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Language and Cultural Discourse of Indian Dalit Literature from a Subalternist’S Perspective

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Language and Cultural Discourse of Indian Dalit Literature from a Subalternist’S Perspective International Journal of Management and Applied Science, ISSN: 2394-7926 Volume-3, Issue-9, Sep.-2017 http://iraj.in LANGUAGE AND CULTURAL DISCOURSE OF INDIAN DALIT LITERATURE FROM A SUBALTERNIST’S PERSPECTIVE SOUMYA NAIR ANOOP KUMAR M.G. University, Kerala, India E-mail: [email protected] Abstract: The paper attempts to trace the impression of Indian Dalit Literature focusing on the language and culture used in different generes of Dalit Literature. The emotions are well said which are articulated as Poems, short stories, novels or essays along with their biographical accounts in many case. The brutalities by the dominated group, manipulations of the untouchables, caste segregation, coercion by the domineering class, clap down of women turn out to be the foci of this Indian subaltern literature. The silent fury from the deep-rooted souls of the broken weaker minds are clearly represented in the scripts. Keywords: Caste, Culture, Identity, Marginality, Resistance, Subaltern, Un-Touchability. I. INTRODUCTION writings the readers get the imprint that Dalits themselves are accountable for their woe. Language, the most humdrum of all human assets is ‘Let us all hope that the dark clouds of racial possibly the most intricate and the utmost inspiration prejudice will soon pass away, and that in some to be the part of a society. It is a media of not too distant tomorrow the radiant stars of love and communication, which promotes the development of brotherhood will shine over our great their talents, skills, creativity, innovation, and nation with all their scintillating beauty.’ novelty. The expression of thoughts, feelings, Martin Luther King Jr. emotions finally results in friendships that paves way for a unique culture. The paper focuses to explore Language and culture are complexly related and whether there is any relationship between language reliant on each other. Language is moulded by and culture mainly from a subalternistic approach. culture, while culture is inclined and wedged by This article indicates that there is a very close language. Language is the medium of culture. relationship between the two. Culture has a direct “Linguistic differences are also often seen as the effect on language. Language and culture are closely mark of another culture, and they very commonly associated. create divisiveness among neighbouring peoples or even among different groups of the same nation. This II. OVERVIEW explains how language can be a pathway to culture. Language is the rust that comprehends your cultural As a subaltern discourse, Dalit literature recounts the identity existing social conditions of the Dalits and creates in them the literary practice. Literally, the The subaltern emerges not as a positive identity Sanskritization endures the high caste values and complete with sovereign self consciousness, but as the intensify the Dalits to disregard their collective past product of a network of differential potentially and culture. Sivakami’s Grip of Change makes a contradictory identities. solemn attempt to go beyond the manacles of mere (Woods 43) casteism by presenting the Dalit cultural and political identities emphatically. Subaltern literature in crux is a gripe literature and it constructs the social identity of the oppressed. Prior to the advent of their own literature, Dalits are Declaration of cultural and political identities is defined as irrational, uncivilized, and their selves are viewed mainly as a part of the struggle of the awarded with a sense of inferiority. The identities in Subaltern literature. The philosophers like Homi Dalit literature in India are formed in their dissent Bhabha, Edward Said and Gayatri Spivak bear out to against their distinctiveness – the negative insights of the institution of postcolonial theory and construction the caste. Dalit literature is a vital part of the Dalit of identity in the educational world. Supremacy is a culture and politics. Dalit writers need to strengthen major issue in postmodernism, the subaltern writing and disrupt the vain, exaggerated, ritualized and is dogmatic and it proclaims the cultural identities of highlighting society that suppresses them. In the relegated. conventional literature, there is no place for the Dalits moreover they are portrayed by the upper caste As Leveridge explains, each human being is born the writers as bizarre people. Paradoxically from their same way and experiences the same stages in life. The difference, however, is the environment in which Language and Cultural Discourse of Indian Dalit Literature from a Subalternist’s Perspective 81 International Journal of Management and Applied Science, ISSN: 2394-7926 Volume-3, Issue-9, Sep.