They five mantras are discussed In the light of 14th century Sāyaṇācārya's commentary. It is to be noted that of the five mantras discussed in the article – Mantra 1 found is also found in atharvaṇaveda saṃhitā  – (11.3.1) and Mantra 2 is found  in Ṛgvedasaṃhitā (10.018.008). Mantras 3-5 are unique to Taittirīya āraṇyaka (6.1).  Sāyaṇācārya whose commentary is used to explain these mantras is from 14th Century CE.

Link for the article: https://www.indictoday.com/long-reads/five-vedic-chants/

Mulk Raj Anand is one of the most eminent personalities in the History of Indian writing in English. Almost all of his writings deal with the life of lower class people. He basically projects such ordinary people as the protagonists of his books. By depicting this he appears as a great sympathizer to the people of this marginalised section. His famous novel Untouchble depicts the pathetic condition of the Dalits. He projects their pain, agony, sufferings at the hand of so called upper caste people with great sympathy. We are stirred by this heart rending descriptions. But at the same time we can feel that his description is somehow far from the actual set-up of the untouchables. We assume that Anand’s writing is governed by the perspective of the upper class people as he belonged to that class. He is directed by the prejudiced notion of the upper caste people about the lower caste people.  He failed to penetrate into the hut and heart of the Dalits to dig their innermost thoughts, feelings, anguish and longing. In this respect a charge of artificiality can be brought against his writings. Hence my paper will illustrate how his writings are dictated by the upper caste mentality and how his depiction is different from the actual thoughts of the Dalits which is presented in the writings of the Dalit people.

Society is made up of men and women and we see both the genders in light. But hidden is the third gender, the transgender, who are called as the “Special Children of God”. They are in between the masculism and feminism. These transgenders are not accepted by our normal build up society. They think of them as dirt or loop hole of the society. But in reality, they too are the creation of god just like men and women. Our Indian Constitution had given right to every citizen of our country no matter male, female or transgender. These people are given stink eyes whenever they made a step in field of education or employment. Instead of supporting and providing education to the third gender, they were mistreated and were thrown out of their own families and society. Because of these consequences, some of them hide their feelings to themselves thinking if someone came to know about them, they will be disowned publically. Majority of transgenders are in prostitution and some even beg for food and money in order to survive. This is a separate community in itself just like other communities of our country. Back in few years only, transgenders have came across in public to fight for their rights in society. After a long term of court case, finally they too are considered as a part of our society. In job forms also, a new column of gender has been mentioned. Our constitution provides opportunities for everyone who is the citizen of India under the Part III directing the Fundamental Rights (Article 14 to 30).

In many parts of India, women and some men from particular communities considered lower caste still collect human waste from homes, community toilets, open defecation areas, and drains on a daily basis, load it into cane baskets or metal troughs, and carry it away on their heads for disposal at the outskirts of the settlement. “Manual scavenging,” as it is called, is a centuries-old custom, enforced locally, that requires people of certain caste groups to collect and remove human excrement from unsanitary defecation facilities.

The Indian government for decades has enacted laws to end this practice. Most recently, The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, outlaws all forms of manual scavenging, and requires state authorities to provide alternate livelihoods and other assistance.

Manual scavenging persists because both the central and state governments have failed to protect manual scavenging communities from threats of displacement and violence when they attempt to leave this practice, and to help them enter the labor market. Instead, authorities at the local level often help perpetuate the practice. Women are often still compelled to continue this work for no wages, just access to food and community resources.

Cleaning Human Waste, based on more than 135 interviews conducted by Human Rights Watch in the Indian states of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh—documents the negative. impact of manual scavenging on people’s lives, and details the reasons it persists and the barriers that prevent communities from finding other work. We examine previous failures and gaps in the implementation of laws to end manual scavenging, and provide recommendations to make the 2013 Act lastingly effective.

