When The Heart Spoke - Daya Pawar's Legendary Rise As A Dalit Author

By penning the first-ever autobiography written from a Dalit's perspective, Daya Pawar established himself as the most well-known writer from the Dalit community. In the late 1990s, when he wrote his autobiography, his words were celebrated as the heartfelt expressions of the Dalit community.

Flora Fountain, Pre WW I; Source: Wikimedia Commons

*‘Pen is mightier than Sword.’ *

-Edward Bulwer-Lytton

The most creative works in literature emerge from the minds of those who live and breathe language. It's not just words on a page that have the power to inspire; any form of art, whether it's visual or performing, can do the same. Every piece of art has a complex relationship with the human mind and the feelings it evokes. If we consider a piece of literature, what might have captivated its audience was either the excitement, energy or even an unspoken emotion that exploded at the stroke of a pen.

The thriving literary tradition in India is largely due to the many Indian authors who have contributed to the world of literature at various stages of their lives. Some of their stories can motivate and uplift you and leave you feeling fulfilled and satisfied, while others can make you ponder life's deeper meanings.

Daya Pawar, or Dagdu Maruti Pawar, is an author whose literary works exposed hidden emotions and provoked polarised opinions among readers. A country's diversity can sometimes lead to contradictions and fights. The caste system that plagued some Indian communities was far more heinous than any other curse. The Dalits, who are part of the 'panchama varna' (5th division in the caste system, which was considered as lowest of all) caste, were not afforded the same privileges as those of the 'upper caste’.

The situation in the literary world was no different. The Dalit people were silenced by being denied the pen and the opportunity to express themselves. Many fictional works featured them, often written by authors with no connection to the community. Until Dr B.R. Ambedkar made his famous speech in 1956, emphasising the importance of literary assertion to combat the Dalit community's marginalisation, the majority of Dalit literature was transmitted orally.

Dr Ambedkar's speech moved his followers and sparked change in the Dalit community. This celebrated the start of a new era in the world of literature, in which resistance had no limitations whatsoever. People who were not given any opportunities in life eventually started to find their voice and sense of identity through writing.

The state of Maharashtra, which was hit hardest by the casting curse, played a pivotal role in the protest against casteism. People from lower castes were denied all freedom and insulted as untouchables in the Hindu religion. As part of the protest, most people in Mahar communities in Maharashtra, converted to Buddhism in 1956 as part of an anti-Hinduism movement. Several writers came forward from the Dalit community with works that explored their experiences. This led to the state becoming the birthplace of the majority of Dalit literature.

Daya Pawar was one of those writers. He is best known for writing the first autobiography in Dalit literature. He was born in Maharashtra in 1935.

In his autobiography "Baluta," which was published in 1978, he recounts the hardships he faced growing up as a member of the Dalit Mahar community in Maharashtra. "Baluta" was an unpaid labour that the members of the caste Hindu community in the village will demand from an ‘Untouchable’ Mahar. ‘‘Baluta’’ tells the story of a Dalit's life, the oppression and daily struggles they endured as a group, and their collective efforts to achieve the kind of autonomy that was unachievable back then.

The book received immense popularity among readers and, at the same time, welcomed a lot of criticism.

In Daya Pawar’s words,

‘It was unlikely that I would have had the courage of my convictions at that age. But were they my convictions? Here, in school, I was being taught “Always speak the truth” and there, I was taking Dada’s loot to sell at Chor Bazaar. The world I learned about at school seemed fraudulent compared to the world I lived in.’

He demonstrated the incongruity that exists between the ideals we are taught in school and the reality of what happens to those ideals when applied to day-to-day life. The community's value system helped him make the right decision facing such moral ambiguity. According to Daya Pawar, it is one’s duty to rise above everything and attain liberation. He tried to convey his philosophies through his literary works. For Dalits, ‘‘Baluta’’ displayed the ultimate realization of the "caste to class" transition.

His autobiography, ‘‘Baluta’’, brought him widespread attention, but his true genre was poetry. After publishing his first collection of poetry, Kondava, in 1974, he was honoured with the state award for literature. Daya Pawar is also the author of Chavdi and Dalit Jaanivaa and Vittal. Apart from literary works, he wrote the script for the film Dr Ambedkar.

The government of India presented Daya Pawar with the Padma Sri award in 1990. On December 10th, 1996, he left this world. Daya Pawar fought to correct the societal and cultural inequalities that existed in India at the time. Even after so much time has passed since his death, the feelings he captured in his writings continue to touch readers of all ages.