Dalit Consciousness in the Poetry of Namdeo Dhasal and Shyamal Kumar Pramanik

In this paper, the two dalit voices—Namdeo Dhasal and Shyamal Kumar Pramanik have been taken in order to reveal how they have voiced dalits who have been marginalized, exploited and oppressed for generations. Both of them have attempted to raise the dalit conscience so that dalits may walk with their heads up while recognizing their true value and identity. The choice is somewhat unusual as Namdeo Dhasal is a Marathi poet while Shyamal Kumar Pramanik is a Bengali poet. Namdeo Dhasal needs no introduction. He is a big name in the world of literature while Pramanik is moving ahead on this path with the intention of creating a space in Indian literature. More or less, both of them have suffered much because of being dalits. What makes them one is that both of them have given voice to their lived experiences of pain and suffering.