Postcolonial Feminist Theory: An Overview - Igcollege.org

Proceedings of National Seminar on Postmodern Literary Theory and Literature , Jan. 27-28, 2012, NandedA Dalit- Feminist Perspective in Bama’s ‘Sangati’--Kishor N. IngoleShivaji Mahavidyalaya,Hingoli, Dist.Hingoli(MS)Abstract :-Sangati is a record of their experience of the join oppression of caste and gender faced by multiple Dalit women; is in a sense anautobiography of community. Bama foregrounds the “difference” of Dalit women from privileged upper caste women and also celebrates their“identity” in their strength, labour and resilience. As a feminist writer Bama protest against all forms of oppression and relying on the strength andresilience of Dalit women, makes an appeal for change and self empowerment through education and collective action.The from of each chapter of Bama’s autobiography, Sangati is therefore exploratory, and the structure of the book is a whole seeks tocreate a Dalit-feminist perspective. Women writings have come forth with a strong portrayal of women’s problem which men could not either evenimagine or if imagined, could not feel them the way a women can or does. Sangati is in the voices of many women speaking to and addressing oneanother as they share the incidents of their daily lives. Those voices, sometimes raised in anger or in pain as they lash out at each other, or againsttheir oppressors, is reported exactly in this novel.Key words : Inhuman treatment to Dalit women, Gender Discrimination, Sexual assaults, Marginalization of women, Selfish gratification of man,Social revolt against convention, Women’s awareness, Women’s liberation movement, Gender and caste equality, contemptuous attitude of women.Is Varga ki mahila duhre tihre shoshan ki shikar hai.Samajik utpidan ka vah bada udaharan hai.Vah dalit yuvak ki prataarna jhelti hai.Mahila utpidan ke mamle mein dalit-gair dalitdono ek jaisa vyavahar karte hein.( Kajal, Ajmer Singh:2009,p.99)The paper highlights a Dalit-feminist perspectivein Bama’s Sangati, which creates masculine ideals likecourage, fearlessness, independence and self-esteeminstead of the feminine ideals of fear, shyness andinnocence. Faustina Mary alias Bama was born into aconverted Christian family in 1958 at Puthupatti nearMadurai. She is one of the first Dalit women writers to bewidely recognized and translated. She is also regarded thefirst black literary writer in Tamil literature. BesidesKarukku, she has published Sangati, Kusumbukkaaranand Vanman, all novels. Bama has remarkably portrayedthe suffering of Dalit women, who are doublymarginalized-being a Dalit and being a woman.Sangati, which in Tamil means news, events andhappenings, published in Tamil in 1994 and translatedinto English in 2004 by Lakshmi Holmstrom, is thesecond work of Bama. Sangati is the autobiography of aDalit community. It is the story of ‘Paraiya Christianwomen’ who come together to fight oppression. Sangatiis an insight into the lives of Dalit women who face thedouble disadvantage of caste and gender discrimination.The pangs of Dalit women are multilayered sincethey have to endure the most of this social discriminationdue to their vulnerable positioning in the male socialorder in general and in the Indian cultural life inparticular. In the case of Dalits, many writers, particularlynovelists have elaborately dealt with the subject of Dalitscondition and consciousness prevailing in their times.“ Primarily the aim of Dalit literature is tohighlight the disabilities and difficulties togetherwith atrocities and inhuman treatment meted outto Dalits. The main object is to produce socialawakening among the downtrodden.”( Sk.Kaul:2007, p.34)Sangati is uniquely placed in contributing both tothe Dalit movement and to the women’s movement. Asper feminism is concern, feminism recognizes theinadequacy of male-created ideologies and struggles forthe spiritual, economic, social and racial equality ofwomen sexually colonized and biologically subjugated.An expression of the mute and stifled female voice deniedan equal freedom of self-expression, feminism is aconcept emerging as a protest against male dominationand the marginalization of women. Sarah Grimkeobserves :Man has subjugated women to his will, used heras a means to promote his selfish gratification tominister to his sensual pleasure, to beinstrumental in promoting his comfort; but neverhas he desired to elevate her to that rank she wascreated to fill. He has done all he could do todebase and enslave her mind…( Grimke, Sarah:1970,p.10)Gita M. Bhojane writes about feminism in herresearch paper entitled, ‘Feminist Aspects in The CalcuttaChromosome.’ She rightly puts :Feminism is a revolt and the women’s liberationmovement against the domination of males inevery walk of life. Feminism is a kind of socialrevolt against convention. ( Gita:2011 p. 286-7)Many writers focused on the feminist aspectthrough their work. Bama is one of them who depictedfeminist perspective in her novel. The Dalit feministcritic, Sharmila Rege writes:312 PLTL-2012: ISBN 978-81-920120-0-1