Interrogating The Canon : Literature And Pedagogy Of Dalits

Book Code: 1111008615543

K. Purushotham

ABOUT THE BOOK

Interrogating the Canon: Literature and Pedagogy of Dalits is a collection of research articles written on different occasions primarily exploring the alternative histories of language and literature informed by the postcolonial thrust of interrogating the canon. Though varied in themes, the running thread of the articles has been critiquing the exclusivist nature of the literary establishment, and arguing a case for literary inclusion of the dalit writing. The thrust of the dalit writing being mainstreaming the marginal, the author of this book approaches the subject with a three pronged focus: underplaying the mainstream writing; exploring the politics of subordination and struggles for equality; and academicising the dalit writings. The articles in this collection will be of immense use to scholars, teachers and others working in the area.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

K. Purushotham is professor and Head, Department of English, Kakatiya University, Warangal, Telangana. He has published extensively in the areas of ELT, Indian literature and theory. Some of his recent publications include Oxford India Anthology of Telugu Dalit Writing (OUP, in the press); English for Fluency (Orient BlackSwan); English for Employability, (Orient BlackSwan); Black Lilies: An Anthology of Telugu Dalit Poetry (Critical Quest). He translates literary works from Telugu to English. Besides editing Kakatiya Journal of English Studies (KJES), he has guest edited special issues of Creative Forum; Journal of Literature and Aesthetics; Literary Insight; Scholar Critic; Literary Vibes; Revaluations. He has carried out Major Research Projects for UGC and ICSSR, New Delhi.

CONTENTS

Contents Acknowledgements 9 Preface 11 Introduction 19 Subordinating the Language • Bhakti Writings • Social Reformation • The Dalit Challenge • Untouchability within Untouchability 1. Social Movements and Identity Formation The Roots • Adi Movements • Ambedkar • Conclusion 33 2. Movement Literature: A Dalit Critique Bhakti Movement • Reform Movement (1905-1920) • 43 Adi Movement (1906-1935) • Nationalist Literary Movement (1905-1945) • Progressive Literary Movement (1935-55) • Digambara Poetic Movement (1965-68) • Revolutionary Literary Movement (1970- 80) • Feminist Literary Movement (1980-2000) • Revival of Dalit Movement (1985-) • Telangana Literary Movement 3. The Rise of Telugu Dalit Novel Language Reform • Social Novel • Nationalist/Political 59 Novel • Dalit Novel • Conclusion 4. Reclaiming Madiga Identity: Vemula Yellaiah’s Kakka 73 Madiga Patriarchy • Rachabanda: Symbol of Injustice • Madigirkam: Productive Culture • Sub-sects within Madigas • Agrarian and Power Relations • Centering the Linguistic Marginality 5. A Leftist’s Dalit Novel: Kalyana Rao’s Untouchable Spring 81 6. Dalit Short Stories: From Elite To Mud-House Narratives 91 The Pre-Dalit Phase • The Epochal Shift • Historical Dalitness • Defiance of Form • Women Writers • Dandora and After • Sub-Caste Stories • Identity Writing 7. Telangana, Dalits, Land Rights: A Literary Perspective 107 The Left and the Land • Dalits and Land. 8. Telugu Dalit Poetry: An Overview 123 Written About • Mystics • Reform • Nationalist • The Left • Writing the Self • Writing About • Profiles of Telugu Dalit Poets 9. Gendering Caste: Emergence of Dalit Feminism 139 The Cultural Revolt • De-Gendering through Education • Dalit Women Writing 10. A Reading of Two Feminist Poems: An Anti- Generic Critique 145 Generic Feminism • Emergence of Dalit Feminism • Sari-end • Kongu 11. Does Shit Smell When Written? The Poetics of Faeces 157 Faeces and Sub-humanity • Faeces as the Cultural Taboo • Faeces in Literature • The Sociology of Faeces • Dalitisation of Aesthetic Forums 12. C.P. Brown and the Language Renaissance 171 Language • Literature 13. English and Dalits 175 Pedagogic Resistance • English in Developing Countries • Inadequacy of Indian Languages • ESL, A Failure Model • Tops Down Approach • Empowerment English • English without English • Conclusion 14. Prosifying the Poesy: A Dalit Critique of Modernization of Telugu De-Privileging the Spoken Language • Re-Privileging 185 the Spoken Language • Colonial Reform • Dialectisation • In Search of Prose 15. Creolisation as Social Empowerment: Towards a Postcolonial Pedagogy Centering and Disempowerment • Decentring and 199 Empowerment • Pedagogic Implications • Pidginising the Pedagogy • The African Ideal • Listen Mr. Oxford Don • Right Inuff 16. ‘Our exit from the Left was the beginning of Dalit writing’ An interview with Vemula Yellaiah 209 Select Bibliography 223 Index 241