The Doubly Marginalized Self in 20th Century Dalit Autobiographies

Abstract

This paper situates the genre of autobiography in the context of Indian society, which is divided on the basis of caste, lowest among them being Dalits. The two Dalit autobiographies discussed in the paper are Surajpal Chauhan’s Tiraskrit and Kausalya Baisantri’s Dohra Abhishaap. The idea of a divided Dalit community is explored through a reading of these narratives as both of them represent the margin within the marginal Dalit community. Chauhan’s narrative explores the caste divide within the socially discriminated Dalit community, and Baisantri explores the issue of obliteration of Dalit women’s voice in Indian society, even within the Dalit community. Both the narratives are voicing issues pertinent to the Dalit community, thus emerging as a socially and politically informed self that is no longer marginal.

Keywords

• Marginalization
• Dalit writing
• Dalit women’s writing
• autobiography
• caste
• Indian literature

20. Yüzyıl Dalit Otobiyografilerinde Çifte Marjinalleştirilmiş Benlik

Abstract

Bu çalışma, otobiyografi türünü, en alttakileri Dalitlerin oluşturduğu kast temelli bölünmüş Hint toplumu bağlamında ele almaktadır. Çalışma, iki Dalit otobiyografisine odaklanmakta: ilki, Surajpal Chauhan'ın Tiraskrit adlı eseri, ikincisi ise Kausalya Baisantri'nin Dohra Abhishaap adlı eseri. Bölünmüş bir Dalit topluluğu fikri, her ikisi de marjinal Dalit topluluğu içinde kenara itilmiş yaşamları temsil eden bu iki eser bağlamında mercek altına alınıyor. Chauhan'ın anlatısı toplumsal olarak ayrımcılığa uğrayan Dalit topluluğu içindeki kast ayrımını, Baisantri ise Dalit kadınların Hint toplumunda, hatta Dalit topluluğu içinde bile seslerinin duyulmayışını irdelemektedir. Her iki anlatı da Dalit toplumunu ilgilendiren meseleleri dile getirmekte ve böylece marjinal olmaktan çıkıp sosyal ve siyasi olarak bilinçli bir benlik oluşturmaktadır.

Keywords

• Marjinalleştirme
• Dalit yazını
• Dalit kadın yazını
• otobiyografi
• kast sistemi
• Hint edebiyatı

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