March Towards Liberation A Critical Study of the Memories of Laxman Gaikwads the Branded Laxman Manes an Outsider and Kishor Shantabai Kales Against All Odds

Abstract

It is almost universally acknowledged that the history of mankind is the history of exploitation and domination. The present study is an attempt to account for Dalit Literature which always insists on democratic values such as liberty, equality, fraternity and justice. Literature is the process of humanization of the world. Such a humanistic approach is manifested in Dalit Literature. The oppressed and marginal world is for the first time reflected in Dalit writings challenges all the dominant and exploitative forces. The millions of downtrodden people could not fulfill their fundamental needs after Independence of India. They were deprived of all the benefits of democratic India. Dalit literature raised the problem of the marginal world. The social transformation, self-dignity and equal justice are the basic principles of Dalit literature. There are various forms of Dalit literature such as Poem, Short Story, Drama and Autobiography. The present study has to analyze the selected Dalit memoirs of Laxman Gaikwad s The Branded, Laxman Mane s An Outsider and Kishor Shantabai Kale s Against All Odds. The memoirs have raised a number of issues confronting the oppressed classes such as Uchalya, Kaikadi and Kolhati community. The oppressive social system necessitates hunger, poverty, humiliation, superstition, jatpanchayat, practice of untouchability and casteism among these oppressed and miserable communities. Subjugation of women is also a major theme of discussion in these memoirs. These suppressed communities are victimized socially, economically, culturally and physically in the name of religion, caste and gender. newlineThe narrators form the collective voice of their own community. They try to escape from the man-made barriers that made their life excruciating. They want to liberate themselves and their community from the age old habits and customs. They come to know that their destiny cannot be changed without education. So they struggle for education throughout their life. The narrators are inspired and enlightened