Resistance and Resilience: The New Woman in Dalit Feminist Narratives

The present research examines the emergence of the “New Woman” in Dalit feminist narratives, highlighting both themes of resilience and resistance as they are expressed in Dalit women's writings and lives. The study examines how Dalit women resist gender and caste hierarchies while establishing conditions for self-identity and empowerment through a critical analysis of fictional and autobiographical works by authors such as Bama, Baby Kamble, and Urmila Pawar. According to the study, the New Woman in Dalit literature is a figure of transformation as well as uprising, redefining identity, regaining voice, and rebuilding community. The study reveals that these narratives, which emphasize the self-reliance, equality, and enduring spirit of Dalit women, express a significant counter-narrative to prevailing patriarchal and discriminatory notions. It evolves this by drawing on intersectional feminist theory and Dalit discourse. A vital lens through which to view the intersections of gender and caste in India is offered by Dalit feminist narratives. This essay examines the themes of resiliency and resistance in Dalit women writers' creative works, with a particular emphasis on the rise of the "New Woman." This study demonstrates how Dalit women's literature challenges Brahminical patriarchy and reframes feminist discourse from a Dalit perspective through an analysis of the writings of Bama, Baby Kamble, and Urmila Pawar.