Liminal Space vs. Subaltern Space

Geography in literature addresses the representation of space and place in the literary text. The article demonstrates theoretical discourse on space by differentiating liminal space and subaltern space. Geographical analysis shows how the tribal community remains in the subaltern space, while Dalit people move from the subaltern space to the liminal space, as indicated in the selected text. The selected texts are Bama’s Karukku, which portrays experiences of the Dalit community, and Mahasweta Devi’s Douloti the Bountiful, which brings out the marginalization of the tribal community. Liminal space denotes the transitional space, which speaks about both sufferings and how they are moving from agony through geographical continuity. Subaltern space refers to the space of domination; it exposes how tribal people remain in subaltern space through geographical discontinuity. Karukku primarily focuses on the liminal existence of Dalits within the dominant caste system, where they are neither fully inside nor fully outside. Douloti the Bountiful , on the other hand, highlights the subalternity of tribal communities, who are often geographically and culturally isolated from the mainstream. This study advances our knowledge of the various experiences of marginalized communities in India and the spatial aspects of social exclusion. The significance of the study is explicit; geography is not merely a representation but an active tool of social subjugations. The comparative study differentiates how the Dalit community moved to a liminal space through geographical continuity, while the tribal community remained in a subaltern space due to geographical discontinuity. This highlights how geography mediates caste and tribal subjugation, revealing distinct trajectories in Dalit and tribal viewpoints.