Uncertainty to Restitution: Representation of Dalits in Kancha Ilaiah’s Untouchable God and Manu Joseph’s Serious Men

Abstract

The word Dalit in India means “oppressed” or “broken.” Today, it refers to people once known as “untouchables.” The veracity that untouchability was abolished by the Indian Constitution in 1949 could not stop this evil from continuing, which imposes social restrictions on persons based on castes, even in this 21st century. Kancha Ilaiah’s Untouchable God (2011) explores the foibles and hypocrisies of the upper castes and tries to find the true connotation of egalitarianism across India. In contrast, Manu Joseph’s Serious Men (2010) shows the emancipation of 
the marginalized class, which genuinely mirrors Dr. B. R. Ambedkar’s ideals for Dalit empowerment. The research scrutinizes Dalit characters and their struggle from two altered standpoints, as depicted in the select fiction. On the one hand, if it emphasizes the anguish of the so-called outcasts of our country, then on the other, it also shows the empowerment of the Dalit, albeit in a dissimilar manner! The research argues against every societal and economic exploitation and seeks to support every type of noble inventiveness to create a casteless society.