Mahasweta thematizes difference in a bid to problematize the so-called unity of the Indian nationhood. Even after the formal decolonization this difference as space evinced so much by the tribal/dalit lifeworld especially of Bihar and Bengal represents an area outside the nation itself. It is a space where bonded slavery, witchcraft, caste-based atrocities and poverty are part of everyday life of the people. In representing this world and especially that of the gendered subaltern, who is the subject of many of her works, Mahasweta interweaves these social issues in her fiction to highlight the various sources of affliction for women living in these societies. Her representation of this alternate or for that matter counter-space is very objective, for she maintains the right balance of criticism and of appreciation of the different aspects of tribal/dalit communities. Her active involvement with these communities is well known. While she represents them in her fiction, she also represents them intellectually as a social activist, as an authentic spokesperson for them. Her efforts have gone a long way to effecting a change in the awareness of the mainstream society about them as well as contributing to the development of what could be called 'subaltern studies'. In Bayen her spotlight is on the witch-custom, a very violent custom that exists among many communities, though here in the story the community that is represented is the Dom community. It is one of the lowest in the caste ladder, one that burns and cremates dead bodies. The story, a short one, evokes a multiplicity of questions and has underlying it intricate layers of various politics at work exacerbating the already painful existence of Dalit women in the society. My intention in this paper is to underscore these complex social relationships that stem endlessly from the caste-gender nexus and to examine this space of the gendered subaltern, a space marked by its difference produced as a result of endemic caste, community and gender discrimination along with a deep-rooted superstition that is the other name of violence itself. In this context of particularity and difference required to figure out the reality, Chris Weedon's emphasis on the specificities of women's experiences and differences is encouraging:

Better is to live one day virtuous and meditative than to live a hundred years immoral and uncontrolled‖ (The Buddha) Bhakti movement in India has been a path-breaking phenomenon that provided a solid shape and an identifiable face to the abstractions with the help of vernacular language. As a religious movement, it emphasized a strong personal and emotional bond between devotees and a personal God. It has come from the Sanskrit word Bhaj-‗to share'. It began as a tradition of devotional songs, hagiographical or philosophical-religious texts which have generated a common ground for people of all the sects in the society to come together. As counterculture, it embraced into its fold all sections of people breaking the barriers of caste, class, community, and gender. It added an inclusive dimension to the hitherto privileged, exclusivist, Upanishadic tradition. It has provided a very critical outlook on contemporary Brahminical orthodoxy and played a crucial role in the emergence of modern poetry in India.

Vijay Tendulkar is one of the finest playwrights in Indian theatre. His plays express his deep concern for society. He deals with the themes that genuinely interested him and were vital, i.e. the several social problems the Indian society was beset with. He prods us to think by portraying these problems in a frank and objective manner. Instead of aiming at making the audiences laugh or weep, he aims at forcing them to think. He has expressed his vision of the rottenness in contemporary society with an unflinching realism. He speaks clearly, while portraying the stark reality as it is. He has shown a mirror to the society while expressing his heartfelt feelings and sincere reactions to the contemporary situation. Tendulkar " s socially and politically significant plays revolutionised the Marathi drama, which was trapped in a melodramatic mode. He forced the reader-audience to confront the brutal realities of life through his portrayal of society and human life with all its ugliness and crudity. A thematic study of Tendulkar " s plays brings to light the fact that he made the reader-audience face the brutal realities of life through his portrayal of its harsh realities. Vijay Tendulkar (1928-2008), a versatile genius, an author of a number of short stories, books for children, screenplays, essays and novels, is widely acclaimed as one of the leading modern Indian dramatists like Girish Karnard, Badal Sircar, Mohan Rakesh, Asif Currimbhoy and Mahesh Dattani. He has come to be regarded as one of the most revolutionary and controversial playwrights whose works have generated endless debates and discussions about his themes and style, his views and vision of life. It is a fact that since the late 1960s the Indian middle class whatever its sociological reality has become one of the main mediums through which a series of contemporary concerns can be analyzed. In most of Tendulkar " s plays, we find a close representation of the middle class psyche of post-colonial India. As a social observer and social activist Tendulkar has declared: I have not written about hypothetical pain or created an imaginary world of sorrow. I am from a middle class family and I have seen the brutal ways of life by keeping my eyes open. My work has come from within me, as an outcome of my observation of the world in which I live. If they want to entertain and make merry, fine go ahead, but I cannot do it, I have to speak the truth. (Tendulkar 5) Tendulkar, through his study of the middle class psyche for the first time becomes a voice for the women of the middle class. In most of his plays, he tries to analyze the institution of marriage and the condition of women within it. This is the outcome of characters like Jyoti,

The God of Small Things centers around caste and a chain of other issues. The paper analyses the connection between caste, Velutha and social mobilization in the novel. Meanwhile, the situations of subalterns in India are manifested because they are the significant Cultural "others" in Indian history. This is accompanied by the problem of identity. Under the dominance and influence of colonialism, both Indian people and India have faced identity crises. The paper also reflects on the orientalist perception of India as an exotic, mysterious nation. Yet there leaves some room for justification about whether the Orient is represented correctly in academic research and historical documents. "Postcolonial exoticism," one of the features of Roy's novel, reveals to us the function and significance of cultural translation both within and beyond borders.

