Empowering Dalit Women Through Narrative Resistance

Abstract

In the context of India, where the concepts of "woman" and "Dalit" frequently give Savarna women and Dalit males a higher priority than other groups, feminist critique frequently focuses on distinctions and sameness. In the context of India, this observation is particularly pertinent. By doing so, the interaction that exists between gender and caste in society is disregarded. As a result of the intersectional identities of Dalit women, who are influenced by both patriarchy and caste, the homogeneity that is claimed by mainstream Indian feminism and Dalit politics is called into question. Both the practise of Brahmanism and the upholding of patriarchal norms within Dalit communities are targets of criticism from the Dalit feminist movement. It identifies the patriarchal system of Brahmanical society as the root cause of their oppression. This is because the ideals of Brahmanical patriarchy are structurally incorporated into the caste system. As a consequence, different regulations are established for upper-caste women and Dalit women in terms of sexuality, marriage, and employment. This is the reason why this is the case. On the other hand, the politics of the Dalits make an effort to circumvent this assertion by claiming that all Dalits are subject to oppression. The Dalit feminists, on the other hand, are of the opinion that the patriarchal society does not have democracy because women are subjected to humiliation in public places, abuse in marriage, and physical issues at home. This study investigates the complexities of dual patriarchies by analysing Bama's Sangati and P. Sivakami's The Grip of Change. The purpose of this investigation is to determine the extent to which these patriarchal structures contribute to violence against Dalit women.