This landmark anthology presents for the first time a clear picture of the different phases of the writing and activities of Dalits from the late nineteenth century to the present in Tamil Nadu. The selections comprising the volume open ways and means of addressing issues to do with the literary, aesthetic, political, and cultural spheres. With 78 selections from poetry, fiction (short stories and excerpts from novels), drama, and prose (autobiographies, speeches, biographies, and archival materials), this collection represents the work of 42 writers and 15 translators. The selected pieces look at issues relating to identity/subjectivity, nationalism/colonialism, and the caste-gender nexus beyond the existing framework of what is widely known as 'Dalit Studies'. The General Introduction analyses the historical and socio-cultural contexts of Tamil Dalit writing, and provides the contextual framework of the selections to further the understanding of this hitherto marginalized discourse. With all the selections translated by experts, the volume includes short bio-notes on the authors and translators. This is a significant volume establishing the rise of writing by Dalits as a shaping force because it is one of the most important developments in 20th century Indian literature and politics.
This landmark anthology presents for the first time a clear picture of the different phases of the writing and activities of Dalits from the late nineteenth century to the present in Tamil Nadu. The selections comprising the volume open ways and means of addressing issues to do with the literary, aesthetic, political, and cultural spheres. With 78 selections from poetry, fiction (short stories and excerpts from novels), drama, and prose (autobiographies, speeches, biographies, and archival materials), this collection represents the work of 42 writers and 15 translators. The selected pieces look at issues relating to identity/subjectivity, nationalism/colonialism, and the caste-gender nexus beyond the existing framework of what is widely known as 'Dalit Studies'. The General Introduction analyses the historical and socio-cultural contexts of Tamil Dalit writing, and provides the contextual framework of the selections to further the understanding of this hitherto marginalized discourse. With all the selections translated by experts, the volume includes short bio-notes on the authors and translators. This is a significant volume establishing the rise of writing by Dalits as a shaping force because it is one of the most important developments in 20th century Indian literature and politics.
INTRODUCTION ; POETRY: PRATIBHA JEYACHANDRAN, 'THE FULL MOON WILL SHINE IN VILLAGE AFTER VILLAGE', 'DREAM-TELLER' ; MATHIVANNAN, 'IN THE MIDDLE OF TOWN', 'WHAT IS POSSIBLE', STROKES OF GENTLE SYMPATHY' ; INDIRAN, 'WALL-POSTERS', 'THE CITY OF BURNING SLUMS', 'RIVER' ; P. MATHIAZHAGAN, 'THE STRATEGY OF PAWNS', 'MANHUNT' ; N.D. RAJKUMAR, 'MY SON WANTS ME TO BUY HIM A TOY CAR', 'YOU, MY DEMON WHO DELIGHTS IN DANCING', 'ONE DAY LONG AGO, WHEN THE DYING HOWL', 'IF ANYONE OTHER THAN OUR OWN PEOPLE' ; RAVIKUMAR, 'POND, WHERE...', 'YOU, FRIEND OF MY CHILDHOOD', ' HAVE YOU HEARD THE RAIN CRYING?' ; KAPILAN, 'RICKSHAW PEDALLING FOR FIFTEEN YEARS', 'IF I GO AS HELPER IN A CONSTRUCTION JOB', 