VOICES OF RESISTANCE: DALIT WOMEN’S EXPERIENCES AND CONSCIOUSNESS IN MOTHERWIT
Sr No:
Page No:
68-72
Language:
English
Authors:
Prerna Priya* & Prof. Ajay Kumar
Received:
2026-03-11
Accepted:
2026-04-17
Published Date:
2026-04-30
Abstract:
Dalit literature has grown in significance as a channel of protesting social injustice, caste prejudice and the marginalization of Dalit populations in India. Dalit women’s writing has gained a distinctive position in this literature because it demonstrates how caste and gender inequality impact women simultaneously. Further, it portrayed how sexism, poverty and class affect their lives. A significant work of Dalit women’s writing is Motherwit: Stories (2013) by Urmila Pawar, translated into English by Veena Deo. Pawar has challenged the caste system and male supremacy prevalent in society by presenting a variety of short tales about women and their daily lives, portraying women as strong, brave, intellectual and capable of making their own choices. The collection is particularly significant because it has depicted the women as more than just defenseless victims of injustice, rather as someone who reflects on their circumstances, speaks out against injustice, challenges unjust procedures, and attempts to take control of their own lives. The experiences have made them aware and confident. This study examines the emergence of a new awareness among Motherwit’s Dalit women. Pawar demonstrates how ordinary events like household chores, employment, marriage, motherhood, caste discrimination, social humiliation and relationships can become crucial spaces for questioning and opposing injustice. In order to comprehend these experiences, the study is going to use Dalit feminist and intersectional perspectives as well. These approaches will help in the explanation of how the lives of Dalit women are shaped by the interplay of caste, gender and class.
Keywords:
Urmila Pawar, Motherwit, Dalit women, Dalit feminism, caste, patriarchy, consciousness, intersectionality, resistance, agency.