Dalit Autobiographies as Sites of Trauma and Resistance: Analysing Caste Matters and Water in a Broken Pot

Abstract

Caste-based discrimination is so deeply rooted in Indian society that it affects Dalit communities both socially and psychologically. While existing literature has explored various facets of this discrimination, there remains a gap in analysing contemporary Dalit autobiographies through the lens of cultural trauma theory. This study aims to critically examine Suraj Yengde’s Caste Matters and Yogesh Maitreya’s Water in a Broken Pot: A Memoir to understand how these narratives depict and resist systemic discrimination and oppression. Employing cultural and collective trauma theories, particularly those proposed by Jaffrey C. Alexander and Cathy Caruth, this research analyses these autobiographies to uncover the enduring social and psychological scars inflicted by caste-based discrimination and marginalisation. The study focuses on how these narratives document dehumanisation and silent suffering while simultaneously challenging oppressive caste hierarchies. The findings reveal that both Yengde and Maitreya’s works exemplify the dynamics of cultural trauma, illustrating how collective suffering reshapes community identity and fosters a shared sense of vulnerability. By situating these narratives within trauma theory, the study argues that cultural trauma functions both as a wound and as a catalyst for social and literary resistance. This research offers a fresh contribution to the field by contextualising Dalit subjugation as a normalised social reality in Indian culture. By highlighting the need for equality by sharing Dalit narratives, it aspires to inspire meaningful changes toward a fairer and more equitable society for all.