• Nirmla Rani

The present paper is about the socio cultural status of the Dalits in India. Originally untouchables were termed as Harijans and Dalits. But with the time the term Dalit expanded its fold and started covering many non- dalit castes as well. Natural environment and traditional values of dalits are being hammered in the name of progress and development. Any system, which allows greed to grow and selfishness to spread is a rigorous threat to human existence. This growing tendency, on the other hand, had badly influenced dalits’ life and culture. Eventually, a new culture of westernization and modernization has emerged within the last few decades breaking the community life and cultural identity of masses. The word “change” or “progress” in Literature and culture reminds us the writers, who make accomplish the change to common people. If a person became a writer means, he stands beyond illiteracy and ignorance. When he starts his journey of writing, almost he is subjected to culturalization. For this culturalized person their natural environment and traditional values may seem senseless. This kind of evolution is a great threat to the original culture. Globalisation, privatization, industrialization and education brought two kinds of changes in dalit life culture and literature. One is, in this process, they may lost their original culture. Another one is, it is creating a big gap between the educated and un-educated dalits. In the context of traditional Hindu society , dalit status has often been historically associated with occupations regarded as ritually impure such as any involving leather work butchering, or removal of rubbish animal carcasses and waste. Dalits worked as manual labourers cleaning streets latrines and sewers. Engaging in these activities was considered to be polluting to the individual and this pollution was considered contagious, As a result, dalits were commonly segregated and banned from full participation in Hindu social life. It’s not just limited to a certain section of the society. Often, top officials who are dalits are offended and humiliated with caste slurs. Sometimes, Ambedkar is abused too through destruction of objects related to him. There is hatred against dalits and that is often promoted through words and visuals. This issue is unabated.

Dalit, culture, status, Community, tradition.

"Socio- cultural status of Dalits in India", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 4, page no.332-334, April-2019, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1904662.pdf

"Socio- cultural status of Dalits in India", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 4, page no. pp332-334, April-2019, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1904662.pdf