Cultural Representation of Dalits In Nepali Literary Writings

Abstract

This dissertation examines the socio-cultural representation of Dalits in poems, stories and novels from the Nepali literary writings. To analyze the Dalit issues in Nepali literature, the researcher has selected twenty-nine poems from four anthologies of poems: Bishnu Kumari Waiba's poems "Euti Swāsni Mānchheko Antarbārtā" and "Juthi Daminiko Abhibyakti" from Parijatka Sankalit Rachanāharu (2054), Rambabu Subedi's "Kamini Āmā" from Kamini Āmā (2067), Bishowbhakta Dulal's (Aahuti) two poems "Gahugoro Africa" and "Tuchha Jiwanko Mahān Gāthā" from Gahugoro Africa (2071) and Āphar-Unmukta Pustā (2073) edited by Kebal Binami, Prakash Guragain and Madhav Ghimire 'Atal' which contain thirty-three poems but twenty-four poems are analyzed. Similarly, the researcher has selected thirty-six stories from four anthologies of stories: "Naikāpe Sarkini" written by Bishnu Kumari Waiba from Parijatka Sankalit Rachanāharu (2054), Ranendra Barali's five stories from Dalitko Dailo (2068), Krishna Murari Bhandari's fifteen stories among twenty-eight from Kinārākā Mānchhe (2069), and fifteen among twenty-two stories from Nepali Kathāmā Dalit (2074) which are edited by Tejbilas Adhikari and Purushottam Rijal are analysed. Furthermore, four novels: Ko Achut? (2011) by Muktinath Timsena, Nayā Ghar (2059) by Bishowbhakta Dulal (Aahuti), Itihāsko Ek Paikā (2066) by Ranendra Barali and Likhe (2073) by Sarad Paudel are critically analysed. The dissertation includes six chapters. The first chapter covers introductory part of overall study. It is divided into two parts: introduction and review of literatures. The first part examines the selected literary texts for the representation of Dalits. It also includes summary of the selected poems, stories and novels with critical view of the researcher. In the same way, Marxist and neo-Marxist perspective, Stuart Hall and Antonio Gramsci's insights of representation as analyzing tools are included. The study attempts to seek the answers to the following research questions: What types of socio-cultural representation of Dalits are found in selected Nepali literary texts written by both Dalit and non-Dalit writers? Why do they differ representing Dalits in case of issues, characters, class and culture? How do they relate untouchability, cultural trauma and resistance? Similarly, the objectives of this study are: Main objective; to find out the representation of Dalits in selected literary writings written by both Dalit and non-Dalit writers. Specific objectives; to identify socio-cultural representation of Dalits in Nepali literary writings, to examine the similarities and differences between Dalit and non-Dalit writers in case of issues, characters, class and culture and to analyze the relation of untouchability, trauma and resistance. Moreover, the second part deals with the literature review. Likewise, the second chapter includes methodological part. To depict the representation of Dalits in culture, caste and politics, the primary idea of Stuart Hall's Semiotic and Discursive Approach and Antonio Gramsci's Hegemony and Ideology are used as basic theoretical parameters. Likewise, how society constructs the identity of a group of people is the meaning construction under representation. To support such notion of Hall, the theoretical idea of cultural critics like Karl Marx, Antonio Gramsci, Raymond Williams, Michael Foucault, Pramod K Nayar, Roland Barthes, Mikhail Bakhtin, Sigmund Freud, Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, Edward Said and Jacques Derrida have been discussed. Moreover, for the bad effect of caste and religious discrimination, Babasaheb Ambedkar and G.S. Ghurey have been cited. In the same way, the third chapter deals with the first objective of the research. This examines the representation of Dalits in culture, caste and politics in poems, stories and novels. The fourth chapter analyzes the similarities and difference between Dalit and non-Dalit writers in terms of issues, Dalit characters, class and culture. Furthermore, the fifth chapter analyses the relation of untouchability, cultural trauma and resistance as the third objective. As a concluding chapter, the sixth chapter synthesizes that analysis of previous chapters by revisiting and reconnecting of all research questions and objectives. The overall study concludes that both Dalit and non-Dalit writers have been representing Dalits in their writings. They have some similarities and some differences in Dalit representation. Dalit writers are more serious in cultural aspects than other whereas non-Dalit writers emphasize more on caste and class. There should be promotion of positive aspects of Dalits' art, skill and culture and transformation of evil culture which has bad impact in Dalits' life. Moreover, Dalits are also the citizen of this nation so that they should be encouraged, supported and respected by the nation. It is also emphasized that the transformation in general and cultural transformation in particular. The policy implementation against caste discrimination and practice of untouchability is necessary. Furthermore, for the emancipation and liberation of Dalits, co-operation, co-ordination of non-Dalits, unity of Dalits and support of the nation is also mentioned simultaneously. At the end, the researcher acknowledges that this research would have been richer if he could have managed to include the personal talk of some writers, Dalit activists and well-wishers concerning the Dalit representation, identity, trauma and resistance of Dalits. But because of time and materials constraints I could not do so.