With Swayamsevaks (volunteers) like Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Lal Krishan Advani in the drivers’ seats in the National Democratic Alliance Government at the Centre in India (1998-2004), the RSS accelerated its old favourite pastime of undoing democratic-secular polity and minority bashing in India. Sarsanghchalak or Supreme Leader of the RSS, KS Sudershan while addressing a rally on the eve of 75th founding day of the RSS in Nagpur, called upon Muslims and Christians of the country to prove their patriotism. It is really atrocious that an organization, which was at least twice banned for anti-national activities by the Government of India after independence should pose as controlling authority of patriotism in the country. Should we once again refresh the memory of the RSS bosses that their rabid communal organization was banned in 1948 for collaborating in the murder of Mahatma Gandhi, and in 1992 it was again banned for demolishing Babri mosque at Ayodhya? Do we also need to tell the RSS that misadventures like demolition of Babri mosque only served the strategic goals of the enemies of India like the ISI who wished to see an India, fractured and at war with itself?
This is high time that the people of this country scrutinize the record (of patriotism and loyalty to the nation) of the RSS itself. Unfortunately, the RSS which is fond of demanding unwavering and unflinching loyalty to the Nation from minorities is neither loyal to the Constitution of India, nor to the National Flag. RSS is an organization, which openly decries the existence of a democratic, federal and secular India which are the ‘Basic’ features of the Constitution of India. In fact, it has long heritage of worshiping dictators like Hitler. It is an organization which not only openly decried the Freedom Movement against the British rule but also made fun of the great martyrs like Bhagat Singh and his companions who laid down their lives for the liberation of the Motherland. In order to know the truth we will simply have to make access to the literature and publications of the RSS specially the writings of Golwalkar (known as Guruji) who as a philosopher and guide is religiously followed by the bosses and cadres of the RSS. In this booklet we have presented fully the official viewpoints of the RSS on different aspects of Indian polity so that it cannot allege misrepresentation.
We must seriously know about the RSS today, as it is no more a fringe organization with the present BJP leaders declaring their open allegiance to the RSS. They have even told the Nation that RSS to them is what Gandhiji was to Nehru! It is a highly intriguing and dishonest parallel in the sense that Gandhiji was theoretically never disloyal to a democratic, secular and federal India. We are publishing this booklet with the hope that this Nation gets familiarized to the real face and intentions of the RSS; otherwise it may be too late to save this country.
All quotations reproduced below are from the RSS publications/literature and English translations are by the author. More than 20 editions published so far. "
Note: The material of this book is for the personal benefit of all  researchers and those who are concerned about Casteism, denigration of women and theocratic politics in India. In no case commercial use is permitted."
More Info: 'KNOW THE RSS' is now available in Kannada, English, Hindi, Urdu, Bengali, Malayalam, Gujarati, Punjabi, Marathi.

The present paper has critically analysed Dr. B. R. Ambedkar’s contribution to emancipation of women in the context of Indian society. Ambedkar’s feminist insight has been observed from two perspectives—theory and practice. His engagement with the texts in order to understand the origin of the patriarchy, and then producing various literatures on the issue, is formulated as theoretical contributions. His drafting of the Hindu Code Bill, after a careful study of the issue, and its active defence in courtroom, has been seen as his material contributions to women empowerment in India. The theoretical aspect of his feminist works has been the major focus of this paper. The paper has dealt with questions like— In what manner Dr. Ambedkar’s perspective and ideas on gender issues can be systematised as feminist philosophy? What kind of criticism does Ambedkar offer against existing patriarchal norms? Does Dr. Ambedkar provide mere a critique of the prevailing social-order or does he also offer alternatives? How does Ambedkar’s philosophy address the issues of feminism? Does he borrow feminist insights from Buddhism? What is the contemporary relevance of Dr. Ambedkar’s feminist philosophy? How would Ambedkar’s feminist philosophy deal with contemporary debates in feminism in India? How do we locate Ambedkar’s feminist philosophy in the line of Indian feminist thinkers? Thus, the paper includes an analytical review of Ambedkar’s feminist ideas, its contemporary relevance, and a critical evaluation of its validity from a philosophical approach.

