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VOL. 11, ISSUE 4 (2025)
Threads of oppression and resistance: Gendered casteed struggles in Urmila Pawar’s The Weave of My Life (2008)
Authors
Ashok Kumar Tanan
Abstract
Urmila Pawar’s The Weave of My Life (2008) is a seminal Dalit feminist
autobiography that explores the intersecting oppressions of caste and gender.
This paper examines how Pawar’s childhood and adolescence were shaped by
systemic deprivation, domestic labor, social exclusion, and limited access to
education, illustrating the dual marginalization faced by Dalit women. Her
narrative transforms personal suffering into a political act, using
autobiography as a tool of resistance and collective testimony. Through
education, work, and storytelling, Pawar asserts agency, challenges patriarchal
and caste hierarchies, and reclaims her selfhood. By situating her experiences
within the broader context of Dalit women’s lives, the autobiography
foregrounds collective struggles and solidarity. This study highlights how
Pawar’s life-writing contributes to Dalit feminist discourse and Indian
literature, demonstrating that the pursuit of identity and dignity is
inseparable from confronting structural inequalities.
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Pages:171-173
How to cite this article:
Ashok Kumar Tanan "Threads of oppression and resistance: Gendered casteed struggles in Urmila Pawar’s The Weave of My Life (2008)". International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Research, Vol 11, Issue 4, 2025, Pages 171-173
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