From Shame to Pride: A Critique on Tamil Dalit Poetry

Abstract

Dalit literature articulates the suffering of the people who are socially
conditioned by the oppressive structures that keep them under their
surveillance. It emerges as the voice of the silenced and socially
excluded and in fact it evolves as a counter narrative to the dominant
discourses that occupy the centre. Dalit poetry is essentially poetry of
resistance that protest subjugation and oppression and Tamil dalit
poetry is not an exemption to this standpoint. In Tamil dalit poetry one
can easily trace the influence of Ayotidasa Pandithar, Ambedkar, Periyar
and Marx. Dalit poetry rejects social hierarchy that imposes the code of
conduct advocated by Manu. It tries to address not only the pathetic
plight of dalits but also envisage a promising future. The major
objective of this article is to situate Tamil dalit poetry in the broad
spectrum of Indian literature by recording its history and its
significance. It examines how dalit poetry emerges as protest poetry by
accommodating dalit feminism and also revolts against injustice and
caste discriminative practices in order to create a viable space.