Int ern a tio na l Jo u rna l of Appli ed R esea rch 201 7; 3(7): 206 -2 1 0

ISSN Print: 2394-7500

ISSN Online: 2394-5869
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Representation of Dalit female characters in Dalit and
IJAR 2017; 3(7): 206-210
www.allresearchjournal.com
Non-Dalit writings: reading rao’s Children of God and
Received: 25-05-2017 Sivakami’s The Grip of Change
Accepted: 26-06-2017

Sneha Jajoria
M.Phil. English, University of
Sneha Jajoria
Delhi, Delhi, India
Abstract
Dalit literature is the voice of oppressed community seeking justice from the centuries on the name of
caste. Authors from different caste backgrounds are coming forward to participate in this budding genre
of literature. The representation of Dalit characters in literature has always remained a sensitive issue.
My paper would focus on the representation of Dalit characters by both, Dalit writers and non-Dalit
writers. Dalit writers claim that it is necessary to have Dalit identity to be a Dalit writer as they believed
that Dalit literature is ‘lived literature’. Dalit writers claim that the portrayal of Dalit characters by non-
Dalit writers is always negative or mere sympathetic. I will try to search out, at what extent non- Dalit
writers are doing justice with Dalit characters in their work and to do so I will be comparing their
characters with the characters of Dalit writers. My focus will be to compare Dalit female characters by
Dalit female writer and non- dalit female writer. The major works I will be covering in this paper are,
The Grip of Change by P. Sivakami and Children of God by Shanta Rameshwar Rao.

Keywords: Dalit, Representation, Caste, Sympathy, Untouchability, Empathy

1. Introduction
Dalit Literature is a literature of resistance which primarily focus on the ostracization and
marginalization of oppressed communities like Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribes and other
backward castes. Caste system is the harsh reality of India. Dalit literature is the voice of all
oppressed communities who challenge the rigidity of caste system and demand equality.
Dalit literature represents the bitter lived experiences of Dalits.
Both Dalit writers and non-Dalit writers have written about Dalit lives. There is a difference
in the writings of Dalit writers and non-Dalit writers which can be captured through
sympathy and empathy. In this paper I would try to explore the relationship of sympathy and
empathy in Dalit literature. A Dalit critic, Neha Arora, states that “it is enough to say that any
piece of literature is Dalit literature which concerns Dalits and which is inspired by the Dalit
Movement” (Arora 161). Arjun Dhangle also believes the same, that it is not necessary to be
a Dalit to write Dalit literature. On the other hand Sharatchandra Muktiboth writes that since
Dalit consciousness produces Dalit literature, therefore “an outstanding work of Dalit
literature would be born only when Dalit life would present itself from the Dalit point of
view” (Dangle 267). Certain Dalit writers and critics like Jai Prakash Kardam, Ghanshaym,
Bhatt claim that literature written by non-Dalit writers is caste biased. They charge that non-
Dalit writers cannot represent the reality as a Dalit writer can do. According to some Dalit
writers, Dalit literature is writing about Dalits by Dalit writers with Dalit consciousness.
Majority of Dalit writers like Jai Prakash Kardam believes that they have composed literature
on the basis of lived experiences faced by them and their communities where as non-Dalit
writers write with sympathetic overtones. Writers like Premchand, Bechan Sharma, Vaidehi
have written on Dalit community. Premchand in Rangbhoomi made Surdas a central
character and in Bechan Sharma’s Budhua Ki Beti, Radha, a Dalit girl was central character.
It is interesting to note that in most of the works of non-Dalit writers, Dalit protagonist fails
Correspondence
to fight against the system and is portrayed by the author as a victim who can never bring the
Sneha Jajoria
M.Phil. English, University of change. In Godan by Premchand, Hori, the central character dies at the end because he finds
Delhi, Delhi, India it impossible to fight with upper caste money lenders.

