Give Us This Day A Feast Of Flesh by N.D. Rajkumar

Rajkumar doesn't shy away from being brutal in his depiction, he doesn't want to perpetuate a false consciousness.

The body is used as a microcosm, its suffering writ large. Every verse is a provocation, sending the very foundations of a caste society into upheaval. They have the power to fight back, buoyed by a deep well of raging fury, transforming them into unrelenting figures desiring retribution. In his poetry, Dalit individuals aren't just limited to being powerless victims of forces beyond their ken, silent sufferers meant to be pitied. Rajkumar will not be bound by the socio-cultural establishment and he repeatedly makes a case against ill-thought assimilation into the mainstream.

He delves deep into the occult and shows the primal visage of mankind. A man of many personas, he continually shifts subjectivities.īelonging to the kaniyan community, he uses the rich lore in his poetry to narrate originary tales about primordial gods and goddesses from a time before Brahmanical interference. He is not someone who will let himself be reduced to a singular caste-based identity. Now coming to Rajkumar who constantly breaks the mould of artistic expectation throughout this collection. I think that is enough of an overview, I would highly recommend reading her illuminating essay for yourself. She mentions how texts such as these become sociological documents to members outside of the community, making the plight of Dalits more accessible through a literary form than what it would have been through non-fiction reports and statistics. In her essay included in the book, the translator Anushiya Ramaswamy talks about how they lead to 'the formation of new narratives and vernaculars'. In terms of impact, Dalit literary writing can be compared to the Negritude Movement. Dalit ('broken/scattered') is a term used for ethnic groups that have been historically subjected to untouchability caused by widespread discriminatory purity politics. It developed as a challenge to the dominant modes of thinking perpetuated by the upper class brahminic patriarchal status quo. Dalit literature has a rich history in India, especially in the regional languages. He works as a temporary labourer for the Mail Service of Indian Railways in Nagercoil, Tamil Nadu and he casually describes himself as a coolie. N D Rajkumar has received formal education only till the seventh grade. Plus I had been wanting to read more new Dalit literature in translation. It looked like a great opportunity to read an unfiltered #ownvoices text. The blurb on the back and bio of the poet sealed the deal for me. I got this two years ago during Navayana's year-end sale as I was instantly drawn to its unusual title.

Give Us This Day A Feast Of Flesh by N.D. Rajkumar