-2017 http://iraj.in each individual grows up and the language to which he was raised without any contact with the church. He he/she becomes accustomed to. This creates identities was attracted towards the Naxalite movement, Joseph of a certain culture and language, differing this has not been directly involved with Dalit movement. person from another. Culture, as defined by the article ‘As a Christian, I am a disguised Dalit’ he observes,, Understanding Racism, “a defining feature of a adding, ‘My name, my culture, has no place in the person’s identity, contributing to how they see movement which is concerned with Hindus and their themselves and the groups with which they identify. sorrows’. ‘Poetry is the space of ambiguity, Culture may be broadly defined as the sum total of dreams…..’ He behaves as a common subaltern. ‘I ways of living built up by a group of human beings, have taught and lived among tribal children, fisher- which is transmitted from one generation to another. people, blacksmiths. My poetry is about all these Every community, cultural group or ethnic group has people who are “outside” the mainstream. its own values, beliefs and ways of living” This It is a world that is not found in Naxalite poetry.’ clearly shows the importance of language, culture, Joseph’s poems the themes are fisherman or the and heritage in forming and shaping one’s workers of plantations in hilly areas and their diurnal personality. happenings. His first book, kautha kallu (Black As Omprakash Valmiki writes, ‘Dalit chetna obtains Stone,2000), carries many poems that replicates on its primary energy from Dr Ambedkar’s life and identity. ‘My father is stone worker.’ He says, ‘and I vision, all Dalit writers are united with respect to this too have worked stone. A stone is concrete thing, but truth.’ ‘Can the subaltern Speak?’ by Gayatri it is a concrete thing, but it is also loose. I depict my Chakravorty Spivak referring to the colonizer - life on stone.’ His latest collection, Identity card colonized outline, has been quoted by Dalit literary (2006), carries several love poems. A Dalit Christian critics all over as a caste-based socio-cultural and boy falls in love with an upper-caste girl. He loses his economic structure of the Indian society. In the mileu identity card. When it’s found, the girl notices a red of subalternity one has to recognize the deliverance of mark, indicating the ‘stipend’ –the red ink that the subverted group, whose silenced voices have denotes his caste he receives as a Dalit. The card and brought an authentic portrayal of their pain and the stipened – is a caste mark, and it costs him his suffering, that created a self identity of their own. In love. this context the thought arises who writes the In the 12th century the Dalit poet, Kalavve authentic literature of Dalit? Whether a Dalit challenged the upper castes in the following words: themselves will write their story or anyone can write for them? "Those who eat goats, foul and tiny fish: Such, they call caste people. III.ANALYSIS Those who eat the Sacred Cow That showers frothing milk for Shiva: Identity Card Such, they call out-castes". Translated by K. Satchidanandan “Manusmriti”, the first manuscript on jurisprudence In my student days in India by Manu, strictly prohibits Hindus of very a girl came laughing low caste from going through ‘Vedas’, the ancient Our hands met mixing holy scriptures or even listening to its recital. A her rice and fish curry hardcore classicist like him has broadly classified the On a bench we became models of duties based on caste distinction. a Hindu-Christian family Accordingly “Sudra”, the untouchable is sermonized I whiled away my time through a sloka that acts like a canon of Hindu ethics: reading Neruda’s poetry; and meanwhile I misplaced “Ekameba tu Sudrasya Prabhu : Karma Samadishat my Identity Card. Eteshameba Varnanang sushrusamanasuyaya” She said, returning my card: Elucidating, the Lord has endowed the Sudra ‘the account of your stipend (untouchable) with only one Karma (action) to render is entered there in red’ the three upper races with selfless services. Manu has These days I never look at delved deeper into the matter to define the superior a boy and a girl lost in themselves. cult of Brahminism in subsequent slokas : They will part after a while. Exemplifying : I won’t be surprised even if they unite. Their Identity Cards “Uttamangobdhawajaisthaya Bramanushaiba won’t have markings in red dharanat, Sarbasaibasya sargasya dharmato Brahmanah prabhu”. S. Joseph was the poet who belongs an artisan family. He is Christian by birth, as his family was communist Language and Cultural Discourse of Indian Dalit Literature from a Subalternist’s Perspective 82 International Journal of Management and Applied Science, ISSN: 2394-7926 Volume-3, Issue-9, Sep.-2017 http://iraj.in A Brahmin was born earlier than a Kshatriya the self and the enemy, the rulers and the ruled, or the (warrior) out of the mouth of Lord Brahma creator of gods and the demons. It is a battle between the self the universe. With Veda in hand, he proved to be the and enemy, the rulers and the ruled, or the Gods and religious master of the globe.
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