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Dalit writers occupy a unique position in the history of The Grip of Change is written by a Dalit woman writer
Indian literature. Many Dalit writers believe that non-Dalit whereas Children of God is by a non-Dalit upper caste
writers spoil the authenticity of Dalit literature. In the words woman. Being written by woman’s point of view and
of G.A. Ghanshyam, “Dalit Literature is basically the writing about the same idea, these novels are giving contrast
literature written by Dalits in which they have expressed to each other. The possible reason could be caste of the
their pain and anguish. The non-Dalit writers who write authors. These novels show how a Dalit woman is
about Dalits couldn’t come under the category of Dalit “different”.
writers because they don’t represent the true Dalit First I will be discussing about Children of God. This novel
consciousness” (Ghanshyam 92). Another critic also claims was published in 1976 but the plan of writing this novel
the same, Vandna Bhatt puts,“ ‘anubhava’ (experience) was, as written by the author, in her mind from decades. She
takes precedence over ‘anumana’ (speculation) in writing started writing this novel in 1954 and she took more than
Dalit Literature. Dalit writers are able to paint the picture of twenty years to pen down the real sufferings of Dalit
Dalit life in a balanced, realistic and critical manner” (Bhatt community. This novel is based on her observations of Dalit
119). Umed Singh also opines that non-Dalit writers can life since her childhood. She believes that through
write about Dalits but they could not capture the anguish imaginary characters she is telling the stories of thousands
born out of the unjust social system based on caste and class Dalit women and their families.
inequalities” (Singh 121). Rao has written this novel not merely as story about Dalit
Jai Prakash Kardam, a famous Dalit activist also point out community and their sufferings rather it is her own story, as
the same difference in writings of Dalits and non-Dalits. she states in the introduction of the novel, that when she
When he was asked in an interview about the difference worked at the book, she realized that it was her story of her
between Dalit literature by Dalit and literature about the growing up which she was struggling to tell (Rao i). So we
Dalits, he started by quoting Ramnika Gupta that “only ash can say that the novel is more about her vision of Dalit life
knows the experience of burning” and this line clearly and her ways of analysis of the life of Dalit communities.
signifies that the authenticity of Dalit literature can only be Rao agrees that the time has changed but she seems to
justified by the pen of a Dalit writer (Agarwal 176). believe that the issues of untouchability is so deeply rooted
As majority of Dalit writers believe that only they can voice in Indian minds that “in spite of all the changes the central
their agony and sufferings in true manner, it can also be said issue remained unchanged” and “it has assumed new
that only a woman can present the real life of a woman. It dimensions and contours”. Her novel deals with the same
seems necessary to have voice of a woman to speak about idea that the notion of untouchability is still prevalent.
woman. But, in the canon of Dalit literature, the idea that In this paper I would try to find out how far Shanta
only a woman can portray sufferings of a woman in true Rameshwar Rao’s Children of God can be consider a novel
manner does not seem true. Discriminations on the basis of of Dalit literature and further I will be analyzing her ways of
caste can be traced when a woman writes for a woman. It presenting Dalit characters and their life. I will also try to
can be said that Dalit woman become more victimized in the work on the idea of ‘oneness’ she claims to feel and lived, in
hands of upper caste woman writer. These are the arguments the introduction, with the Dalit community.
which challenged the ideologies of upper caste man, upper Children of God is narrated by a Dalit woman, Lakshmi, an
caste woman and Dalit man. My project will focus on the untouchable whose son was burnt alive because he was
notion that to be a female writer and to be a Dalit female trying to enter in a Hindu temple. The novel is set in post
writer is not the same. When a non-Dalit woman speaks for independence era and after twenty five years of
Dalit women is different and when a Dalit woman speaks independence the situations of Dalits and their community is
for herself and her community is different. Only a Dalit same.
woman can raise the voice of oppression because she has After the scene of mourning on the death of Kittu, the novel
given language to her own suffering. By reason of their shifts to her own childhood. She states “I too struggled in
caste, gender and their low economic status, Dalit women my own way to free myself from the pattern of my
remain one of the most marginalised groups and often untouchable existence” (Rao 9). But the portrayal of her
misrepresented by upper caste male writers, Dalit male struggle by Rao seems as superficial as she is always
writers and upper caste woman writers. We can say that a reluctant to move forward and her main concern was the
Dalit woman is a Dalit among Dalits. infatuation she has for a Brahmin leader named Acharya
Male Dalit writers are not able to present real life of woman who worked for the equality by defending Gandhian agenda
of their own community and they consider Dalit woman of Ram Rajya.
more democratic. The ideas of few writers and critics like The novel also deals with patriarchy and the violence done
Kancha Illaih and Gabriel Dietrich suggests that Dalit to Dalit women by the men of their own caste. These
woman has more accessibility then upper caste woman. The women of Dalit community earn wages equal to their
more pity is that when a Dalit woman writes for herself husbands and still they face violence and beatings.
male Dalit writers fail again to give them their due place as Lakshmi’s father beats her mother every day and she bears
a Dalit women writer. Patriarchy exists at every level, as everything in silence believing it to be part of her destiny.
