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About Dalit Literature

An excerpt form Towards an aesthetic of Dalit literature by Sharankumar Limbale

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anurithy08
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27 views4 pages

About Dalit Literature

An excerpt form Towards an aesthetic of Dalit literature by Sharankumar Limbale

Uploaded by

anurithy08
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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2

About Dalit Literature

oSETbenos

otiqen P
By Dalit literature, I mean writing about Dalits by Dalit writers
with a Dalit consciousness) The form of Dalit literature is
inherent in its Dalitness, and its purpose is obvious: to inform
Dalit society of its slavery, and narrate its pain and suffering to
upper caste Hindus.
Is it appropriate to expect pleasure or beauty, instead of
inspiration for social transtormation, from ,literature that has
been written primarily to raise awareness?Dalit writers believe
that their literature should be analyzed from a sociological
perspective focused on social values than on beauty. An
exclusively aesthetic consideration of Dalit literature will
disregard the Dalit writers' fundamental role, and hence is not
acceptable to Dalit writers. Rejecting traditional aesthetics, thecy
insist on the need for a new and distinct aesthetic for their
literaturean aesthetic that is life-affirming and realistic. In
other words, Dalit writers have demanded different yardsticks
torthe literary appraisal of their works. It is the firm conviction
of Dalit writers and critics that if yardsticks
of aesthetics will
change, the concept
change too)
Just as it is inappropriate to tell writers what and how they
should write, similarly, it would be improper to dictate to critics
the kind of
criticism they should practise. It should also be
remembered that the same work of art can be analyzed in
rerent ways. This means that just as Dalit literature will be
analyzed according to the role of Dalit'writers, so too, criticism
will be shaped
by the role of the critic.
OPper caste critics have declared loudly that Dalit literature
uOes not
need a separate aesthetic, and that it should be
critiqued
20 Towards an Aesthetic of Dalit Literature
has engaged in an
on the basis of eternal values. But no one
serious reflection on
aesthetic analysis of Dalit literature after a
Dalit literary critics
the entirety of Dalit literature. In fact, even
aesthetic for Dalit
who have discussed the need for a separate
criticism based on a
literature have not performed exemplary
careful and detailed reading of Dalit literature.
literature is to be
If an aesthetic consideration of Dalit
context of its
undertaken, it will be necessary to do so in the
role and features. This
uniqueness, inspiration, creation,
awareness has existed from the early days of Dalit literature.
Instead of starting this discussion anew, we need to examine the

perception andcriticism of Dalit literature expressed until now.

Otherwise, we will not be able to move forward.


Without such a comprehensive analysis encompassing the
whole of Dalit literature, the criticism of Dalit literature, and
Dalit literature itself, will not be able to move beyond the
parameters within which they are circumscribed. In carrying out
this analysis, it must be kept in mind that any aesthetic
consideration of Dalit literature must be based on Ambedkars
and that this literature's literary value is embedded in
thought,
its social value. lot le cbnul 'asinw ilsCods b
Untruth: What is the place of 'satyam' in the lives of the Dalit,
and the Adivasi? Is that truth about which such pride is
expressed, and which is considered the truth?
triumphant, really
Is it truth that the Brahman was born from Brahma's mouth
and the Shudra from his feet? Is it truth that one is born a
Shudra because of sins committed in a previous life?
Since there is no truth in any of this, satyam should really be

asatyam. od bluow

Unholy: Hindu scriptures have deemed the touch, shadow and


speech of the Dalit person as defiling. Food, water and peop
become impure from the touch of the untouchable. Not on
human bcings, even god becomes polluted. Separate settlement
riverbanks and cremation grounds have been arranged for
untouchables.
About Dalit Literature 21

For the nomadic and criminal tribes, there is neither


village
nor home. They have to wander constantly, and beg to live.
What kind of shiva is this? These communities have to steal to
survive. Human beings are deemed criminals by their birth.
What sort of shiva is this?
Adivasis live the life of forest animals-what form of shiva is
this?
Shudras serve the three upper varnas. They have no right to
power, property, prestige and knowledge. Is this shiva?
Even today Dalits are tortured by being called Dalit. Injustice
and ill treatment are inflicted on Dalit women.
This is the Hindu religious custom.
Unbeauty: Dalits should live outside the village; they should take
inauspicious names; they should not accumulate property; they
should possess only donkeys or dogs; and they should wear
clothes meant to dress corpses. They should not learn Sanskrit
or read the vedas, lest by doing so, they become aware of their
forced live inauspicious, uncultured
oppression. They were to an

and untouchable life. But since they did not live mutely
according to prescription, provision for serious punishment was

made for any breach of the injunctions.

Shambuka meditated, and was therefore killed.


was cut off.
Eklavya acquired learning, but his thumb
was called a Shudra when
he laid claim to the
Shivaji
throne.
adorn the
The dancer women of the Kolhati community
Hindu men disrobe
beds of men. These rich upper caste
women dance to
the women who perform nautanki. The
survive. How can they be
please patrons in order to
expected to show spousal loyalty?
fabrications used to
Satyam, shivam, sundaram-these
are

the aesthetic concept


divide and exploit ordinary people. In fact,
of 'satyam, shivam, sundaram is the selfish mechanism of upper

Hindu society. It is necessary to replace


this conception of
caste
and social.
aesthetics with one that is material
22 Towards an Aesthetic of Dalit Literature
human-this is
first and foremost
Human beings
Human are

satyam.
The liberation of human beings is shivam.
sundaram.
.The humanity of human beings is
is a foolish aesthetic concept.
Satyam, shivam, sundaram
world comparable to that
There is no truth and beauty in the
it is essential to
which is found in human beings. Therefore,
and of human
fraternity
discuss theequality, liberty, justice
that discussion will be the discussion of
beings. n my opinion,
the aesthetics of Dalit literature.

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