Vol 3 Issue 3 April 2013

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Indian Streams Research Journal
Volume 3, Issue. 3, April. 2013
Available online at www.isrj.net
ISSN:-2230-7850
ORIGINAL ARTICLE

A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF OMPRAKASH

VALMIKI'S OWN EXPERIENCES AS A DALIT
IN HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY: “JOOTHAN”

DHARA H. JOSHI

LECTURER, (ENGLISH)
GOVT. ARTS COLLEGE,SHAHERA.DI-PANCHMAHAL GUJARAT, INDIA.

Abstract:

Omprakash Valmiki has given a brief preface to his autobiography, “Joothan”.

He explains in that preface how this autobiography was originated or what gave him
idea to write this autobiography. He begins by stating that this autobiography is a record
of his painful experiences which he has undergone. He mentions that a dalit's life is
always painful and it does not find any place in the literary creations of the main stream
of literature. In the writing of this autobiography, it was possible for him to change the
names of places and people by whom he was ill-treated. But he didn't do that because he
wanted his experiences to be authentic and verifiable so he kept the same names of places
and persons. Valmiki concludes by saying that though India is changed and she has now
a superior civilization, the condition of the dalits is the same. He also mentions that only
one who has suffered those bitter experiences, knows the sting of it.

KEYWORDS :

Exploitation and sufferings of Dalits, liberation of dalits, degradation and ridicule, poverty and
physical punishment, double standard of the people of upper caste, inter-college experiences, cowardice of
the teacher, bitter experiences, constitution has not much helped,

INTRODUCTION:

WHO IS DALIT?

Dalit is not a new word. Apparently, it was used in the 1930s as a Hindi and Marathi translation of
'depressed classes', a term the British used for what are now called the Scheduled Castes. In 1970s the 'Dalit
Panthers' revived the term and expanded its reference to include scheduled tribes, poor ,peasants, women
and all those being exploited politically, economically and in the name of religion. Generally, Harijans and
Neo-Buddhists are included in the term, “Dalit”. They are treated as Dalit but such a narrow interpretation
of the word, “Dalit” is not acceptable to Limbale. According to Sharankumar Limbale, all those who are
treated as untouchables, those who are compelled to live outside the boundary of the village, Advisees,
laborers, workers, people of nomadic tribe, and those who are economically backward should also be
treated as Dalits. Limbale mentions that their suffering is common and so they should be consider as Dalits.

WHAT IS DALIT LITERATURE?

Dalit Literature is that literature which portrays artistically sorrows, slavery, miseries,
Title :A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF OMPRAKASH VALMIKI'S OWN EXPERIENCES AS A DALIT
IN HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY: “JOOTHAN”Source:Indian Streams Research Journal [2230-7850] DHARA H. JOSHI yr:2013 vol:3 iss:3
A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF OMPRAKASH VALMIKI'S OWN.............

exploitation and sufferings of Dalits. It is a literature about poverty, degradation and ridicule of which
Dalits become the victims. Dalit Literature is that literature which shows the difference between the basic
human values and the ground reality of how Dalits are treated. Dalit literature is the literature about hopes
and despairs of Dalit community. The Primary motive of Dalit literature is the liberation of dalits. Dalit
struggle against castes tradition has a long history.

Analysis of “Joothan” as an autobiography of a Dalit writer- Omprakash Valmiki:

