Nonconformism In Dalit Literature

Dalit is a term that is today more accurately applicable to those sections of the Indian society whose liminality is a result of a caste-based hierarchical order that inscribes them as perennially polluted and thus untouchable.Dalithave found occasional mention in the cultural and literary traditions of thecountry, but largely from the ‘high’ caste dimension. Dalit autobiographies seek torearrange the traditional paradigms by shifting the right of representation to the Dalitthemselves. However, the non-conformism of these autobiographies cannot beunderstood in its entirety without the knowledge of the representational orthodoxy of the ‘upper’ castes.

Dalit autobiographies occupy a vital position in the repertoire of Dalit literature. This can partly be attributed to the debate over the agency of representation of the Dalits in media and literature. Dalit autobiographies have an advantage over fiction and poetry in the sense that one should have lived the life of a Dalit to represent it through the medium of discourse. However,

He could not get certain papers signed for school because he could not properly identify his caste by his mother or father, and they would not accept his grandmother as his guardian because she lived with a Muslim. When it came time for marriage, he could not even get married to an outcaste girl because his blood was not pure; he was not wanted anywhere. The clouds of doubt and identity hung over this poor outcaste boy his entire life. However, in several acts of incredible strength and bravery, he did not allow these socially constructed walls to stop him from getting an education and eventually publishing his story. He came to realize the depth of division caused by the conflict between Hindus and Muslims and chose a separate path for him in what he considered to be the warm embrace of