A Critical Study of Dalit Women's Autobiographies

सार

Caste and gender have been two pivotal factors in the social structure of Indian society, profoundly influencing the lives of millions. Among these groups, Dalit women have faced the highest levels of deprivation, neglect and exploitation. The suffering in their lives was not limited to economic hardship; it was also deeply intertwined with experiences of social humiliation, cultural exclusion, gender discrimination and the denial of human dignity. For a long time, the experiences of Dalit women did not receive adequate space in literature. Their voices were either suppressed or presented through external perspectives. Against this backdrop, the emergence of Dalit women's autobiographies marked a significant milestone in Indian literature. Dalit women's autobiographies are not merely chronological accounts of an individual's life events; they serve as documents of the social order in which Dalit women lived. Through personal experiences, these autobiographies reveal stories of collective suffering, struggle and resistance. This research paper presents a critical study of the autobiographies of prominent Dalit women writers such as Bama, Baby Kamble, Urmila Pawar and Shantabai Kamble. The study demonstrates that these autobiographies not only articulate the reality of Dalit women's lives but also foster a consciousness for social change.