Negotiating Caste and Class: Dalit Selfhood Through Food, Education and Religion in Omprakash Valmiki’s Joothan

This article examines Omprakash Valmiki’s Joothan as an impactful narrative of resistance against caste and the evolving nature of Dalit identity in contemporary India. It focuses on three main areas— education, food and religion—as everyday contexts where caste structures are both maintained and contested. By closely analysing the text, the article argues that Joothan reflects the intricate journey from caste-based marginalization to a more assertive, class-focused identity. The article uses insights from Paulo Freire, Pierre Bourdieu, Mary Douglas and B. R. Ambedkar to explore how education serves as a mechanism for ideological transformation, how food practices reveal the contradictions inherent in concepts of caste purity and how shifts in religious beliefs facilitate ethical rethinking. Although caste remains deeply rooted in Indian society, Valmiki’s autobiography illustrates how Dalits are creating new approaches for dignity and agency, demonstrating a burgeoning class consciousness based on intellectual, cultural and moral resistance. Thus, the article presents Joothan not merely as a narrative of oppression but also as a significant perspective to comprehend the interconnected dynamics of caste and class in India’s modernity.