CASTE, COMMUNITY, AND THE DALIT FEMINIST VOICE: REARTICULATING RESISTANCE IN BAMA’S SANGATI

Devashish Kumar

doi:10.29121/shodhgyan.v4.i1.2026.82

Authors

Dr. Devashish Kumar Department of English, Ph.D From Malwanchal University, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29121/shodhgyan.v4.i1.2026.82

Keywords:

Dalit Feminism, Intersectionality, Bama, Sangati, Collective Autobiography, Subaltern Resistance, Caste and Gender

Abstract [English]

This paper examines the intersectional dynamics of caste, class, and gender in Bama’s landmark novel Sangati, exploring how it constructs a distinct Dalit feminist standpoint. Unlike traditional autobiographies that focus on the individual trajectory of the protagonist, Sangati employs a collective narrative voice shifting from the "I" to the "we" to document the shared struggles and systemic resilience of the Paraiya community in South India.
The research analyzes how Bama rearticulates resistance by moving beyond the binary of victimhood and agency. Through a close reading of the text, the paper explores three primary modes of subversion: the use of non-standard Dalit dialects (Paraiya Tamil) to challenge linguistic hegemony; the depiction of physical labor as both a site of exploitation and a source of bodily autonomy; and the celebration of oral traditions songs, stories, and gossip as tools for communal healing and survival.
By applying the theoretical framework of intersectionality, this study argues that Bama’s work exposes the dual oppression of "Brahminical Patriarchy" and "Internalized Patriarchy" within the Dalit community. Ultimately, the paper concludes that Sangati does not merely record events but serves as a radical political manifesto that redefines the Indian feminist landscape, asserting that the Dalit feminist voice is central, rather than peripheral, to the broader discourse of subaltern resistance.

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