SUBALTERN TRADITIONS AND NATIONAL CULTURE

Abstract

Nation and nationalism usually imply a social significance and it refers to a group of persons united by common descent and common language. In the post-colonial era the stress laid on the ideal of nationstate in the south Asian countries has become all the more remarkable. It is in the context of the all out effort of the present Hindutva movement and of the Central government of India to Hinduize national culture by reviving those elements which, in its judgment, are specific to the high caste Sanskrit culture, that the subaltern movements have gained momentum. Social classification of Indian society into classes also aggravated the plight of the downtrodden or broken, who are here designated by the Indian term dalits (the broken people). It is fashionable to use the term 'subaltern' among the academicians to refer to this section of the people.