The first Dalit autobiography in Punjabi to appear in English, 'Changiya Rukh' means a tree lopped from the top, slashed and dwarfed. Balbir Madhopuri uses it as a metaphor for the Dalit robbed by a tradition that places every sixth Indian beyond touchability. Significantly, by bringing forth fresh branches and leaves, the lopped tree proves its innate worth through defiant resilience.Set in the village of Madhopur in Punjab, the work leads most centrally ...
Changiya Rukh, Against the Night: An Autobiography