Gopal Guru states “Dalit male writers do not take serious But again her father’s cruelty is described in very
note of the literary output of Dalit women and tend to be sympathetic overtones as Lakshmi says, “he was like a tiger
dismissive of it” (Guru 83). Therefore Dalit woman writers but inside him there is fear and confusion. He spent his fury
need to write for her own “self” because she is “different”. upon his wife and children” (Rao 19). Neither Lakshmi nor
In this paper I would be focusing on two novels, The Grip of her mother challenge the violence done to them by their
Change by P. Sivakami and Children of God by Shanta father rather there is a silent acceptance of all the evil
Rameshwar Rao. Both novels have Dalit woman as central practices. Rao describes the hungry family of Lakshmi as
character who are suffering from double marginalization. strange insects rather than human creatures. But they never
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fought with the situations and accept the ‘liquor habit’ of Gandhi. The deity was misplaced from the temple and high
their father as their daily routine. priest has a dream that deity is in colony of untouchables. So
There is one incident in the novel which attracts special the priest visits to untouchable’s colony to find the God.
attention. A boy was walking with his mother and just for Ironically, in the end of the novel God himself appears to
the sake of amusement he wanted to touch Lakshmi, an tell the folk that untouchables are my real children and I am
untouchable. His mother scolds him but he finds that idea so their God. The priest, after hearing it went back to temple
experimenting that he wants to do it but this fun incident and keep on praying to the idols and chanting mantras. Does
was like a sinful threat to Lakshmi and at any cost she didn’t the ‘surrender’ made by God bring equality? The novel ends
wanted him to touch her otherwise the boy would get where it starts untouchables are not allowed to be equal or
polluted. She begged her not to touch, “stay back Swami, think about this. In the temple mantras were going on and
we are cleaners of human filth; we are untouchables, our outside Kittu was burnt alive and his mother was still
touch is unclean; our shadow will bring pollution” (Rao 21). questioning herself what horrible sin she or the son had
This incident focuses on a certain kind of acceptance of committed in their past. The untouchables are depicted as
untouchability she faced since her childhood. She says “the submissive in Rao’s novel.
anger of the caste woman seems right and natural” (Rao 22). The novel, The Grip of Change, centers on the idea of
This incident throws light on the portrayal of untouchables interconnectedness of both caste and gender. As she puts in
accepting their fate silently. the preface of the novel, “A Grip of Change, is a process of
Throughout the novel, through the character of Lakshmi, understanding the dynamics of caste and the ‘woman’ who
Rao seems to accept all the caste based notions. Her was inextricably involved in the process”(Sivakami vii).
protagonist is not a brave challenging woman rather a Dalit The novel revolves around the character of a lower caste
woman who silently accepts everything by considering it as Parayar woman, named Thangam. Among the Dalits she is
her destiny as she puts “from destiny and one’s karma I more marginalized than other as she is a woman and
knew there was no escape” (Rao 23). Later, when she was moreover she is a childless widow. The novel opens where
thinking about Kittu she said. “All is fate, and no one can she reaches to Kathamuthu’s house in the midnight for
cheat fate or escape destiny. But to die as boy Kittu did- was justice in badly beaten critical situation. Thangam is a
it some sin he has committed in previous life? Or some widow in the novel whose relatives betrayed her after the
fearful things that I had done in some unremembered death of her husband, so she is working in the plantation of
existence” (Rao 126). Lakshmi believes since her childhood a higher caste man named Udayar. It is his routine to exploit
that no one of untouchables should transgress and it is a sin, her sexually. She is beautiful, even her badly beaten swollen
she admits that her son tried to transgress so they sent her to face was attractive, as described by the narrator. Thangam is
death. In the novel, untouchables felt thankful for the mercilessly beaten up by Udayar’s wife and her brother
leavings thrown to us on the name of religion. Main because they had doubt that Thangam is concubine of
character of the novel is a silent heroine who not only finds Udayar.
