Issues and Challenges in Dalit (Adivasi/Triba...

Issues and Challenges in Dalit (Adivasi/Tribal) Religious Tradition: Gender Justice

Author Name : Mekala Lazarus Alexander

ABSTRACT

Caste system has been an integral part of the society of India since times immemorial. Lower caste people have been facing oppression, suppression, abuse, marginality, violence, inequality, abuse in several aspects of life such as political, social, economic, religious, etc.  Society was stratified into four different sections based on the type of works and livelihood of the people. It was meant to be a peaceful and clear distinction between the people of different jobs. But eventually the lower caste people started facing oppression and abuse at several instances of their lives. Specially the women that belonged to the lower castes were the most vulnerable and marginalized. They had to undergo the discrimination of the caste as well as the gender induced oppressions. They were marginalized by the other castes because of the caste they were born into and also were abused and oppressed by the men in the society, since the society of India is predominantly patriarchal. Women were dominated by the men of the society at every level and at every stage of their lives. They were always expected to be dependent on the men that surround them; on father when they are a child, on brother when they grow up, on husband when they are married, and on son when they grow old. Dalit women are the most marginalized and dominated in the society of patriarchal context like India.

Keywords: Caste, Community, Dalit, Gender, Violence, Women.