Dalit Autobiographies in Indian English Writings: A Study

vemaiah beesupogu

Introduction: Caste System in India

India's caste system assigns individuals a certain hierarchical status according to Hindu beliefs. Traditionally, there are four principal castes (divided into many sub-categories) 

Brahmins (Intellectuals)Kshytriyas (Soldiers)Vishayas (Entrepreneurs) Sudras (Work Force)

- Dalits (Untouchables)

Who are Dalits...? The word Dalit—literally translating to

“oppressed” or “broken”—is generally used to refer to people who were once known as “untouchables”, those belonging to castes outside the fourfold Hindu Varna system.

A Dalit is a victim of poverty, slavery, illiteracy, ignorance and atrocities.

Waman Nimbalker writes in his book Dalit literature Nature and Role “ Dalit is a sole heir of darkness. One, who is harassed, oppressed and afflicted .”

He is a man who is exploited by the social and economic traditions of the society.

These are the people who were considered “Out Castes”,” Untouchables” and “Leftovers”.

British Administration in 1919 to eliminate the degrading terms. They changed them to “Depressed class”… and “Scheduled Castes” in 1935.

Gandhi called them Harijans (people of God) which was vehemently opposed by Dalit political leaders and Ambedkar.

Today they called themselves dalits which has become an expression of hope and identity.

A majority of the country’s forty million people who are bonded laborers are-Dalits.

What is Dalit literature..???It was Ambedkar’s dedication, mission and vision of educating Dalits by building schools and colleges have paved the way for the great literary revolution in literature and on the consequent rise and development of Dalit literature.

Dalit literature is literature produced by dalits about the dalit consciousness. Human freedom is the inspiration behind it.

- Sharat Chandra Muktibodh in his essay “What is Dalit literature?”

The first generation of educated dalits who drew inspiration from Ambedkar have started writing about their suffering in life and their struggle to live and get educated.

-Waman Nimbalkar in his book “Dalit literature: Nature and Role”

Dalit literature is an account of the struggle for existence, freedom, self dignity. If we take consideration this style, form and content, it is totally different from mainstream literature.

Dalit Literary Texts in Indian English Literature

Need and Importance of Research Problem:

The autobiography as a genre is a search for identity. Autobiography is a product as well as process of self exploration. The life narratives pose a question “Who am I?” And also provide an answer to “How did I become what I am?” The process of ‘becoming’ is very complex involving many factors

“Autobiography is historical in method, representation of the self in and through its relation with the outer world”.

It is clear that an autobiography is the true representation of the extraordinary, renowned and popular men’s life, achievements and experiences. But in case of Dalits, ordinary men and women, who do not hold any prominent position in the social history and politics write autobiographies

Moreover, it is important to see why the ‘community’ is given more importance than the ‘self’ in the Dalit autobiographies.

Dalit autobiography is a flourishing form in Dalit literature.

There is a need for intense exploration of Dalit autobiography in order to bring out the real image of India in general and providing completeness to Indian writings in English.

Objectives: Who are the Dalits and what is Dalit

culture.Exploration of agony of untouchability in Indian social system and its cultural, social and economic effects.

New values of criticism and aesthetics in portraying individuals.

New mythology observed in Dalit autobiographies contrast to others.

Repetition in the presentation of human experiences in different forms

Artistic neutrality in Dalit experiences.

Uniqueness of Dalit autobiography as outpouring if human struggle.

Narrative techniques in portrayal of Dalit autobiography.

Selection of language as a means to expression of experiences.

Understanding of life as a current theme in Dalit autobiography

Chapter SchemeChapter One: Introduction: Shattered Visage: The Real Face of Caste System

Chapter Two: Dalit Autobiography: An Exploration of Human HistoryChapter Three: Outcaste: A Realized Saga of Ambedkar’s ideologyChapter Four: The Outcaste (Akkarmashi): A Treatise on Human Nature

Chapter Five: Growing Up Untouchable in India: A Unique Indian LifeChapter 6: Conclusion: Dalit Autobiography A Pilgrimage of Mankind

Methodology: The research has been methodically

classified into six chapters.Chapter 1: Introduction: Shattered Visage: The Real Face of

Caste SystemThis chapter is planned to focus on the etymological definition of the word “Dalit”, Marginality, Caste system, canon formation of Indian Writings in English

Chapter 2: Dalit Autobiography: An Exploration of Human History

The autobiography became important channel to reach the Dalit communities.

This chapter is aimed the succinct historical survey of Dalit literature in India in various states and Dalit autobiography its emergence, need of the hour for self assertion and self reliance, development, movements, major concern and ideology.

Chapter 3: Outcaste: A Realized Saga of Ambedkar’s ideology:

This chapter provides how Ambedkar’s ideology has been manifested in the family story of the author Narendra Jadhav.

Written in the form of a memoir, Outcaste bears testimony to the success of a Dalit family in the course of a single generation.

It is a story of the metamorphosis of Dalit in the context of the social movement led by Ambedkar. It emphatically presents the Dalit identity in cosmopolitan terms and global context.

Chapter –4: The Outcaste (Akkarmashi): A Treatise on Human Nature

The Outcaste clearly shows how the lives of India's lowest citizens are completely controlled by the society around them. It’s a beautiful picturization of human nature manifested through caste system.

Limbale describes the life a man who suffered not only through this caste system but also through the pain of not even being allowed into the caste system: he was an outcaste, below everyone else.

Chapter 5: Growing Up Untouchable in India: A Unique Indian Life

Vasant Moon's Vasti, the first Dalit autobiography to be published in English, is a moving and eloquent testament to a uniquely Indian life as well as to the universal human spirit. 

There is much in Vasant Moon's extraordinary story of his Vasti, his childhood neighborhood in India that would probably be true of any urban ghetto anywhere in the world. But there is much that is peculiarly and vividly Indian.

Chapter 6: Conclusion: Dalit Autobiography A Pilgrimage of

MankindThis chapter summarizes all the five chapters

and defines the future direction for Dalit literature. It also applauds the contribution made by Dalit writers on Indian writing in English.

To conclude, Dalit autobiography may be said to centre on man. Its history of the last 25 years or so may be seen as the pilgrimage of mankind toward a brave new world bereft of suffering, suppression and exploitation.