Can Valmiki Become a Poet?

Abstract

Dayachand Mayna is one of the most robbed folk poets of Haryana. The article attempts to highlight the ways in which his poetry is stolen by Jaat singers and editors to build the reputation of a Jaat poet, Mehar Singh. The aim of article is to present how Dayachand suffered due to caste barriers, and it is caste that becomes one of the hurdles that blocked his path to success. The hypothesis will present how Dayachand was a victim of caste-based politics that did not allow a talented Valmiki poet to flourish.

Keywords

Academic loot Dalit folk poet Haryana social change hegemony subaltern Jaat

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