Omprakash Valmiki has recorded many bitter experiences which he had to face during his
childhood and youth simply because of his being a boy from the Chuhra community. All those insults which
he suffered, physically tortured which he had to undergo are described by him to show how caste factor
plays a significant role in the life of a Dalit Indian. He mentions that he grew in those days of the post
independent India when people in general were not ready to accept the right even to primary education for
the people of Dalit community. His father had to go to
the primary school several times to request to the head master for the admission of Omprakash to
the primary school. He experienced the discrimination and untouchability even within the four walls of the
classroom. He experienced it not only from the side of the upper caste boys but also from the teachers who
had to set an example of equality before the students. He was always referred to as “Abbey Chuhre” and he
never got the mattress to sit on.
As a primary school student, he joined the scout. There was a meet of all the scouts at the district
level in a city and for that purpose; all the participants were given the uniform. They were instructed that the
uniform should be washed and ironed properly. Omprakash Valmiki went to the place of a washer man. The
washer man refused flatly washing or ironing of his uniform simply because he belonged to the Dalit
community of Chuhra. He explained that if he worked for a Chuhra boy, the people of upper caste would not
come to get their clothes washed or ironed. He felt that one can become free from the torture of poverty and
physical punishment but one can never escape from one's caste.
Omprakash Valmiki while narrating bitter experiences of his life as a Dalit also comments on the
double standard of the people of so called upper caste. The people of upper caste used to come secretly in the
darkness of night to their Basti to enjoy the pork meat. He had realized the double standard of the people of
upper caste that at night they can enjoy pork prepared by Chuhra but during the day time they observe
untouchability.
Omprakash Valmiki has also recorded the bitter experiences of his inter-college days. He
mentions that in spite of his being a brilliant boy, his caste never allowed him to enjoy good treatment from
his teachers. When he was in the inter, he was asked by a teacher to bring a glass of water for him.
Omprakash said that he is not allowed even to touch those water pots because he is belonging to Chuhra
caste. Omprakash was asked to sit down and the teacher himself went to take water. Omprakash Valmiki
was shocked to see such cowardice of the teacher.
If we analyze the overall reading of Joothan, it presents before us the different stages of
Omprakash valmiki's life just like his primary school days, secondary school days, college days, his life in
indreshnagar, his stay in Dehradoon, and his days in Mumbai where he became aware of the movement of
Dalit literature. Omprakash Valmiki mentions that wherever he went, the situation that he had to face was
the same. Everywhere he was isolated, insulted, ill-treated, and ridiculed by the people of upper caste. As
long as the people did not know to which caste he belongs, their attitude remained sympathetic, positive and
mixing but the moment they realize that Omprakash belongs to Chuhra community, there came a change in
their attitude. While talking about his life in Mumbai, he mentions that he was invited and well-treated by
the Deshpande family. Because of his surname “Valmiki”, that family was under the impression that
Omprakash was a Brahmin but the moment they realize that Omprakash was not a Brahmin but a Dalit,
there came a change in their attitude and it never remained the same as it was formerly.
Omprakash Valmiki by narrating the bitter experiences, of his life as a Dalit, wants to make one
thing clear that untouchability needs to be removed, abolished from the psyche of an average Indian and
then only equality can be experienced. The constitution has not much helped because untouchability is
already removed on a piece of paper by the way of constitution. Yet it is to be found everywhere in the
attitude, relations and interactions. One has to drive it out of one's mind then only untouchability would end
in a real sense of term.

Indian Streams Research Journal • Volume 3 Issue 3 • April 2013 2

A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF OMPRAKASH VALMIKI'S OWN.............

REFERENCES:

i.Joothan: An Untouchable's Life By Omprakash Valmiki .

ii.Dalit Literature: A Critical Exploration by Amar Nath Prasad, M. B. Gaijan
iii.Valmiki, Omprakash. 2001. Dalit sahitya ka saundaryashastra. Delhi: Radhaksishna.
iv.Mukherjee, Alok. “Reading Sharankumar Limbale's Towards an Aesthetic of Dalit Literature: From
Erasure to Asertion”. Towards an Aesthetic of Dalit literature: History, Controversies and Considerations.
Sharankumar Limbale. New delhi: Orient Longman, 2004.
v.Valmiki, Omprakash. Joothan: A Dalit's Life. Trans. Arun Prabha Mukherjee. Kolkata:
Samya.2007.

DHARA H. JOSHI
LECTURER, (ENGLISH) GOVT. ARTS COLLEGE,SHAHERA.DI-PANCHMAHAL
GUJARAT, INDIA.

Indian Streams Research Journal • Volume 3 Issue 3 • April 2013 3

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