I am delighted that this collection which I put together for the Sahitya Akademi some years ago is now being published by Vitasta Publihsing Pvt Ltd & the Tamil Nadu Textbook Corporation. Most of them are from my original plan. A few are from other collections, and yet others completely fresh selections and translations.
Starting from the 1980s, Dalit stories have been influencing the course of Tamil literature. The growth of Dalit writing has been such that the mere handful of such writers in the 1980s has swelled into more than a hundred on current count. Yet the number of women among them is still low. This reflects the reality that literacy levels among Dalit women remain poor.
Not only have the numbers of Dalit authors risen over the decades, but the ambit of the themes they tackle has also widened. Understanding that literature could serve as a tool for social activism, Dalit writers skilfully used the short story as semi-fictionalized records to creatively share the experiences of caste and their own responses to it. They have also come to the fore in writing essays and treatises on societal issues as seen from a Dalit perspective, exploring traditional songs and lore handed down through the oral tradition, recording authentic Dalit history, carrying out research studies on the entrenched caste paradigms, and voicing the Dalit population's economic concerns, about land ownership, housing and the basic necessities of life. Alongside this, active efforts are under way to translate into Tamil many Dalit writings in other Indian languages.
However, given the fact that it is the poets, novelists and short story writers who are the most visible face of Tamil literature, the same is true for Tamil Dalit writing as well.
In general, it had been assumed that 'Dalit writing' was the output exclusively of those who had been born Dalit. This was something that was arrived at after much discussion and accepted as fact by everyone. I too was one among those who subscribed to this view.
Even the women writers who championed the need for 33 percent reservation for women did not demand a quota for Dalit women from among this percentage. From this one could assume a kind of equivalence in outlook. Women writers championing a greater role for women is mirrored by Dalit writers demanding social justice.
Although many may find it unpalatable to accept this situation, it has become clear that there is a growing awareness amongst Dalits of their rights. Those who had assumed that they would be intimidated by the hurdles in their path have begun to alter their own perspectives.
Up till recently, Tamil writers had mainly portrayed Dalits only as servants, minions or ignorant simpletons mired in poverty. Even in Marxist writings, Dalits were subsumed under the general umbrella of the 'poor'.
For privacy concerns, please view our Privacy Policy
Send as free online greeting card
Email a Friend
Manage Wishlist