Challenging Norms: Dalit Themes in Modern Hindi Fiction

Abstract

Dalit literature is currently in a phase of self-reflection, where writers are expressing social injustice, suffering, and struggle through their personal experiences. Compared to mainstream stories, Dalit narratives stand apart in their subject matter, linguistic style, character portrayal, and social consciousness. Historical pain and the struggle against social dominance are central to these stories. While Dalit literature initially focused on autobiographies and poetry, in the 1970s, writers began crafting stories as part of a literary movement. Hindi Dalit stories offer a realistic depiction of the evolving social landscape, subtly embodying the aspiration for social equality.