Strength and Resilience in Tamil Dalit Literature: Examining Dalit Feminism through the Lens of Bama’s Works and Western Feminist Theory

Abstract

India has a rich history of literature. But it had been governed by the writings of the men and the privileged class for the longest time. The emergence of Dalit writing in Tamil Nadu was a crucial step towards resisting hegemonised dogmas and reclaiming the Dalit identity. Overcoming the shackles of double oppression, Tamil Dalit women came out with works describing their individual and collective experiences of humiliation and rejection. Bama Faustina’s “Karukku” and “Sangati” are two important works that helped bring together the voices of Dalit women through their experiences of trauma and subjugation. Bama explores how caste and religion create a complex web of discrimination and oppression. The novels also highlight the resilience and strength of Dalit women, and their ability to resist and challenge the dominant social order. The intersection of Dalit literature and Western feminism in these works is traced in this article. The works are analysed with the help of feminist theories, to bring out the convergence of gender, patriarchy and caste and class which create a particularly oppressive environment for Dalit women. The article also discusses how third-world feminism paved the way for the representation and acceptance of women in Asian, African and other racial setups.

Keywords

• strength
• resilience
• tamil dalit literature
• dalit feminism
• bama
• karukku
• sangathi.