Kerala is considered as Gods own country blessed by nature with boons of abundance: plentiful rains, backwaters and numerous rivers. It has a copiously diverse vegetation, beautiful landscape and climate. It is also this region that takes so much interest in literature. Malayalam is one of the more versatile of Indian languages. Kerala can boast of a lot including their agricultural lands and culture. What they can also boast about is M.T. Vasudevan Nair and his Naalukettu.

In this article I focus on the aspect of gender, discussing a variety of heroines encountered in Hindi novels of the first half of the 20-th century. It will be shown that "modern heroine" not only provided a gendered model for the modern Indian woman, but also helped to define a new sense of identity for upper class and educated urban society as a whole.

Caste is one of the most challenging social institutions of India. It has divided society into various rigid categories. It has also made a mockery of democracy, as each caste becomes a vote bank for political parties leaving no scope for individual decision-making. Even key political positions are usually decided by caste rather than the quality of an individual. Yet it is strange that this institution is defended by many stalwarts and thinkers. Contrary to this popular approach Dr Ambedkar opposed caste, despite being a victim of this institution. His opposition to caste was not based on negative or violent reaction but it is based on humane and rational approach. Ambedkar denied accepting caste as a race or any other physical entity. He quoted references from ancient religious texts to show that the Varnas which are popularly believed to be static in origin was at one time flexible in nature. Caste is not race as there is hardly any racial similarity between the same caste men of different regions. Castes can ultimately be annihilated only by inter-caste marriages, but it is also imperative for every citizen to leave aside traditional religious beliefs and teachings that hold this institution sacred and unchangeable.

The Malayalam essay published in Bhashaposhini in Aug 2017 is a comprehensive critical analysis of the films and cinematic career and contributions of K G George one of the vibrant and noted contemporary film makers from Kerala. The cultural diversity and political significance of his films in the present of growing intolerance, parochialism and totalitarian tendencies in India and Kerala are also poignant in the retrospective critique.

Mahatma Jyotirao Phule’s book ‘Gulamgiri’ (Slavery) is considered one of the Pioneer books. It explores Brahminical supremacy and hegemonies in the social structure of Indian society. It critiques the institution of caste through a 16-part essay and four poetic compositions, and it is written in the form of a dialogue between Jotiba, and a character he calls Dhondiba. The ‘Gulamgiri’ is a great articulation of Phule in which he also critically evaluated the Indian society with a logical argument. He wrote this book in 1873 for the downtrodden section to make them aware of the oppression in Indian caste system. In addition, the paper attempts to articulate the idea of ‘caste system’ and ‘case domination’ from the perspective of ‘Gulamgiri’.

India calls Savitribai Phule (1831-1897) the Mother of modern education for India. Scholars call Jan Comenius (1592-1670) the Father of modern education for the world.
In this essay, Wolf explores how these two extraordinary persons, separated by centuries and cultures, are worldview colleagues. And how, across calendar and continents – 1600s Europe and 1800s India – Comenius and Savitribai shared a most uncommon worldview outlook that created their incredible investment in the education of children.

Comments Invited on "How the Foreign Vedics Took Over Egalitarian Hinduism"
Dear friends,

In my ongoing efforts to explain how the co-existence of two distinct religions to which erroneously was considered one for almost a millenniums in India have caused adverse effect on social system, I am publishing here my first draft of the proposed book "How the Foreign Vedics Took Over Egalitarian Hinduism: The caste “system” is a mere House of Cards" for your comments and suggestions.

In this book, I have shown that the majority Hindu religion finds its roots in Indus times, in idolatry and tantra tradition whereas Vedic religion was introduced to India through a group of Vedic refugees that spread in the country by missionary practice. I have shown how hierarchial compartmentalized varna system of the Vedics and flexible caste system of Hindus are unrelated. In course of the time, I have shown, how the tiny Vedic religion overshadowed majority Hindu religion by constantly propagating supremacy of the Vedas and polluting Hindu mythologies and epics. The circumstances that arose after 10th century A.D. gave the unique opportunity to the Vedics to pollute Hindu minds.  Though the Hindus still adhere to their Tantra based religion, the religious identity has been obscured. The book is written with a view that Hindus should now realise their independent roots, understand how flexible was the caste system and how the undying values of the liberty once they nurtured and hence could make India a great prosperous country.

