Abstract
This paper examines how Dalit writers have responded to the inequality generated by the caste system by recuperating mythic and historical figures such as Shambuka, Eklavya, Ravana, Jhalkari Bai, and Angulimal from Hindu religious literature, and deploying them in portraying contemporary Dalit experience. The paper traces the development of Dalit popular history — a history centered on heroes and their heroic acts, carved out of faces rather than academic paradigms. It analyzes how this historiography serves as a vehicle of emancipation, enabling the development of new consciousness and identity among Dalits, from the iconoclastic messages of Buddhism and the Bhakti movement through the revolutionary legacy of B.R. Ambedkar.
Keywords: Dalit literature, subaltern heroes, historiography, caste system, Ambedkar, Eklavya, Shambuka, Jhalkari Bai
The Caste System and Knowledge Monopoly
The hegemonic caste structure that emerged in the early phases of Indian civilization continued with almost similar rhythm till the advent of British rule in India, sidelining the iconoclastic messages of Buddhism and the Bhakti movement. Over the centuries, the monopoly over knowledge that Brahmin men had was evident not merely in ritual or religious knowledge but also in secular knowledge. Occasional examples of resistance, such as Shambuka who practiced austerities normally reserved by Brahmins, or Eklavya who acquired skills in archery, met with severe punishment.
As Tapan Basu notes, it is because of the traditional exclusion from learning that Dalit intellectuals like Phule and Ambedkar placed such importance on education as a weapon in the resistance to Brahminism (Basu 203). Limbale suggests that Dalit poets recuperate mythic figures such as Shambuka, Eklavya, Ravana and Shurpanaka from Hindu religious literature and use them in portraying contemporary Dalit experience (Limbale 12).
Dalit Popular History
The print medium was used by Dalits for exclusive publication of newspapers, journals, and magazines, as well as booklets containing history as they discovered or invented it and biographies of historical actors who had not been provided a respectful place. This history claims to be different from previous histories. It never draws on Marxism or any alternative historical paradigm but is largely dominated by the development of historical concepts in the social struggle. It is a history which centers on heroes and their heroic acts — a history carved out of faces.
In Mool Vansa Katha by G.P. Prashant, Shambook is depicted as a Buddhist who refused to submit to Brahminical hegemony. The narrative sees the beginning of the history of Dalit assertion with the rise in Buddhism.
Jhalkari Bai: The Dalit Heroine
Of the most significant Dalit historical characters retrieved from obscurity, Jhalkari Bai, a low-caste warrior guarding the main gate at the fort of Rani Lakshmibai at Jhansi, receives repeated attention from Dalit biographers and poets. Born in 1830 in Jhansi, she belonged to the Kori community. From childhood Jhalkari was playful, clever, and competent. Her features resembled the Rani, and when she went to General Rose dressed like a queen, he was confused.
Eklavya and Shambuk as Archetypal Symbols
The great Hindu epics are seen quite differently from the Dalit viewpoint. The Mahabharata calls up not images of heroism but the figures of Karna, the illegitimate son of Kunti, and Eklavya, the low-born who cut off his thumb at the command of his guru. The Ramayana evokes the image of Shambuk, killed because he heard the Vedas. Tryambak Sapkale uses the image of Eklavya as strength in his poetry.
Kabir and Eknath: Voices Against Caste
Kabir condemned the Brahmins and rejected the ceremonial practices of Hinduism. He reproached them for their ignorance of spiritual truth and failure to show the path of salvation. Eknath raised his voice to denounce caste distinctions, proclaiming that men could become one with God through devotion to Him and to humanity.
Ambedkar’s Legacy
B.R. Ambedkar, the prime architect of the Indian Constitution, made significant contributions to the anti-caste movement. Gandhi described him as “fierce and fearless” and Nehru acclaimed him as a “symbol of revolt against all the oppressing features of Hindu society.” Ambedkar made it clear that the root cause of Dalit oppression was the upper-caste monopoly over power and knowledge.
In Dalit poetry of the post-1990s, Ambedkar receives singular attention and is projected as a demi-god across regions and languages. The post-Ambedkarite phase of Dalit poetics is more a confirmation and continuation of Ambedkarite poetics than its negation.
Conclusion
The Dalits have succeeded in developing their own political culture and historical identity through reconstructing the past. At this juncture, the Shudras and the Atishudras acquired, for the first time, heroic and sub-heroic status in Indian literature. Dalit writers reject the dominant cultural tradition, and the movement for Dalit identity points towards the multiple discourses of tradition.
Works Cited
- Anand, Mulk Raj and Eleanor Zelliot, eds. An Anthology of Dalit Literature. New Delhi: Gyan Publishing House, 1992.
- Basu, Swaraj. Readings on Dalit Identity: History, Literature and Religion. Orient Blackswan, 2016.
- Basu, Tapan Das. Translating Caste. Eds. New Delhi: Katha, 2002.
- Bharati, Vizia. “Hindu Epics: Portrayal of Dalit Women.” Dalit Women in India: Issues and Perspectives. Ed. Jogdand P.G. New Delhi: Gyan Publishing, 1995.
- Headayetullah, Muhammad. Kabir: The Apostle of Hindu-Muslim Unity. New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1977.
- Kulkarni, Shridhar. Saint Eknath. A Silver Jubilee Publication, 1985.
- Kumar, Akshaya. Poetry, Politics and Culture. New Delhi: Routledge, 2009.
- Keay, F.E. Kabir and His Followers. New Delhi: Mittl Publications, 1931.
- Kumar, Raj. Dalit Personal Narratives: Reading Caste, Nation and Identity. Orient Blackswan, 2010.
- Limbale. Towards Aesthetics of Dalit Literature: History, Controversies and Considerations. Trans. Alok Mukherji. Hyderabad: Orient Longman, 2004.
- Misra, A.R. and Badri Narayan. Multiple Marginalities: An Anthology of Identified Dalit Writings. New Delhi: Manohar, 2004.
- Prasad, Jayashanka. Hindi Kavya mein Dalit Kavyadharna. Varanasi: Vishvavidyalay Prakashan, 1993.
- Zelliot, E. From Untouchable to Dalit: Essays on Ambedkar Movement. New Delhi: Manohar, 1992.
- Zelliot, E. and Rohini Mokashi-Punekar. Untouchable Saints: An Indian Phenomenon. New Delhi: Manohar, 2005.