Dalit Literature
Dalit is a political term= Dalit= from ‘dal’ in Sanskrit meaning to crack, to split, be broken or torn asunder, trodden down, earlier known as “Untouchables”, Unseeable, Unapproachable, unhearable, ati-sudras, chandals, panchamas, antyajas, achhuts, asprushyas, depressed classes, harijans, schedule classes- abolishes when constitution came into force, Articlw 17.
Dalit is nuter gender, A.P Nirmal pioneered Dalit theology in India.
Seen lower than animal than: Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Parsis.
Purity and pollution mentioned in Dharma Sastras, there are 220 Dharma Sastra.
16% of India’s population is Dalit, numbering 220 million
Dalits in other countries: South Asia: Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Mayanmar.
As diaspora community: UK, Singapore, Malaysia, South Africa, Canada, Caribbean.
Dalit Liberation movement
Maharastra have pioneered Dalit movement and literature.
Jotibaro Phule 1826-1956 one of the pioneers of Non-Brahmin Movements in Maharastra, he termed Brahmins as Sethji Bhatji.
B.R. Ambedkar 1891-1956
Ambedkar considered Phule one of his gurus, the other two are Buddha and Kabir.
Ambedkar’s famous books: The Untouchables; Who Were They and Why They Became Untouchables? 1948
Ambedkar coined the term the Broken Men
1972 – Dalit Panther Movement. – founder members: J.V.Pawar, Namdeo Dhasal, Raja Dhale.