difficult to fight rather who do not want to fight at all. Sivakami has done a successful portrayal of Dalit woman;
The main concern of the heroine of the novel was to keep she has shown the double marginalization of a woman in
her engaged in the thoughts of Acharya. He taught her to Tamil society. Thangam suffered beating near to death and
read and write but her main interest lies in worshiping the sexual exploitation by the people of higher caste but the
glorious beauty of her master. When he was on fast for the people of her own caste were not the less. Initially, they also
untouchable’s equality, her main concern was not to uplift treats her badly and claimed that, “nobody would have
the society and bring change instead she was more worried assaulted you like that unless you have done something
for his health. She never wanted change rather she was well first” (Sivakami 6). Kathamuthu, the leader to whom she
aware of her existence and the whole community considers approaches for justice, tells her that her main fault is
their caste as fruits of sin of past lives. choosing a man of upper caste to enjoy physical
The character of Boda requires special attention as he is relationship. For him, she is not a victim rather only a lady
portrayed as the one who wanted equality by breaking the who has committed adultery. He comments on her, “Do not
chains of untouchability. He wanted to be equal; he is the you like our chaps?” (Sivakami 7). Her own relatives, after
only rebellious character of the novel. Kittu might be the death of her husband, are looking at the chance of
rebellious in nature but Rao didn’t allow us to look at his winning her physically. These events of the novel throw
youth life we are introduced to him when he was dead. The light on the double marginalization of a Dalit woman.
rebellious nature of Boda, brother of Lakshmi did not go for Thangam symbolizes all Dalit women who suffer because of
too long as at the end of the novel he accepts that he cannot their gender and caste and these women are always forced to
break these chains. He admits that caste of an untouchable silent themselves but in the novel reverse is the case.
cannot remain hidden for long. He tried to live in the city by In the novel we not only see the brutal portrayal of Dalit
hiding his caste but it was of no use. When he started community and their backdrops, unlike Rao’s novel, there is
believing that all are equal in cities and caste system is also a demand of justice and equality. As the title signifies
limited to villages only and now he can start his marital life the story is about a change in the community, change in
freely without taking caste in consideration, his all dreams their idea to bring equality. The novel starts with her arrival
shattered and he found himself again chained in the rope of to Kathamuthu’s house for justice. She wants those four
caste system. Boda, the only rebellious character was crying men to be jailed. Kathamuthu helps her in taking justice but
to run back to his village and constantly saying to himself, he uses all the compensation money she gets from Udayar
“run back to be called untouchable, run back to the moreover a close reading of the text suggests that he even
scavengers existence” (Rao 125). tried to exploit her physically. It is interesting to note that
The ending of the novel is very interesting. End of the novel there is no acceptance of such things; they were critically
focuses on the temple entry movement of Harijans led by challenged by Katahmuthu’s daughter Gowri. The portrayal
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of Gowri and her depictions of her father and her family change. Gowri, who witnesses all evil practices of caste and
presented a new generation who wanted change. In later part gender, becomes a PhD holder who does not wants to marry
of the novel Gowri rejected all notions of Dalit patriarchy as she has seen the sufferings of ladies in her family and
and becomes an independent educated woman. does not wants to be victim of patriarchy. Chandran, who
A Grip of Change focuses on bringing equality. Sivakami has seen the sufferings and inequalities, marry with the
worked on the idea of transgression. The community who promise that he will always keep his wife equal to him.
were against Thangam supported her and helped her in Lalitha and Elangovan despite so many arguments over
achieving justice. Thus the novel ends with whole caste of each other married happily. Thus here generations
transformation of the society and a new way to look after are not submissive in nature instead making changes.
the world. In Rao’s novel there is a young girl, Savitri, Ganga’s niece.
Both novels are set in the villages of South India where She was injured during the riots and Boda takes care of her,
caste system is still prevalent as in villages segregation on but when she gets to know about the caste of Boda by her
the basis of caste is more visible in comparison of mother she starts abusing him and she is strictly told by her
metropolitan cities. Both the novels have Dalit heroines, mother not to touch him. In this way untouchability is
portrayed as victim of caste. The heroine of Rao’s novel is a deeply ingrained in the minds of new generation too and
submissive lady who never challenges the norms made by thus there is no hope of revolution. Whereas, in Sivakami’s
the society and accepts everything as part of her destiny novel, when Gowri was a young girl, she witnessed all the
whereas the heroine of Sivakami’s novel is more physically evils of patriarchy in her own house and therefore her
brutalized and still strong to seek justice. Rao’s characters in mother did not teach her to maintain the system rather she
the novel seem to accept all norms of caste silently and they was highly proud of her when she makes changes in the
are helpless to bring change. They are reluctant to challenge system by not submitting herself to patriarchy. Another
the caste based society. On the other hand the characters character Chandran too, when he grew up, becomes a
portrayed by Sivakmi are more challenging and determined revolutionary leader of the union who works for the
to bring change. upliftment instead of submitting to the hypocrisy of the
Now, I will try to find out how these two novels are caste based society. Thus the roots of caste system are
different from each other. The idea of inter-caste flourishing in Rao’s novel and there is no hope of change
marriage a remedy to get rid of the disease of untouchability whereas in Sivakami’s novel those roots are spoiled and the
was suggested by Dr. Ambedkar in his work ‘Annihilation society now demands equality.
