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Dalit History Month: Here is a reading list powered by Dalit women authors
Updated On: 09 April, 2024 08:39 AM IST | Mumbai | Nandini Varma
April is Dalit History Month, the month of Dr Ambedkar’s birth anniversary. Here’s our curated reading list powered by Dalit women authors
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Urmila Pawar’s We Also Made History: Women in the Ambedkarite Movement (1989) is one of the earliest books to document the contribution of women in Dr BR Ambedkar’s Dalit rights movement. Representation Pic
Some of the most powerful Dalit writing has come from voices like Bama, Urmila Pawar, Shantabai Kamble, Baby Haldar — writing against the grain with intelligence and grit. This month, in honour of Dalit History Month, which celebrates the contributions of Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, we’ve handpicked five books written by remarkable women, each offering a sophisticated perspective into the negotiations they’ve made to fight the indignities of everyday oppression. Each book carries beauty and hope for a compassionate society and a prayer for safe and
harmonious living.
Viramma (Verso Books)
Viramma narrated her story to Josiane Racine, while the latter was conducting research into popular songs and culture in the southern parts of India. Viramma worked as an agricultural labourer “bak[ing] in the sun” and later, as a midwife. She shared personal stories, opening up slowly to Racine over a few years. For instance, we get to know about her marriage at the age of 11, and the loneliness she felt on the day of her wedding as the rest of the family around her celebrated. She called marriage an act of “kidnapping”. Through Will Hobson’s English translation of Racine’s transcription in French, we get to understand not only Viramma’s story, but that of many Dalit women within rural settings. We gauge the nature of their exploitation and their navigation to find self-respect through it all.
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