Contemplating the Voices of Representation, Resistance and Negotiation as Reflected in the Creative Literature of Dalit (Marginalized) Communities in the Present Socio-Political Context in India

Paper Abstract: The paradox of Indian society is well understood in terms of complex and varied social realities that represent the social relationships between individuals or groups not based on mutual understanding and humanistic principles. Rather, the everyday life of individuals and social groups in India, and Indians living abroad - due to recent incidents and occurrences witnessed among the Indian diaspora, is determined by their social sentiments and beliefs that have a foundation in religious institutions. And, the multiplicities and diversities in the social identity of each social group are conditioned by factors based on the notion of caste, religion, language and race. The hierarchical and discriminatory relationships and attitudes displayed and disseminated against their fellow beings are not left uncriticised, rather, these social evils are criticised, ower-thrown, rejected and bypassed by social reformers and social movements that came up at different periods and in different places in India. The irony is that when the hierarchical system based on the notion of caste is highly criticised worldwide, the beneficiaries of this discriminatory system equally uphold their fight in favour of it. The recent discussion on the Sanathana Dharma (hierarchy based on religion) Vs Samathana Dharma (equality as a fundamental agenda) has once again provided an opportunity to highlight the plight of the marginalized communities who are being exploited in the name of caste. In this study, the creative writings of select novelists belonging to different parts of Dalit communities will be taken up for this study.