Building caste identity through literature – a different kind of “Dalit” writing

Abstract

Dalit literature is a literary current which focuses primarily on the oppression of Dalits while also conveying the ideas of Phule, Ambedkar and other Dalit leaders. It tries to describe the suffering of Dalits but at the same time also calls for their resistance and emancipation. The Devendrakula Velalars – a Scheduled Caste from Tamil Nadu - have developed their own form of literature, which stands in sharp contrast with Dalit writing. The aim of this paper is to introduce this form of literary production and compare it with Dalit literature, as well as the two competing ideologies. As the conceptual framework of the article, I have used the theory of substantialization and ethnicization of caste. The process of ethnicization can be clearly observed in the works of Devendrar ideologists. The article thus extends beyond the scope of literary study, integrating literary, ethnographic and anthropological approach.