,7:: is a poignant subaltern novel that speaks oI the childhood experiences oI the author,

Bama. The signiIicance oI the novel comes Irom its social message. The author's childhood is
interspersed with events that repeatedly bring to the Iore the harrowing experiences oI a Dalit
child.
The dictionary deIines the word "militant" as being "aggressively active (as in a cause)". In
,7:: the militant aspect is lower than the autobiographical element. The novel comes across
as a sincere attempt to tell a story that is matter-oI-Iactly indignant about ill-treatment in the
name oI class, caste and religion. The story is that oI poverty, pain and neglect more than that oI
anger or aggression. It is a story that creates awareness more than anger.
Constantly reproved Ior being a member oI a lower caste, the Dalit children go through severe
abuse and torment. The novel is not just the story oI the author alone. It seeks to expose the
plight oI thousands oI Dalit children. The author also Iinds that several oI her own people have
internalized the inIeriority that is imposed on them by the upper classes. She wants her novel to
be a "two-edged sword". While on the one hand it challenges the oppressors who have enslaved
and disempowered the Dalits, on the other hand it reiterates the need Ior a new society with
ideals such as justice, equality and love.
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The novel is not merely a militant kickback. It seeks to establish a better society Ior the
Dalits apart Irom questioning the oppressors. It does not retaliate violently to injustice. On
the contrary, it seeks to emphasize on the importance oI education, moral values and unity.
During severe oppression, her people hardly questioned authority or Iought against it. They
rather sought to dodge the law temporarily and escape punishment than work towards long-term
solutions.
It is important to note that the author is a peace-loving nun who is disturbed by violence.
Although she does not agree with the way the convents are run, she herselI is religious and
service-minded. She believes that a lack oI unity among the Dalits will make it easier Ior the
upper castes to subjugate them.
"A hundred times a second there are scuIIles among them. Shameless Iellows. OI course the
upper-caste men will laugh at them. In stead oI uniting together in a village oI many castes, iI
they keep challenging each other to Iights, what will happen to all these men in the end?" (Page
41)
She repeatedly talks about the importance oI education Ior the Dalit child. She quotes her
Annan's words,
"Because we are born into the Paraya jati, we are never given any honour or dignity or respect.
We are stripped oI all that. But iI we study and make progress, we can throw away these
indignities." (Page 15)

She also stresses on the need Ior the Dalits to demand better wages Ior heavy physical labor.
The book talks about the cultural, social and Iamilial liIe oI Dalits. It does not conIine itselI to
the oppression aspects or the militant stance. It elaborately describes the daily liIe, language,
naming conventions, religion, culture, Iestivals, Iood habits, entertainment, games and kinship in
the "paraya" community. The cultural signiIicance oI drumming is highlighted in the way they
celebrated the "Pusai". One must remember that the "parayas" are known Ior their exceptional
talents at drumming on the "parai".
"During the Pusai there was only one man who sang out loudly, while quite a Iew others
accompanied him by beating out the rhythm on all sorts oI objects." (Page 56)
In this Iashion, the book talks about Bama's Dalit experience in diIIerent areas oI her liIe. There
are places where she is proud and happy the way she is but is angered by the treatment given to
her.
"Are Dalits not human beings? Do they not have common sense? Do they not have such
attributes as a sense oI honour and selI-respect? Are they without any wisdom, beauty, dignity?
What do we lack?" (Page 24)
At the end oI the book is an "AIterword" written by Bama, seven years aIter she wrote the book.
She says, "It has been a great joy to see Dalits aiming to live with selI-respect, proclaiming
aloud, 'Dalit endru sollada; talai nimirndu nillada". You are a Dalit; liIt up your head and stand
tall". This is probably what the author aimed Ior when she wrote her experiences down.

Thus, ,7:: is not merely a militant voice seeking to liberate the Dalits Irom oppression. The
language used in the book is that oI the Dalits. This in itselI is a Iorm oI overthrowing oI
established conventions Ior writing, as dictated by the upper castes. It also does the Iunction oI a
memoir that has great cultural value Ior its contents. The book gives an identity to the Dalits by
proudly recollecting, the cultural signiIicance oI being a Dalit, in the remnants oI memories. The
very Iact that the author is a Dalit who seeks to decentralize the established structures is prooI
that halI their victory is won. The book thereIore becomes the harbinger oI an awakening and a
reiteration oI the Dalit's Ireedom to question, rebel and reinterpret.
As Lakshmi Holmstrom puts it, "...Bama's work is among those that are exploring a changing
Dalit identity."
Bama is not merely trying to politically inIluence the power structures but wants to communicate
with the readers at a deeper level. As readers we are expected to travel into her reality and
empathize with the condition oI the Dalits.

,7:: is indeed the "two-edged sword" but only mightier.
Mathangi is a Masters in English Literature based in Chennai. She enjoys blogging, reading,
writing and polemics. She dabbles in psychology and philosophy and works as an elearning
Content Writer at a leading