Critiques of caste and 'Brahminism' featured prominently in the social, political and intellectual life of colonial India. It is often assumed that Brahmins took the lead in developing such critiques as a consequence of the ideological influences of liberalism and nationalism. But how do we account for such critiques, articulated by Brahmins themselves, in India's precolonial centuries? My essay will explore 'religious' materials from the thirteenth to the eighteenth centuries in which Brahmins appear to be agents in the creation of anti-caste and in particular anti-Brahmin sentiment. I situate this Brahminical anti-caste and anti-Brahmin discourse within a largely performative public sphere, where Brahmins balanced their role as 'knowledge specialists' in heterogeneous social, religious and cultural contexts where they were a significant minority. Here, Brahmin advocates of anti-Brahmin and anti-caste sentiment offered a 'double', a discursively constructed 'Brahmin', thus deflecting or diffusing criticism, and enabling the Brahmin performer or composer to maintain a position of importance as a Brahmin in the world of bhakti and the larger premodern public sphere.

RETRIEVAL OF DALITS IN THE LITERARY INTERPRETATIONS OF MULTILINGUAL INDIA
Dr. Jayshree Singh
Associate Professor, Dept. of English, F.S.S. & H., Bhupal Nobles’ University, Udaipur (Raj.)
Abstract
Dalit Writings in India problematize displaced socio-historical space of marginalized, essentialized category of people belonging to caste-ridden Hindu society of India. Their multiple subjectivities reclaim semiotic literary interpretations as regards their contestations, violated and fragmented self. At the same time emerging Dalit writings have posed categorically their daily realities in context of dismemberment, disablement, deprivation, discrimination and disembodiment in the socio-cultural privileged hegemonic caste system. The writings of dalits such as Joothen by Om Prakash Valmiki, Untouchables by Mulk Raj Anand, An Anthology of Dalit Literature edited by Mulk Raj Anand and Elleanor Zelliot, Poisoned Bread:Translations from Modern Marathi Literature by Arjun Dangle, The Exercise of Freedom: An Introduction to Dalit Writing by K. Satyanarayana and Susie Tharu, Dalit Hindu Narratives by Manohar D. Murali, The Oxford Anthology of Tamil Dalit Writing by Ravikumar and R. Azhagarasan,  Black Lilies: Telugu Dalit Poetry by K. Puroshattam, Surviving in My World: Growing up Dalit in Bengal by Jaideep Sarangi  etc. have raised consciousness against dalits’ alienation, excommunication and ideological distancing, inflicted upon them due to cultural hegemony and relativistic idea of polemic theology practised in Brahmanical Hinduism. In addition to violence done to dalits at language, socio-cultural, literary, aesthetic and political level, the marginalised discourse have addressed issues related to countering gender-caste nexus, colonialism and nationalism and last but the most important relating to identity and self-expression. Similarly dalit women’s writings such as Ants Among Elephants by Sujtha Gidla, Rudaali by Mahasweta Devi, Grip of Change and Taming of Women by Sivakami, Sangati and Vanmam by Bama,Bay Kamble’s The Prison We Broke, Urmila Pawar’s The Weave of My Life, Susheela Takbaure’s Revenge articulate new found political awareness and self-respect as regards their exploitative embodiment within their marginalized community and in Hindu society. In my research paper the study aims to sensitise the autobiographical memory of a hateful past and their desire of resurging from the lost socio-historical-cultural space. The study will attempt to explore the emotional register, cathartic release of inequalities and flight from weak boundaries of marginality.

Full Pdf
Published
2018-01-29
How to Cite
SINGH, Dr. Jayshree. RETRIEVAL OF DALITS IN THE LITERARY INTERPRETATIONS OF MULTILINGUAL INDIA. IJELLH (International Journal of English Language, Literature in Humanities), [S.l.], v. 6, n. 1, p. 22, Jan.18. ISSN 2321-7065. Available at: <http://www.ijellh.com/OJS/index.php/OJS/article/view/2935>. Date accessed: 03 Feb. 2018
Vol 6 No 1 (2018): Volume 6, Issue 1, January 2018