NAMDEV DHASAL: THE FIRE OF POETRY AND ACTIVISM AGAINST CASTE

Authors

  • Dr. Amol Rameshrao Bute Senior Assistant Professor of English, Department of Basic Sciences and Humanities, GMR Institute of Technology, (GMRIT)-Deemed to be University, Rajam, Andhra Pradesh, India
  • Dr. Lakshmanarao Banana Assistant Professor of English, Department of Basic Sciences and Humanities, GMR Institute of Technology, (GMRIT)-Deemed to be University, Rajam, Andhra Pradesh, India
  • Dr. Chaduvula Srinivasarao Assistant Professor of English, Department of Basic Sciences and Humanities, GMR Institute of Technology, (GMRIT)-Deemed to be University, Rajam, Andhra Pradesh, India
  • Dr. Eswara Rao Majji Assistant Professor of English, Department of Basic Sciences and Humanities, GMR Institute of Technology, Rajam, Andhra Pradesh, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29121/shodhkosh.v7.i3s.2026.7095

Keywords:

Dalit, Golpitha, Dalit Panther Movement, Politics

Abstract [English]

Namdev Dhasal is known as an important figure in Indian literature. Simultaneously, he was the social activist. His works represented the untouchability and goes beyond the boundaries of art and politics. He is a co-founder of the Dalit Panther Movement and the author of groundbreaking works like Golpitha. He used his poetry to challenge the rooted hierarchies of the caste system and redefine Dalit identity. He born into the Mahar community in Maharashtra. His lived experiences of marginalization and oppression deeply influenced his writing, which is characterized by its raw, steady portrayal of Dalit life and its militant call for social justice. This paper try to explore how the poetry of Dhasal dismantles caste-based oppression and reimagines dalit identity as one of resistance and empowerment. By analyzing his major works within the context of the Dalit Panther Movement, this study aims to shed light on his unique contribution to both literature and social justice, as well as his enduring legacy in the fight for caste equality.

References

Chitre, D. (1982). The Architecture of Anger: On Namdeo Dhasal’s Golpiṭha. Journal of South Asian Literature, 17(1A), 93–95.

Chitre, D. (1997). The Poetry of Namdeo Dhasal. Indian Literature, 40(5), 145–151.

Dhasal, N., and Chitre, D. (2014). Namdeo on Namdeo. Indian Literature, 58(1), 34–44.

Dhasal, N. (2011). A Current of Blood (D. Chitre, Trans.). Navayana Publishing.

Dhasal, N. (2007). Golpitha (D. Chitre, Trans.). Navayana.

Jaaware, A. (2018). Practicing Caste: On Touching and Not Touching. Fordham University Press. https://doi.org/10.5422/fordham/9780823282265.001.0001 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5422/fordham/9780823282265.001.0001

Limbale, S. (2004). Towards an Aesthetic of Dalit Literature: History, Controversies and Considerations (A. Mukherjee, Trans.). Orient Blackswan.

Rege, S. (2006). Writing Caste/Writing Gender: Reading Dalit Women’s Testimonios. Zubaan.

Spivak, G. C. (1988). Can the Subaltern Speak? In C. Nelson and L. Grossberg (Eds.), Marxism and the Interpretation of Culture (xx–xx). University of Illinois Press.

Downloads

Published

2026-04-03

How to Cite

Bute, A., Banana, L., Srinivasarao, C., & Majji, E. R. (2026). NAMDEV DHASAL: THE FIRE OF POETRY AND ACTIVISM AGAINST CASTE. ShodhKosh: Journal of Visual and Performing Arts, 7(3s), 174–178. https://doi.org/10.29121/shodhkosh.v7.i3s.2026.7095