Omprakash valmikis joothan is among the first texts in hindi that identifies itself as a part of dalit literature, one of the most important literary movements to. Story of one dalit life provides an insight to the lives of many other dalit people. A dalits life is one of such dalit autobiographies in which the saga of sorrows, miseries, poverty and hunger has. Reconnoitering the experiences of dalitsin omprakash valmikis.
Joothan is an autobiographical account of his miserable birth and life. Dalit literature is a literature which portrays sorrows, tribulations, slavery, degradation, ridicule and poverty faced by dalits. Joothan refers to scraps of food left on a plate, destined for the garbage or animals. His autobiography joothan which first published in. Joothan literally means scraps of food left on a plate. Omprakash, a pioneer in dalit writing in hindi, saw dalit literature as a vital part of the struggle for social justice. Pdf dalit literature is the literature about the dalits, an oppressed. Joothan is among the first texts in hindi that identifies itself as a part of dalit. Voice from the marginsomprakash valmikis joothan shodhganga. Joothan by omprakash valmiki pdf omprakash valmiki 30 june 17 november was an indian dalit writer and poet. Indias untouchables have been forced to accept and eat joothan for centuries, and the word encapsulates the pain, humiliation, and poverty of a community forced to live at the bottom of indias. A dalits life is respectively chosen for the research as it brings.
Though one autobiographical character remains the locus, the stories of supporting characters are also significant to be paid heed to. Phil student, department of english crsu, jind haryana india. Dalit writers try to remake the history by narrating their painful experiences. In his preface to the hindi edition of the book, valmiki. One such dalit autobiography is joothan, written by omprakash valmiki. Omprakash valmiki s autobiography joothan a dalits life is an english translation of the hindi original joothan by arun prabha mukherjee. According to him dalit life is excruciatingly painful, charred by experiences. Omprakash traces his lineage to valmiki, the great author of ramayana and proves that even valmiki belongs to the sweeper caste. Omprakash valmiki is a great poet and short story writer in hindi dalit literature. In his preface to the hindi edition of the book, valmiki himself has stated the motive behind writing the autobiography. Om prakash valmiki begins his autobiography by stating, dalit life is. A dalits life, as the title suggests is an autobiography of omprakash valmikis life as a. Life by omprakash valmiki is a veridical exercise of this dalit literary sensibility and the present paper attempts a humble exploration of that. Joothan by omprakash valmiki is one such work of dalit literature, first published in hindi in and translated into english by arun prabha mukherjee in.
A dalit s lifeis an autobiographical account of omprakash valmiki s life as a dalit. Omprakash valmiki describes his life as an untouchable, or dalit, in the newly independent india of the 1950s. The objective of this paper is to purport the hellish life of the dalits in omprakash valmikis novel joothan. Although untouchability was abolished indalits continued to face discrimination, economic deprivation, violence, and ridicule.
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