Breaking The Chains: Baby Kamble's Struggle Against Poverty, Untouchability, And Dalit Patriarchy In The Prisons We Broke

Abstract

Dalit Literature has emerged as a prominent genre within the literary landscape of India. The hard reality faced by the marginalised and "voiceless" Dalit population is examined and internalised. The objective of this study is to provide a contextual analysis of the physical and psychological violence experienced by Dalit women, examining its occurrence in both public and private domains. Baby Kamble is recognised as a prominent figure among Dalit writers, and her autobiography titled "The Prison We Broke" gained significant recognition and acceptance within academic circles. This paper additionally addresses the concerns surrounding the marginalisation experienced by Dalit women, as exemplified in the autobiography of Baby Kamble. The work produced by the individual in question is a manifestation of the concept of double consciousness, which explores the manner in which Dalit women have been subjected to mistreatment and the roles they have assumed within their respective social contexts. The focus of Baby Kamble's engagement lies within the historical context of Dalit persecution. The author does not romanticise the existence of the Dalit community; instead, she explicitly expresses her objective to subject the circumstances of her community to meticulous examination. Her aim is to illustrate how the dominance of the Brahmanical system had reduced the Mahars to a state of servitude, compelling them to endure living conditions that were even more deplorable than those of animals. This essay undertakes an analysis of the author's portrayal of the visual documentation depicting the lives of the Mahars throughout the course of the last five decades in Western Maharashtra.