Literary Representation of Rage in Dalit Panther Poetry
Keywords:
Dalit Panther Poetry; Social Othering; Rage; Namdeo Dhasal; J. V. PawarAbstract
This paper samples a few poems by Namdeo Dhasal and J. V. Pawar to establish the politics of Dalit Panther Movement (1972-77). One’s grief and anger about discrimination and stereotyping, unlike hatred, is loaded with information and energy. If used in creative ways, anger can become an important tool to empower the oppressed and bring in positive changes. I argue, as generational trauma and public shame inhabit Dalit narratives of self-assertion, rage becomes an essential ingredient of Dalit art and aesthetics. However, it requires empathetic reading to understand nuances of lived Dalit experiences.
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