The word “Dalit” literally means broken people. The untouchable or the Dalit belong to the lowest position of the caste hierarchy. They lived in a society where they were rejected, discriminated and abused by the upper caste. They were forced to work in degraded conditions and denied the basic right of acquiring land.
Literature always gives voice to what is voiceless. Here in the context, the Dalit literature was born out of injustice, suffering, and inequalities against Dalits. Dalit literature always took the voice protest against the upper caste. Protest and resistance become a whole mark of Dalit literature.
Considering the Dalit literature, it has been written with a particular purpose. Dalit Literature is not simply literature. Dalit literature is not written for entertainment or as a reflection of emotions and feelings. Dalit literature wanted to expose the age-old exploitation based on ‘caste’ in India. At the same time, it tries to establish an identity for the marginalized and dispossessed people. Therefore, we can say Dalit literature is a literature of commitment.
Dalit literature is connected with a movement to bring about change, It always highlights the situation of the Dalits in society. Literature always gives voice to what is voiceless. Same way here the Dalit literature also raises its voice against the marginalization of untouchables and Dalits, who don’t have a voice in society. Dalit literature always takes a voice of resistance against marginalization, oppression, and discrimination.
Dalit literature is committed to the upliftment of Dalits, it is also revolutionary and transformational in nature. They wanted to bring change in the attitude of society, especially the attitude towards Dalits and the untouchables.
Dalit literature rejects the mainstream ‘language’ which is used by the upper caste. In other words, Dalit literature opposes the refined and proper language used by the upper caste. Thus, the language in Dalit literature is often crude and uncivil. Their language reflects the authentic experience of the Dalits.