I AM THE WITNESS OF MY HISTORY AND MY LITERATURE

Abstract

Dalit literature opposes religious hypocrisy, the Hindu caste system and privileges of birth, and respects the language of the people. This article discusses the different literary forms practised by Dalit writers; poetry, drama, the short story and the novel. Although Dalit literature in Gujarati is connected to the literature written by upper caste Gujarati Hindus, it differs from that tradition in many ways. Literature is a mirror of society to which it is so inextricably linked that it cannot be discussed without consideration of social problems. However, Gujarati writers often avoid such discussion and instead rely on western literary forms and critical values. Unlike Gujarati literature, Dalit literature deals with the problems faced by the lower castes using the language of these people, more often than not drawing on the forms used in the oral tradition.