Writing Revolution: Depiction of Caste and Class in Lal Singh Dil’s Selected Poetry

Abstract

Dalit writers and critics suggest that Punjabi Dalit poetry is progressive and human-centric, demanding justice, equality, and resistance against caste-, class-, gender-, and religion-based discrimination. Influenced by early Muslim saints and Sikh Gurus, this poetry promotes compassion and comradeship while opposing social dichotomies. With Ambedkarite thought, Mangoo Ram Mugowalia's movement, and the Naxalite wave, Punjabi Dalit poetry assumed a revolutionary voice. This paper examines how Lal Singh Dil uses poetry to mobilize Dalits, represent caste and class oppression, and imagine alternatives for ending socio-economic inequalities.