Study of the autobiography of om Prakash Valmiki and Urmila Pawar

Abstract

This study explores the autobiographies of Om Prakash Valmiki’s Joothan and Urmila Pawar’s The Weave of My Life as powerful narratives of Dalit identity, resistance, and self-realization. Both authors chronicle their journeys from social marginalization to self-assertion, highlighting the deeply entrenched caste and gender hierarchies in Indian society. Valmiki’s Joothan presents a male Dalit experience shaped by untouchability, humiliation, and a relentless struggle for education and dignity. In contrast, Pawar’s The Weave of My Life foregrounds the intersection of caste and gender, portraying the double oppression faced by Dalit women. Through her engagement with the women’s movement and Dalit activism, Pawar weaves a complex narrative of empowerment that challenges both patriarchal and casteist structures.