Kalyani Thakur Charal

Kalyani Thakur Charal (born 1965) is a Dalit feminist poet from India writing in the Bengali language.

Life

Charal was born in Bagula, Nadia District, West Bengal, within the Matua community.[1]

Charal cites her parents as an early influence in her interest in feminism, describing an incident in which her father intervened to prevent a case of domestic abuse in their village, as well as her mother's commitment to ensuring all her children were given an equal opportunity to gain an education.[2][1] Her father worked as a security guard, but also took employment as a farmhand and woodcutter.[3] She adopted the name 'Charal', signifying her membership in the marginalised Matua community, after facing discrimination on the grounds of caste for it.[3][1] She completed a bachelor's degree in Commerce and began working as a clerk in the Indian Railways after qualifying through an exam, later resigning after experiencing discrimination and harassment based on caste.[1][4]

Kalyani Thakur Charal has published four volumes of poetry: Dhorlei Juddho Sunischit, Je Meye Adhar Gone, Chandalinir Kabita, and Chandalini Bhone. In addition to these, she has published a volume of critical essays titled Chandalinir Bibriti, and a collection of short stories, and an autobiography, Ami Keno Charal Likhi (Why I Write Charal).[2][5] Her autobiography, as well as her essay and poetry collections titled 'Chandalini' (tr: 'the untouchable woman') are widely popular, containing accounts of the discrimination that she faced for reasons of caste, while working in government service.[1] In 2017 she won the Sparrow Literary Award for her autobiography.[4] She edited the volume Dalit Lekhika: Women’s Writing from Bengal.[4][6] Her work has been received to critical acclaim, with one essay on Dalit women's writing from Bengal applauding her "strong and powerful voice".[7] Her adoption of the pen-name 'Charal' has also been praised for 'recovering space' for Dalit writers.[8]

In 2003 Charal began publishing a multilingual magazine called Nir, which contained recordings of folklore, poetry, plays, and fiction, as well as non-fiction writing focusing on Dalit experiences. The magazine included contributions in Bengali as well as local languages and dialects including Santali, Kamtapuri, Rarh, and Dapno.[2] The magazine continues to be in wide local circulation, and has provided a platform for people belonging to marginalised communities to record personal experiences.[3] Charal is a member of the editorial board of Chaturtha Duniya, a Bengali publishing house that focuses on works by Dalit writers, and is also on the board of the Dalit Sahitya Sabha, a literary organisation dedicated to Dalit literature.[4] In an interview, Charal cited Bengali poets and writers including Subhas Mukhopadhyay, Purnendu Patri, Binoy Majumder, and Rabindranath Tagore, as her early influences.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Ghose, Amita (18 March 2018). "Why Bengali Dalit feminist poet and writer Kalyani Thakur added Charal (for Chandal) to her name". Scroll.in. Retrieved 2020-12-26.
  2. ^ a b c d Sarangi, Jaydeep; Pal, Bidisha (2020-08-02). "Bangla Dalit Womanist Speaks: Interview with Bengali Dalit Writer Kalyani Thakur Charal". Writers in Conversation. 7 (2). doi:10.22356/wic.v7i2.78. ISSN 2203-4293.
  3. ^ a b c "Through the ceiling of silences". www.telegraphindia.com. Retrieved 2020-12-26.
  4. ^ a b c d "They are using Dalit votes for selfish ends". www.telegraphindia.com. Retrieved 2020-12-26.
  5. ^ "Kalyani Thakur Charal". Monash Indigenous Studies Centre. Retrieved 2020-12-26.
  6. ^ "Why Dalit Lekhika Is Women's Writing That Delivers A Punch In The Gut". Women's Web: For Women Who Do. 2020-12-09. Retrieved 2020-12-26.
  7. ^ Ray, Panchali (2019-07-24). Women Speak Nation: Gender, Culture, and Politics. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-000-50727-0.
  8. ^ Banerjee, Supurna; Ghosh, Nandini (2018-09-17). Caste and Gender in Contemporary India: Power, Privilege and Politics. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-0-429-78396-8.