Marginalization and Discrimination of Subaltern in Bama's Karukku

Abstract

Bama hailed as a first Dalit women writer in India. She portrays the sufferings of Dalit people through her novel Karukku (1992). An autobio graphical work depicts the difficulties and challenges faced by her in different stages of her life. Karukku refers to a double- edged stem of the palm leaf that represents the life of Dalits in Indian society. Karukku, she describes the subjugated Dalit people and the disgrace faced by the domination of the upper class. Dalit people are exploited both politically and economically and also been discriminated and brutalized by the upper caste society. Dalits are considered as 'outcastes.' Dalit women face discrimination, and abuse like sexual abuse by upper caste men and even shown discrimination in employment and wages. They were treated me rely like slaves to the upper class. Discrimination by caste in Indian society is considered as vulnerable to oppression and suffering. Karukku is an elegy to the community she belongs, and she writes humorous incidents from her childhood. She says about how women and Dalit people are marginalized, hegemonized and downgraded. She wants Dalit women to awake and rise for their rights.This paper focuses on the humiliation, discrimination, exploitation faced by women based on caste, religion, gender and the perilous situation of Dalit community.