of Caste’. As he states, “I am convinced that real remedy is Acharya, the reformer in the novel was a follower of Gandhi
inter-marriage. Fusion of blood can alone create the feeling and advises Dalits to follow steps of Gandhi. Lakshmi
of being kith and kin” (Ambedkar 289). In this way, for him, becomes the follower of Gandhi and Acharya as she says, “I
the feeling of alienation created by Brahmins can only be came under the spell, as if possessed by the Goddess” (Rao
removed by inter-caste marriage. Now shifting back to the 152). So the author seems to follow Gandhian ideas of
novels of this paper, in both the novels we have characters equality.
that fall in love without taking caste in consideration. It is The role of Dr. Ambedkar is central to Dalit consciousness.
interesting to note that in Rao’s novel the character of Boda Gandhian terms of bringing equality were never accepted by
falls in love with Ganga, an upper caste girl. For even Dr. Ambedkar. His three major works Mr. Gandhi and the
thinking in such a way he was brutally abused by Ganga’s Emancipation of the Untouchables, ‘Ranade. Gandhi and
brother and Boda. In Sivakami’s novel the character of Jinnah’ and What Congress and Gandhi have done to the
Elangovan, a lower caste man falls in love with Lalitha, an Untouchables bear witness to it. He also believes that before
upper caste girl. They did not submit to the society. They the Swaraj, a Gandhian concept, Indians need to fight within
marry despite the differences in their caste. So the Dr. the nation for equality (Ambedkar 305). Dr. Ambedkar was
Ambedkar’s idea of bringing equality by the fusion of blood not in favour of Ram Rajya too. In his work, Gandhism, he
is powerfully emerged in Sivakami’s novel and in Rao’s states that Gandhian ideas were perpetuating hierarchy
novel this idea seems impossible to achieve. Sivakami has instead of equality. For him, Gandhism is nothing but
portrayed inter-caste love relationship with emotions which another name of Hinduism. According to Dr. Ambedkar,
ended with the marriage of the couple. In this way Mr. Gandhi’s anti-untouchability means that the
Sivakami’s novel presents idea to change whereas Rao’s Untouchables will be classed as Shudras and nothing more t
novel presents the idea with shows that even after twenty it (Ambedkar 169). Gandhi gave new name to untouchables,
five years of independence caste system remained ‘Harijans’ and the title of Rao’s novel is also the same. Rao
unchanged. Inter-caste marriage was not possible in Rao’s also seems to believe that untouchables are children of God
novel. and here again she seems to follow Gandhian norms.
Both novels are not fixed to one generation. They narrate Whereas Dr. Ambedkar believes that calling untouchables
story of different generations and how patriarchy and caste as Harijan will serve no purpose in bringing equality rather
affect their ideas of living. In Rao’s novel Lakshmi’s mother it has a political implications, according to him by doing this
submits, she herself accepts the order, Boda tried but failed Gandhi has “ killed two birds with one stone” (Ambedkar
and Kittu tried but killed. In this way there is no ray of hope. 169). It seems that Rao’s novel is obeying Gandhian ideas
On the other hand the generations presented by Sivakami of equality and for Dr. Ambedkar, Gandhian agendas were
are revolutionary in nature. Kathamuthu, the Dalit leader only focussed on sustaining caste hierarchy in the society.
inspite of being, self-centred and a bit hypocrite, is against Thus, Rao’s Children of God ends where God himself
the evils of caste system and his main concern is to work for appears to call untouchables his children but that does not
justice for lower caste people. The new generation of change the hypocrisy of the caste system whereas
Sivakami’s novel is more revolutionary and determined in Sivakami’s The Grip of Change ends with the revolution,
nature. Gowri, Chandran, Lalitha, Elangovan, all want here new generation bring changes to the society. It seems
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to focus on the ideas bring by Dalit writers that only they

can voice their agony and sufferings. A non-Dalit writer can
only be sympathetic to Dalits. It is true that one need to have
Dalit experience to write Dalit literature but at the same time
we can say that sensibility is also pre-required to maintain
the authenticity of a literary work. Therefore a genuine piece
of Dalit literature not only required experience but also
sensibility of Dalit consciousness.

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