Sharankumar Limbale argues that Dalit literature is unique because:
(A) This brings out the Dalit reality which is liminal in time and space.
(B) This has unique historical and ideological concerns.
(C) This offers literary and cultural representations of marginalised and dispossessed people.
(D) This brings out narratives and discourses of pity.
(E) It uses disrespectful and offensive language towards revered figures.

Choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:

Correct option is A

Explanation:

(A) Sharankumar Limbale highlights that Dalit literature reflects the liminal and transitional existence of Dalits, caught between oppression and assertion, between tradition and resistance, and between past trauma and future hope. The temporal and spatial marginality becomes central to Dalit narratives, symbolizing the struggle of living on the thresholds of caste-based social structures.

(B) Dalit literature, according to Limbale, is shaped by a specific historical consciousness, rooted in caste oppression, discrimination, social movements, and the Ambedkarite ideology. It does not merely tell stories; it conveys resistance, revolution, and assertion of selfhood, identity, and dignity. Its ideological basis is deeply anti-caste, aiming to dismantle Brahminical hegemony.

(C) Dalit literature gives voice and representation to the voiceless. It aims to document the experiences of the oppressed, showcasing their pain, aspirations, struggles, and cultural practices. It challenges canonical literature by including the ignored realities of those historically marginalized by dominant discourse.

Information Booster:

Sharankumar Limbale is a noted Dalit writer, theorist, and critic, best known for his autobiography "Akkarmashi" (The Outcaste) and his seminal theoretical work "Towards an Aesthetic of Dalit Literature" (2004).

Definition of Dalit Literature (as per Limbale): Dalit literature is not just a literary category; it is a socio-political and ideological movement. It must reflect the collective pain, anger, and resistance of Dalits. It is a literature of protest, not one of aesthetic detachment.

Purpose of Dalit Literature:

- Exposes caste oppression and social exclusion.
- Rejects Brahminical literary aesthetics and introduces Dalit aesthetics—based on truth, experience, and activism.
- Offers realistic portrayal of Dalit life through autobiographies, poems, short stories, and plays.
- Blends individual suffering with collective struggle.

Limbale's Argument in “Towards an Aesthetic of Dalit Literature”:

The book proposes an alternative aesthetic rooted in Dalit identity, resistance politics, and cultural assertion. It opposes traditional literary criteria which focus on form and beauty, and instead prioritizes truth, social reality, and transformative impact.

Dalit literature is evaluated based on its capacity to represent the lived experiences of oppressed communities, its ideological grounding, and its social commitment.
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Additional Knowledge:

(D) This brings out narratives and discourses of pity – Incorrect. Dalit literature resists being reduced to pity or sentimentality. It is not about evoking sympathy, but about asserting agency, resistance, and dignity. Limbale has categorically rejected literature of pity, arguing that Dalit literature is not a plea for compassion, but a call for justice.

(E) It uses disrespectful and offensive language towards revered figures – Incorrect. While Dalit literature challenges dominant cultural and religious figures associated with oppression, it does not aim to offend for the sake of provocation. It questions the sacredness imposed by upper-caste narratives, but not through intentional vulgarity. Limbale emphasizes truthful representation, not deliberate disrespect.