Dalit Aesthetics:A Study of Bhakti Period

'Dalit aesthetics', from an unabashedly brahaminical position, might appear an oxymoron in itself for the simple reason that ‘aesthetics’ as such is believed to be the sole preserve of the twice-born. The presumption is that dalits being low-caste are uncivilized enough to have any sense of aesthetics. The present paper not only uncovers the politics of aesthetics, it also makes an effort to analyse the shifting perspectives of dalit aesthetics. In this process, the myth that dalit ideology and aesthetics, with whatever be its type and level of maturity, is frozen in time would also stand thoroughly examined, contested and eventually overturned. The paper focuses on the role of history particularly from the time of medieval bhakti-movements onwards in the making of dalit consciousness and aesthetics. Different historical events, situations and turns have brought about significant changes in the growth of dalit aesthetics.