Indian mindscape: Caste, class hegemony with reference to Kannada short story Classmate

Caste identity is not just a question of consciousness; it is a matter of structure, of power. Can the category Dalit merely represent a perspective? Can it just be a standpoint? And what are the tools/ideas/texts that would enable a Dalit perspective? Can a Dalit perspective be divorced from the experience of being termed an untouchable? Untouchability is not a singular experience; what holds Dalits together is the structural fact that they have all been termed untouchable and subjected to exclusions of varying degrees, and their rejection of that identity. Dalit, thus, is related to identity, and at the same time is anti-identity. Untouchability and feudalism exist in India even today in the small villages of South India. A Dalit has no right to voice out in resistance against oppression of the high caste and class feudal lords- this problem is presented through a heart-touching and thrilling story ‘Classmate’ written originally as ‘Sahapathi’ by  P. Lankesh. The writer is not only depicting the plight of a Dalit but also presents the shame and guilt of the doer of the injustice and exploitation which he inflicts on the poor untouchables under the spell of his position, monopoly and authority. P Lankesh in ‘Classmate’ attempts to unravel the labyrinths of a decadent feudal order governed by a dehumanizing caste-system. The existential predicament of a Dalit in the trap of caste politics and feudalism is projected by Lankesh. To the usual theme of resistance of the down-troddens, Lankesh brings the subtle dynamics involved in the reality of caste system in India. Instead of bringing in a binary of right and wrong, he gives a holistic view of a social reality that is rooted in the Indian mindscape for centuries.   Key words: Dalit Literature, power, hegemony, mindscape, caste-system, feudalism, identity, oppression, dalit identity, contemporary kannada literature, subjugation, dalit perspective.