LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 14:1 January 2014
ISSN 1930-2940

Managing Editor: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.
Editors: B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. A. Sharada, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         Lakhan Gusain, Ph.D.
         Jennifer Marie Bayer, Ph.D.
         S. M. Ravichandran, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         L. Ramamoorthy, Ph.D.
         C. Subburaman, Ph.D. (Economics)
Assistant Managing Editor: Swarna Thirumalai, M.A.

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Identity Crisis and Search for ‘Self’ in Aravind Malagatti’s
The Government Brahmana

R. Janani, M.A., M.Phil., NET

Abstract

The Dalit literature represents the plight and agony of the community in all its writing. In a way, the Dalit writer ‘familiarizes’ the problems of the community so that the reader would have a better understanding of Dalits. ‘The Government Brahmana’ is the English translation of Aravind Malagatti’s autobiography in Kannada. Dharani Devi Malagatti, Janet Vucinich and N. Subramanya have translated this autobiography. This autobiographical narrative is in the form of episodes from the author’s childhood and youth. The writer in the novel has given a complete study of “Maali community” in Karnataka. The details in the novel are completely trustworthy since the writer himself is a witness to the problems. The isolation, suppression and alienation that an individual faces in Maali community are recorded in minute details. The insult and injury faced by Dalits is portrayed within the reality of the situation. The writer has therefore captivated the minds of the reader through his writing. The writing is very effective, where Malagatti does not only lament but raises a voice against the unjust treatment shown towards Dalits. He makes a non-Dalit think about the condition of Dalit people.

This paper focuses on the concept of search for the ‘self’. The condition of most Dalits remains the same, even after many from the community get good education and receive higher status in society. The affirmative action through job reservation in government service has helped many to come up in all fields including professional fields and government administration. In this book, they are referred to as ‘Government Brahmana’, presumably because of governmental help which helped them to attain higher levels in society and services. The paper focuses on Aravind Malagatti’s search for an individual Dalit’s identity after attaining a certain status in society. The paper presents insight into the Dalit’s search for identity in society.

Dalit Literature

Dalit literature focuses on fundamental human values to establish secular values like individuality, liberty, fraternity, and equality which have been denied them for ages. The motto of Dalit literature is to raise a voice of protest against the unjust social order prevailing for centuries. Dalit literature brings to light the ancient Hindu literature which was Brahmanic and which excluded Dalits by denying them equality of social participation. A human being is not born as a Dalit, or untouchable; it is the system that degrades them. Aravind Malagatti has brought this idea into the novel very well. In The Government Brahmana, he questions the society that degrades the individual in the name of caste.

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

R. Janani, M.A., M.Phil., NET
Assistant Professor of English
Department Of English
DRBCCC’s Hindu College
Pattabiram
Chennai- 600072
Tamil Nadu
India
universityjanfriends@gmail.com
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