Aesthetics of Dalit Literature

This book is an English translation of ‘Dalit Sahitya Ka Soundryashastra’ originally written in Hindi by Joothan-fame writer Omprakash Valmiki and published almost a couple of decades ago. It focuses on how Dalit literature by Dalit writers and that by Lalit ones have their own interpretations of Dalit life its predicament and struggle. The book sheds light not only on the various aspects of Dalit phenomena but also on how and why Dalit literature has been either deliberately ignored or sympathetically (mis)interpreted by Lalit writers. It also explores the layered meanings and connotations of the term ‘Dalit’ and lays stress on the relevance of Dalit literature in the existing scenario. The word ‘Dalit’ is less literary more political. The book explicitly describes the politics of Dalit literature and its aesthetics. It deals even with religious mythical cultural economic aesthetic perspectives of Dalit literature. Dalit criticism and the critiques on Dalit fiction enhance the utility of the book. On the whole the book will add something essential to the conventional Indian aesthetic theory revitalizing and energizing it if taken open-mindedly. It does aptly reply to Lalit class writers’ comments passed on Dalit writers and the writings they do such as ‘One need not be a horse to write on the horse’ and ‘Dalit writers ask for a quota in Hindi Literature.’