'BORN TO WHO-KNOWS!' ; A. VINCENT RAJ, 'CLUTCHING THE END OF SAREE' ; THAI KANDASAMY, 'A LESSON IN ACTION AND REACTION', 'CONFLICT IN FRIENDSHIP', 'A POSSIBILITY' ; S. SUKIRTHARANI, 'PORTRAIT OF MY VILLAGE', 'DEBT', 'A FAINT SMELL OF MEAT', MY BODY' ; KU. UMADEVI, 'NIRVANA'S END', 'SHE WHO HAS ABSORBED THE WAYS', 'THOSE WHO ARE PROTECTING THIS COUNTRY' ; THENMOZHI, 'URN', 'TILL JUST BEFORE COMMITTING THAT MURDER', 'REFUSAL TO RETURN' ; YAAZHAN ATHI, 'MISSING', 'RESURRECTION', HE-GOAT'S WHISKERS AND CUT-THROAT SICKLE' ; BHARATHI NIVETHAN, 'SENSING THE SENSES', THE RATS HAVE GUTS', 'THE LONE WOMAN'S SPEECH' ; BAMA, 'THE SCENT OF MOTHER' ; ANONYMOUS, 'CHRISTMAS AT KEELVENMANI' ; FICTION-SHORT STORIES: IMAYAM, 'THE BINDING VOW' ; AZHAKIYA PERIYAVAN, 'EARDRUM' ; J.B. CHANAKYA, 'FORCE OF GRAVITY' ; ABIMANI, 'AILMENT' ; BAMA, 'THIS MAN' ; THENMOZHI, 'PAYCHI TREE' ; CHO. DHARUMAN, 'WETNESS' ; VE. VENKATACHALAM, 'THE HAUNTED' ; RAVIKUMAR, 'KNOWING THE TRUTH' ; SUDHAKAR KATHTHAK, 'PORTRAIT' ; FICTION, EXCERPTS FROM NOVELS: CHO. DHARUMAN, 'KOOGAI-WHITE AND BRIGHT' ; BAMA, 'SANGATI-EVENTS' ; DRAMA: K.A. GUNASEKARAN, 'TOUCH' ; JEEVA, 'A VILLAGE LULLABY' ; AUTOBIOGRAPHY/ BIOGRAPHY: RETTAMALAI SRINIVASAN, 'A BRIEF HISTORY OF MY LIFE' ; L. ELAYAPERUMAL, 'THE FLAMES OF SUMMER' ; VEERAMMAL, 'IDEOLOGICAL DIFFERENCE WITH PERIYAR' ; BAMA, 'KARUKKU' ; K.A. GUNASEKARAN, 'SCAR' ; ANBU PONNOVIAM, 'PE. MA. MADURAIPILLAI' ; ARCHIVES: IYOTHEE THASS, 'AN ARGUMENT AGAINST CONVERSION', 'A UNIQUE PETITION' ; RETTAMALAI SRINIVASAN, 'AGAINST CONDUCTING ICS EXAMS IN INDIA' ; M.C. RAJAH, 'NOTE SUBMITTED TO INDIAN CENTRAL COMMITTEE' ; T.P. KAMALANATHAN, 'DALIT LEADERS' WORK IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION' ; SPEECHES: SWAMI SAHAJANANDA, 'REFORM EDUCATIONAL POLICY' ; MEENAMBAL SIVARAJ, 'WOMAN'S ADVANCEMENT IS MAN'S FREEDOM' ; THOL THIRUMAVALAVAN, 'LAND RIGHTS' ; K. KRISHNASWAMY, 'MAY THE INTOXICATION OF THE FILM WORLD CLEAR' ; ARTICLES: RAJ GAUTHAMAN, 'DALIT PROTEST CULTURE: THE FIRST STAGE' ; ATHIYAMAN, 'ARUNDHIYARS: PROBLEMS OF LANGUAGE, RACE AND CASTE IDENTITY' ; P. SIVAKAMI, 'LAND: WOMAN'S BREATH AND SPEECH' ; INDIRAN, 'SEARCH FOR SELF IN AN URBAN JUNGLE: NOTES ON CONTEMPORARY ART' ; G. CHANDRASEKARAN AND K.T. GANDHIRAJAN, 'HERITAGE-OUTLINES OF A PAST' ; STALIN RAJANGAM, 'DALIT IDENTITY: SHADES OF APPROVAL' ; THENMOZHI, 'POWER THAT TRANSCENDS: PHYSICAL BODY-SOCIETAL BODY-DALIT BODY ; LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS
Ravikumar, well-known Dalit intellectual, poet, columnist, and former legislator, is founder/editor of Navayana Publishing House. He is widely recognized as being instrumental in retrieving Dalit history in Tamil Nadu. Over the years, he has contributed to Indian Express, Pioneer, Seminar, and The Hindu and is well known as a Columnist in BBC (Tamil). R. Azhagarasan is Lecturer, Department of English, University of Madras. He has produced a play 'Education Is Our Right' by Drew Hayden Taylor, August 2004, for the National conference on New Technologies and Transformation of Higher Education in Canada and India, conducted by the Centre for Canadian Studies, March 2004 and submitted a project on 'Dalits and Colonial Question' to the University of Madras, 2009.
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