Indian Dalit theatre stands out as a stimulating phenomenon and gives impetus to the contemporary Dalit movement in present-day India. Since Dalit theatre is performed, it is unique in showing the Dalits’ harrowing predicament in a more vivid manner than any other genre of Dalit literature. Though the tradition of writing Dalit plays dates back to the last decades of the nineteenth century, it did not gain the same momentum as the other genres of Dalit literature like poetry, short stories, and autobiography. It is generally believed that the tradition of writing Dalit plays began with the great social activist, writer, and anti-caste social reformer Mahatma Jyotiba Phule. His Marathi play Tritiya Ratna (The Third Eye) is considered to be the first Dalit play in India that highlighted the tormenting fate of the lower-caste untouchables under the purview of the Hindu caste system. However, though it was written in 1855, it was not officially published until 1979, after a lapse of almost 125 years. In the meantime, a noted Telugu writer, who was awarded the Padma Bhushan, Boyi Bhimanna, wrote his magnum opus, the play Paaleru, depicting the tormenting situation of the lower-caste farmhands. Since this play was written and published in the late 1930s, it was earlier conceived as the first Dalit play. It was first performed in 1940. These two plays contributed greatly to the anti-caste movement in India to reduce caste-based violence and atrocities. However, Dalit theatre as a genre began its journey when M.V. Chitnis wrote his play Yugayatra in the 1950s under the direct supervision and patronage of one of the greatest Dalit saviours, Dr B. R. Ambedkar. This play was performed for the first time in Aurangabad in 1955 and later in 1956 for the Dalit converts in Nagpur in front of 600,000 Buddhist converts. It is equally important to note that before the independence of India, people from the Scheduled Castes in Maharashtra excelled in two entertainment traditions, namely ‘Ambedkari Jalsa’ and ‘Satyashodhak Jalsa’, that involve song, music, and dance arts. However, the main driving force for Dalit theatre was the swift dissemination of knowledge among the downtrodden classes following the independence of our country. In 1965, a separate Dalit Drama Conference was conducted. Several Dalit plays also saw successful stagings, solidifying the reputations of numerous playwrights and actors. At that point, it seemed Dalit drama was ready for development. From 1980 to 1990, the Dalit theatre movement gained particular traction; however, at a later stage, it couldn’t keep pace with the other genres of Dalit literature.

Origin and History of Dalit Theatre

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发表日期：

2025年

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Shubhendu Shekhar Naskar

摘要

Indian Dalit theatre stands out as a stimulating phenomenon and gives impetus to the contemporary Dalit movement in present-day India. Since Dalit theatre is performed, it is unique in showing the Dalits’ harrowing predicament in a more vivid manner than any other genre of Dalit literature. Though the tradition of writing Dalit plays dates back to the last decades of the nineteenth century, it did not gain the same momentum as the other genres of Dalit literature like poetry, short stories, and autobiography. It is generally believed that the tradition of writing Dalit plays began with the great social activist, writer, and anti-caste social reformer Mahatma Jyotiba Phule. His Marathi play Tritiya Ratna (The Third Eye) is considered to be the first Dalit play in India that highlighted the tormenting fate of the lower-caste untouchables under the purview of the Hindu caste system. However, though it was written in 1855, it was not officially published until 1979, after a lapse of almost 125 years. In the meantime, a noted Telugu writer, who was awarded the Padma Bhushan, Boyi Bhimanna, wrote his magnum opus, the play Paaleru, depicting the tormenting situation of the lower-caste farmhands. Since this play was written and published in the late 1930s, it was earlier conceived as the first Dalit play. It was first performed in 1940. These two plays contributed greatly to the anti-caste movement in India to reduce caste-based violence and atrocities. However, Dalit theatre as a genre began its journey when M.V. Chitnis wrote his play Yugayatra in the 1950s under the direct supervision and patronage of one of the greatest Dalit saviours, Dr B. R. Ambedkar. This play was performed for the first time in Aurangabad in 1955 and later in 1956 for the Dalit converts in Nagpur in front of 600,000 Buddhist converts. It is equally important to note that before the independence of India, people from the Scheduled Castes in Maharashtra excelled in two entertainment traditions, namely ‘Ambedkari Jalsa’ and ‘Satyashodhak Jalsa’, that involve song, music, and dance arts. However, the main driving force for Dalit theatre was the swift dissemination of knowledge among the downtrodden classes following the independence of our country. In 1965, a separate Dalit Drama Conference was conducted. Several Dalit plays also saw successful stagings, solidifying the reputations of numerous playwrights and actors. At that point, it seemed Dalit drama was ready for development. From 1980 to 1990, the Dalit theatre movement gained particular traction; however, at a later stage, it couldn’t keep pace with the other genres of Dalit literature.