Paper short abstract:

Dalit writings inscribe Dalit body with markers of ridicule and degradation on one hand and exultation and assertion on the other. This paper explores to what extent such a representation marks Dalit autobiographical writings in three distinct language domains in India.

Paper long abstract:

In many Dalit writings there is much focus on human body and they inscribe the Dalit body with characteristic markers of ridicule and degradation on one hand and exultation and assertion on the other. These markers are represented differently when a Dalit perceives oneself and does so through the gaze of others. There are changes in these representations overtime through a reflective re-visitation of these markers. This paper is an attempt to see whether such an understanding is common across different language domains and if there are differences, how do they come to be posited.

This question is raised in a twofold context: While the characteristic markers of untouchability vary across different regions and contexts of invocation in India, it has been argued that there is a common core to the relations it embeds. The Lothian Committee (1931-1932) was to underscore this issue. At the same time it has to be noted that Dalit autobiographical writings are profoundly shaped by the distinct ideological and political context of different language domains, closely linked to the Dalit movement in the respective regions, to beget a shared understanding.