Gujarati Dalit literature is committed to the plight of Dalit Community, particularly the SC, the ST and the Baxi panch groups. It straightforwardly deals with discrimination and exploitation of these Communities. It emphasizes the theme of exposition of the sufferings of non-high castes people and pays little attention to the forms of literary pieces. It has been widly criticised for the lack of forms. But Gujarati Dalit Literature is quite recent and to expect perfection of forms at this stage is too much. We can only say that Gujarati Dalit Literature is rough diamond. But more than this, it is the theme that takes the form. If the theme is powerful, it will take the care of the form. In this respect selected Gujarati Dalit Literature is the veritable example of the theme that takes the form at the same time.

This Anthology contains the creative writings by Dalit writers because thay have direct experiences and realizations of Dalit Communities. But it does believe that non- Dalit writers can also produce Dalit Literature provided they have Commitment to dalit experience and dalit ideology. However, due to paucity of pages, the writings of non- Dalit Literature could not be included in this anthology. The editor regrets it.

Though Gujarati Dalit Literature is inspired by Dr.Amedkar's ideology and Marathi Dalit Literature, It has its own independent identity A few Comparatively young and moderately Gujarati Dalit poets and writers, exposed to national and world literature, dedicate themselves to neglected areas of experiences in literature of the time. They decide to expand the horizon of literature, they explicated the vision of treating a Dalit at least as a Human being. This vision, It is sure, will be helpful to the researchers, professors, general readers and a Common man without fail.

Born in 1946 in Varanasi in a very reputed and educated family, Professor D.S. Mishra served as a Professor and Head, Department of English, Sardar Patel University in Gujarat which is one of the most prestigious universities of India. He was appointed as Professor Emeritus in 2009 by University grants Commission, Ministry of Human Resources Development, Govt. of India. His study in Gujarati Dalit Literature is quite old and he organised the first seminar on Dalit Novels in 1980, since then he has sustained his interest in dalit literature.

He has published dozen of books, many translations and more than hundred articles in various reputed journals.

Dismayed by the vitriolic attack on the idea of 'commitment in literature', Sartre thought it fit to write in defense a whole treatise: 'What is literature?' Any new genre or movement of literature is thus made to answer and justify its existence, particularly when it aims to disturb the status-quo and challenge the mainstream. Again this is more so for those that come with disturbing 'contents' and 'ideologies' rather than those that come with disturbing 'forms' and 'modes of expressions'. Black Literature in America, Feminist Literature in most parts of the world and Dalit Literature in India are the examples of our time.

Inspired by the works and writings of Mahatma Phoole and Dr Ambedkar, the movement of dalit literature in India began from the Indian state of Maharashtra in the later half of the last century. It is now spread to other parts of India like Gujarat, Karnataka, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Kerala et al but has to still face repetitive questions both from cynical critics as well as from genuinely curious general readers: What is 'Dalit Literature'? Who can be called 'dalit writer'? What are the historical and contemporary circumstances that gave birth to the movement of Dalit Literature? Why does it claim for a separate and distinct identity?

Does it have any literary heritage or tradition of its own? What are its salient features? What are its styles and techniques? What is its ideology? What is its aesthetics? What is its impact on literature and society? What are the challenges ahead? What direction it will take in the future?

First and foremost, the terms 'dalit literature' and 'dalit writer' therefore need to be elaborated upon for the purpose of this anthology.

For Gujarati dalit literature that emerged in the late seventies of the last century under the indirect influence of the neighboring state, these are some of the valid questions that need to be raised and answered for its own benefit. The questions are same but the answers are varied and it is all due to the fundamental problem of defining 'Dalit Literature'. Obviously it should have been very simple and easy to define: the literature that aims at uplifting the dalits by abolishing the caste system, the social system that segregates people into low and high, to the extent that a large section of it is rendered 'untouchable' without having sany human rights and human dignity.

But a lot of confusion prevails on what the qualifying term 'dalit' would or should or could mean in the context of its current socio-political and literary use.

Originally a Sanskrit word, etymologically meaning 'ground' as in phrases like 'ground to dust', 'ground to ashes', 'ground to pieces', 'ground to flour' and by connotation meaning 'depressed', 'downtrodden, 'broken', 'crushed' is adopted by all Indian languages in the same meaning.

But journey of the word 'dalit' takes interesting turn when Britishers in the Government of India Act, 1935 used its English translation as 'Depressed classes' to mean downtrodden people of India who were hitherto referred as 'Harijan' by the grace of Mahatma Gandhi.

Book's Contents and Sample Pages