Volume-XII, Special Issue, April 2026 |
Dalit Aesthetics and Resistance: Exploring Limbale’s Principles through Select Poems from the Poisoned Bread Debashis Paul, SACT, The Department of English, Deshabandhu Mahavidyalaya, West Bengal, India Puspita Mondal, SACT, The Department of English, Deshabandhu Mahavidyalaya, West Bengal, India |
Received: 20.03.2026 | Accepted: 09.04.2026 | Published Online: 10.04.2026 | Page No: 291-297 | ||||
DOI: 10.29032/ijhsss.vol.12.issue.specialW.293 | |||||||
ABSTRACT | ||
The ‘Towards an Aesthetic of Dalit Literature” by Sharankumar Limbale puts forward a new literary principle that is quite different from traditional beauty-centric aesthetic and prioritises truth, suffering, and resistance as core principles. He argues that Dalit literature must authentically reflect the lived-experiences of the oppressed and engage in political resistance. Conceptualising this philosophy as the core argument, this paper examines select poems from the Poisoned Bread, a pioneering collection of Dalit anthology. In Namdeo Dhasal’s poem “Hunger,” hunger is not merely described as a physical need but as a metaphor for the socio-political deprivation endured by Dalits. Also, its unfiltered, gritty language reflects Limbale’s philosophy that Dalit narrative must express raw truth, the anger and suffering of the oppressed community. Jyoti Lanjewar’s poem “Caves” expresses same principle; infect her hostility of the land itself- “How did we ever get to this place this land which was never mother to us? which never gave us even the life of cats and dogs?” perfectly underscores the demand for equality and social recognition. Through direct, evocative language, she reflects Limbale’s idea that Dalit literature must engage with both caste oppression and also the quest for dignity. Methodologically, relying on the close reading of these selected poems this paper argues Limbale’s aesthetic framework that unravels the revolutionary potential of Dalit writing to challenge deep-rooted social hierarchies and promote justice and equality. | ||
Keywords: Sharankumar Limbale, Dalit Aesthetic, Poisoned Bread, Arjun Dangle, Caste Oppression, The Poetry of Resistance, Social Justice |