• Bidesh Kumar Sur Roy

Subaltern Studies form a part of postcolonial theory in literature and its application is indeed very useful in the study of certain texts (for example – Dalit Literature), obviouly not excluding the Indian English Literature. Several instances in the literary tradition of India clearly indicate that whenever the feeble voice of the margins have grown loud and strong enough to be heard at the centre, the centre is left with no other option but to ‘listen’. One such text that represents this phenomenon in the contemporary times is Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar recipient Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar’s The Adivasi Will Not Dance (2015). Set in the Pakur district of Jharkhand, the book is a voice steeped in the soil of its origin—the land of Santhals—and refreshing in its clear visualisations of his people. Shekhar’s stories are powerful narratives of multiple forms of violence towards Advasis: dispossession from land and helplessness against the might of mining companies; the venality of politicians; exploitation as well as subjugation of women and the like. They speak of Adivasis being treated as heritage-toys who perform for tourists to show the ‘rich’ diversity of India, but are meant to forever stay as museum pieces, unable to access good education and health.

subaltern; gender exploitation; voice

"", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 6, page no.985-993, June 2019, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1907C97.pdf

"", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 6, page no. pp985-993, June 2019, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1907C97.pdf