SUKANTA MONDAL, L-4/2-SARAT PALLY, MEDINIPUR – 721 101
A seminar on “Translation of Dalit literature” was held at the Vidyasagar University, Medinipur, on March 23-24, 2010. It was organized by the English Dept. of the University and attended by lecturers from Delhi, Ranchi, Viswabharati, Jadavpur, North Bengal, Burdwan Universities. Dalit literature is gaining ground in various Indian languages. Bengal was in an advanced position in education, culture or industrial development during the British period. But common educated Bengalis under the influence of Brahminist culture are still fond of basking in that glory and project themselves as pioneers in “progressive thoughts”.
Calcutta upper castes (Brahmins, Kayasths and Baidyas) from East Bengal hate Dalit literature. They like Ghosh, Bose, Mitra, Sanyal, Guha etc. Behind that periphery they do not think that there are any persons with literary acumen. Marxism has made them all the more elitist and all-knowing. Even today they believe that only “class struggle” led by communists would be able to cleanse the society. They don’t like discussions on caste or Brahminism. In such a state, a university-level seminar on Dalit literature is no doubt a matter of interest. Dalit literature is an all-India phenomenon and is already characterized with some common attributes. Bengal on its own cannot break that definition. Among its characteristics – it has its special aesthetics; the so-called down and out-caste people have been writing about their own sufferings, identity, revolt against Brahminism. It is more a writing of empathy and not of sympathy.
The organizers tried to distort the Dalit literature with their own colourings of bhadralok marxian culture. They included in Bengali Dalit literature some writings of Brahmin writers. From the speech of Prof. Achintya Biswas (Jadavpur University) who may be called a renegade in Dalit literary movement, it did not become clear what has been happening in present Bengali Dalit literature though he journeyed through Afro-American literature. Anil Gharai (by birth SC) is no doubt a powerful and realistic writer in portraying the life of the Dalits. But he supports communism not Dalit movement. UGC has sanctioned over Rs. 10 lakhs for English translation of Dalit literature of Bengal. This money is for distribution among some chosen translators.
