Om Prakash Valmiki’s “Joothan”: An Authentic Depiction of Dalit’s Communal Space in the Artistic Endeavors of Autobiography

Abstract

The major focus of this piece of writing is to bring to the light the voice of an empowered writer Omprakash Valmiki.. “Joothan: A Dalit’s Life” is respectively chosen for the research as it brings out the malicious veracity of Dalit’s life in an authentic way. He took Dalit literature in his hand as a gizmo to carry out his anguish as a communal trauma of his community. Today his voice has been well recognized, and it stands as a robust right for his society He describes “his” experience as a Dalit, and the twinge that he underwent throughout his lifetime. Being human one must have autonomy, deference and sanctuary; but for Valmiki, it stood as a threat in the midst of the dominant elements of society. His autobiography emphasizes the significance of literature by endowing the platform in spreading the knowledge about Dalit lives and their individual experience in this civil society. In general, a Dalit tries not to divulge his identity as Dalit in the midst of “others”, but expresses his anger in clandestine space. This is due to an “intimidate syndrome” a natural outcome that a Dalit is always surrounded by. Dalit Studies are a rare glimpse that very few talk about it and dare enough to write. Omprakash Valmiki takes the smugness to bring out the marginalized issues into the world where the mainstream writers seldom mentioned the kind of turmoil in their works dealing with caste. Undeniably his writing is not a stuff of potboiler but proves to be a better medium to create consciousness in the society.