RECLAIMING HISTORY: THE ANTI-CASTE NARRATIVE AND DEMARGINALIZATION OF DALITS IN INDIA

This paper examines the significance of anti-caste history writing, with a focus on preserving and documenting the experiences of Dalits in India. Through primary and secondary sources-including Dalit autobiographies, monuments, oral histories, newspapers, and folklore-the study analyzes the mechanisms employed to assert and preserve this marginalized history. Conducted in Uttar Pradesh, the research explores the roles of literature, cultural programs, and empirical data in constructing Dalit identity. Special emphasis is placed on the installation of Ambedkar's statues and the political symbolism they embody. Additionally, this study critically engages with Dalit literature, particularly autobiographies and pamphlets, as tools for social and cultural resistance. The findings suggest that Dalit narratives not only provide an alternative historiography but also confront dominant caste-based power structures. The paper concludes by arguing for the continued importance of these sources in understanding Dalit struggles and achievements.