Online ISSN: 2515-8260

The Sufferings of Dalit Women: A Subaltern Study of Bama’s Karukku

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Jalendra Phukan

Abstract

The plight of Dalit women in the Indian society as depicted in karukku is sad and labeled with considerable gloom. They are oppressed on the basis of caste, gender as well as class. Karukku very significantly raises questions on caste and religious issues that damage our society. Bama’s fictional writings delineate several issues of violence on Dalit women, wife-beating, sexual harassment, loneliness, women abandoned by their husbands, ignorance, etc at their own homes within the community. In a larger outlook, her literary works portray the marginalisation and exploitation of Dalit women as well as the whole community at the hands of upper class society. They are socially and economically exploited by the upper castes people. Through this autobiographical novel, Bama attempts to reflect, especially her own sufferings both within and outside her community, the sufferings of Dalit women and the everyday social reality of her community. She tries to project the social reality of Dalit women who struggle every day for their survival. The present paper is on the basis of patriarchal rules in which women have to go through the rules made by the male members of a family or society. In that case, women are compelled to go through the tough roads made for them, they are segregated, separated and become as ‘other'. Because of the strict customs prevailing, they cannot speak of their own and finally become subalterns. This study reflects on the issues of women portrayed in the select text. It is highlighted in terms of class, caste and religion with proper lens of subaltern context.

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