Baluta
We’re glad this article found its way to you. If you’re not a subscriber, we’d love for you to consider subscribing—your support helps make this journalism possible. Either way, we hope you enjoy the read. Click to subscribe: subscribing
Daya Pawar
Translated from Marathi by Jerry Pinto
Speaking Tiger, 336 pages, Rs. 350
As a Dalit autobiography, Baluta caused a sensation when it first appeared, in 1978. Set in Mumbai and rural Maharashtra in the 1940s and 1950s, it describes in shocking detail the practices of untouchability and caste violence, as well as the courage of the Dalit community as it fights for dignity. Baluta is also a frank account of the author’s own failings and prejudices, as well as those of some of the Dalit movement’s leading lights.
Thanks for reading till the end. If you valued this piece, and you're already a subscriber, consider contributing to keep us afloat—so more readers can access work like this. Click to make a contribution: Contribute