“Children Are the Flowers of God’s Abode, But Not Us”

<p class="ql-align-justify">Dalit discrimination is ingrained in the hierarchical structure of the caste system, where dehumanizing hegemonic ideologies perpetuate structural discrimination. This article draws insights on the intersectionality and heterogeneity in Dalit childhood experiences while comprehending two Dalit autobiographies: <em>Joothan: A Dalit’s Life</em> by Om Prakash Valmiki (2003) and <em>Akkarmashi</em> by Sharankumar Limbale (2003). In Dalit life writing, childhood is a pivotal phase, as it shapes the “self” perception of identity, societal position, and formative experience of the person. Despite their nostalgic childhood, Dalit children endure caste discrimination, humiliation, socioeconomic deprivation, caste-inflicted child labor, social exclusion, and physical and psychological abuse, which collectively constitute the mechanisms of caste. This study critically examines the intersection of caste, class, and age, wherein heterogeneous oppressive factors culminate in multiple layers of discrimination by imposing a binary of purity and pollution. Thereby, Dalit childhood experiences are not solely based on a single oppressive factor, but it is heterogeneous.</p>