ABSTRACT
The whole Indian society is divided into several caste groups, which creates a hierarchical order by positioning women at the lowest rung of their respective varna; thus, the intersection of gender with caste multiplies women's subjugation by rendering them susceptible to systemic oppression, violence and social exclusion. Dalit women who are considered as the lowest of the low, as their counterparts are at the bottom of the hierarchical order, and they need to follow them in their respective positions, overburdened with multiple suppressions on the axes of caste, class, gender, region and religion. Their oppression is intensified, as they have to endure suppression and domination not only due to Brahmanical patriarchy, but their own community is equally responsible for their sufferings and downtrodden position. When their own gods are marginalised, how can they imagine for their self-emancipation? This makes dalit women more vulnerable not only to physical attack but also to psychological outbreak. Women are considered the backbone of any society. And if we want progress in a real sense, we ought to ensure their empowerment regardless of their caste and class. The present paper is an attempt to unveil the multiple hammers that affect dalit women's identity by taking reference to Sujatha Gidla's narrative Ants Among Elephants: An Untouchable Family and Making of Modern India, and tries to articulate for those who are erased from the mainstream, apparently due to their lower strata.
